Jill on Money with Jill Schlesinger Can We Stop Saving for College?
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Mar 11, 2026 A lively money Q and A covering whether to ease up on 529 college contributions and when to shift that money to safer investments. Practical talk about pensions and keeping retiree portfolios low risk. Discussion on when someone might skip a financial advisor. Guidance on timing Roth conversions for high earners and handling quarterly taxes for remote PayPal income.
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Big 529 Balances Let You Prioritize Retirement
- Overfunding 529s can create a comfortable buffer that lets parents prioritize retirement and cashflow instead of maxing college savings.
- With $158,000 and $135,000 saved and retirement goals met, shortfalls are likely manageable later.
Ease Up On College Contributions
- Ease up on 529 contributions when your kids already have large balances and you're meeting retirement savings goals.
- Terry's family had about $293,000 across two 529s for ages two and four, so Mark suggests reducing contributions and reassessing in a few years.
Start DeRisking College Funds At Age 12
- Start reducing investment risk earlier than high school for college 529s by gradually shifting allocations.
- Mark recommends beginning to peel off risk around age 12 rather than waiting until high school to protect against market drops.