07/08/2024
In the coming weeks, you will start to see articles about the costs of education for your children or grandchildren, whether for school or third level. One thing is certain: these costs increase every year.
I remember years ago having a review with a very young family who were eager to start an education savings plan for their children. The father of the family shared his story with me.
When he was going to university, his parents could only afford to send two out of three children to third level. He recalled that when he had his first child, his father said to him, "I had 18 years' notice that you would go to university, and I left it until the last minute to organise your education and that of your siblings. Please do not repeat history and make the same mistake that I did; start saving straight away." And this is why they contacted me.
This story has always resonated with me as a financial planner. It highlights the importance of looking ahead and planning for key milestones in your life. These might include buying a house, starting a family, reducing work hours, children going to university, getting married, saving for a deposit on a house, deciding when and where to retire, and passing on an inheritance to the next generation. I always ask my clients "what is your financial plan?"
Paul Heverin