Finance With Phil

FREEDOM NUMBERS / EDUCATION + CAREERS

Your next chapter.
More than
one way there.

Starting college, changing careers or going back to school? Explore your routes, understand the tradeoffs and figure out how the funding could work.

Build my plan

For learners at every stage + the people supporting them
No email required · Saved on your device · U.S. funding context

YOUR POSSIBILITIESOPEN
START WITH WHAT MATTERSA goal that feels like you.
01 / FIND YOUR ROUTELearn a skill.Credentials + apprenticeships
02 / BUILD ON YOUR WORKKeep progressing.Transfer + employer support
03 / GO DEEPERSpecialize.Graduate + professional study
THEN CONNECT THE NUMBERSReal costs. Funding leads.
A first move you can make.

Different routes. One plan that fits your life.

16 routes to exploreQuestions that adaptFunding without guessworkYour plan to keep

01 / START WITH YOUR LIFE

Let’s connect the pieces.

About five minutes for a first pass. Skip what you do not know and come back when you have more information.

02 / KNOW WHAT YOU ARE COUNTING

Funding is a plan,
not a promise.

Start with costs and confirmed support. Then research ways to close the gap. Grants, earnings and loans play different roles.

Guidance reviewed 2026-09-25. Confirm current rules, deadlines and written offers with each provider.

03 / MAKE THE MATH VISIBLE

Understand the commitment.

Test a loan repayment scenario and an investment illustration. These are separate calculations, not a prediction of which education choice pays off.

If borrowing is part of the plan

Use the balance at repayment start. This model assumes a fixed rate and equal monthly payments, with no fees, missed payments or forgiveness.

Defaults are illustrative, not current federal rates. In-school interest and capitalization depend on loan type and rules; this tool does not model them. Use your loan documents and Federal Student Aid’s Loan Simulator for applicable plans.

If you invest regularly

Explore hypothetical growth from monthly contributions. Investment returns vary and can be negative; education can also change future earnings.

Illustration assumes end-of-month contributions and constant monthly growth. It excludes inflation, taxes and fees. An assumed positive return is not a guarantee.

You do not need to have your whole life figured out. You need a clearer next step, a few better questions and numbers you can actually work with.

Phil, Finance With Phil