Pros and Cons of Federal vs. Private Student Loans

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-federal-vs-private-student-loans-1541092900

Federal student loans may carry lower interest rates than private loans, and they have more repayment options for students. Even if the rate offered by a private lender is lower, federal student loans offer important protections such as income-based repayment and loan-forgiveness opportunities. Students should never replace a federal loan with a private student loan.

However, federal loans have yearly and aggregate limits on what a student may borrow, depending on the student’s year in school and whether he or she is considered a dependent. For instance, a first-year undergraduate student who is considered a dependent may generally borrow up to $5,500; no more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The aggregate limit for such a student is $31,000, and no more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. Federal student loans also charge a loan fee, currently 1.062% for loans disbursed from Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019.

Should a Parent or Student Take Out the College Loan?

This is, I think, so far the most comprehensive explanation for parents and their children on how to finance a student's college education:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/should-a-parent-or-student-take-out-the-college-loan-1531102080

Banks May Not Be the Best Place to Convert Currency

First check FXcompared.com to find out which companies offer the most competitive exchange rate.

So far as the article below was published, there are less costly alternatives to banks for currency conversions, including World First and OFX Group, among many others. Both OFX and WorldFirst are established, regulated, international money-transfer companies. Both can execute a €10,000 transaction or the equivalent (about $11,580 at current interbank exchange rates) at a spread of 1% from the interbank rate with no additional fees, and they offer better terms with larger and more frequent activity.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-banks-may-not-be-the-best-place-to-convert-currency-1533520981