New Year, Renewed Focus on Solving Student Debt

What a crazy year, huh?  The year 2018 was rife with what can only be described as tumult – on a political, social, and personal level. And yet, there is much to be hopeful for as we enter the new year, especially on the frontlines of the battle against the student loan debt crisis. This […]

How to Build a Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program for Registered Nurses

Nursing is the fastest-growing job field in the nation.  An essential role in the healthcare industry, the occupation provides excellent opportunities for employment and growth.  There are multiple pathways of education for nursing candidates.  In order to become a registered nurse (RN), a bachelor’s degree or associate degree is typically required.  Some candidates earn their […]

Finding a Solution to Your Student Loan Debt Woes Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

This is urgent. We’re all on the same side here. None of us want the student loan debt crisis to continue. The fact that we’re all in this together can be easily overlooked in these divisive times, but it’s true. Student loan debt has incalculable ramifications – from the psychological to social and economic – […]

Recent IRS Ruling Could Allow Employers to Pay Down Student Debt Using 401(k) Matching Funds

Finally, some welcome news in the fight against the national student loan debt crisis.  In what could potentially be a significant and encouraging first step in allowing employers to take a tax-favored approach in helping employees with student loan debt, the Internal Revenue Service recently issued a private letter ruling, PLR 201833012. The ruling concerned […]

Prioritization: Retirement Savings Plans Versus Student Loan Debt Repayment

Millennials have heard it time and again: save, save, save!  The inability to plan and save for retirement remains a constant source of anxiety and concern for people with student loan debt.  In fact, 80% of people say that student loans impact their ability to save for retirement, and why shouldn’t it?  People with student […]

The Advantages of Student Loan Repayment Assistance Over a Higher Salary

I’m the worst with money. Give me a dollar and I’ll spend it. Feeling me, all you impulsive spenders out there? Saving money is difficult! Maybe I’d do well to get professional help – a personal spending police at my side at all times to slap my hand if I so much as reach for […]

The Right Thing To Do: A Moral Argument for the Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program

I feel the need to make an argument for the employer student loan repayment assistance program beyond the usual it’s-good-for-business response. It is good for business, but it’s also more than that. The hard focus on profit seems to make employers uncertain about whether this program is a worthwhile investment. I can’t blame them for […]

Differentiation: The Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program, Employer Branding, and Katy Perry

I’ve been listening to Katy Perry’s “Firework” on repeat lately on my evening runs, and now I got the darn song stuck in my head. I kind of love it though.  I mean, I can always get down to some Katy. Remember these lyrics? “You don’t have to feel like a waste of space. You’re […]

How the Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program Can Benefit Every Single Employee in Your Company

I’ve come to think of the employer student loan repayment assistance program as a kind of reward system.  It’s positive reinforcement of specific employee habits and behaviors.  Or at least it can be tailored that way.  Structuring the program is all about setting specific limits to achieve the desired effect (as opposed to leaving it […]

5 Ideas for Structuring an Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program to Achieve Recruitment Goals

The magic – yes, magic – of the employer student loan repayment assistance program is that it is malleable.  It can be structured in any way you want it to be.  This can be a bit overwhelming for employers at first, but once they realize that the sky is the limit when it comes to […]

Essential Tips on How to Implement an Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (Part 2 of 2)

The process of implementing an employer student loan repayment assistance program can be fraught with questions.  What will the scope of the program be?  How many employees will enroll?  Fortunately, the process itself does not have to be complicated, and for companies that currently offer a pool of taxable benefits, the decision to implement is […]

Essential Tips on How to Implement an Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (Part 1 of 2)

Businesses have various goals in implementing an employer student loan repayment assistance program.  Many seek to supplement their recruitment strategy and attract top talent in the market by boosting their employer value proposition (EVP).  Others want to decrease employee turnover or lift morale within the company. If implemented correctly, an employer student loan repayment assistance […]