YOUR INSIDE GUIDE TO EDUCATION WITH SHAWN A. HALL:

The of a College Degree

EARLIER THIS SUMMER, President Biden decided to eliminate 10k worth of student loan debt by executive order. For those eligible for Pell Grant (income-based government grant) the amount rose to 20k to be eliminated. There are pros and cons on each side of the argument of student loans and who should actually pay. I wish it were as simple as one repaying the debt that they agreed to take on and now owe, but that is an oversimplifi cation of what really lies beneath the murky depths of the student loan ocean.

LKNEXPERT

Shawn Hall is a former U.S. Department of Education Program specialist that resides in Mooresville. She is a scholarship and college admissions coach, the author of “Prepare Now, Don’t Pay Later,” and is the mother of a high school senior, college sophomore, college graduate, and elementary student. For more information, visit allroadseducation.com. According to Bankrate, all federal student loans charge simple interest which basically means you pay the interest that has accrued on your loan and no more. So easy-peasy right? Nope! ere are times that even with a federal student loan, you pay interest ON the interest that has accrued, and those times are commonly known as deferment periods. During deferment periods, you are still accruing interest on the total amount you owe even if the payments you are required to make have been temporarily halted. is is the heart of why the system is broken and the deck continues to remain stacked against borrowers. You can get a deferment for up to three years if you have already graduated from college and, for those students who are currently in college, the payments aren’t automatically deferred for as long as they are in school. e clock for the interest, unless it’s a subsidized loan or was a now ended Perkins loan, continues to tick on that interest which balloons the initial balance borrowed. Ok, I know what you’re thinking—only borrow what you can a ord to repay, right? With the interest compounding daily and jobs for new graduates being less pay than the degree cost, exactly how does that happen for a fresh-faced 22-year-old college graduate? Simply put, it doesn’t.

Now that I’ve broken down the student loan game for you, I hope there’s been a spark for you to want to go after scholarships with even more vigor and zeal. It’s money that you don’t have to repay and that allows parents to realize their own personal goals such as saving for retirement, investing in rental properties, or perhaps just ensuring that you can keep living comfortably without the added burden of student loans.

With 68 percent of all jobs in 2022 requiring some level of higher education, I believe college is still worth the time and e ort. You get to decide the real cost of that degree based on your actions. Remember, behavior has receipts. w

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that's what SaidHE

JACKSON PRINCIPI, FOGLE INSURANCE GROUP

ALL IN THE FAMILY My family moved to Huntersville when I was really young, so this is home for me … although I currently live in Uptown Charlotte. I went to St. Mark Catholic School, Charlotte Catholic High School, and Elon University. My areas of study were nance and economics, and I planned to go into insurance in some capacity since most of my family worked in that eld. I completed all certi cations in all types of insurance and knew I wanted to go into commercial lines of insurance. My family’s agency seemed the best option for me.

SPOILER ALERT:

Men and women are different. Ok, so maybe that fact didn’t really surprise you. After all, it’s been 28 years since John Gray popularized the idea that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. And as much as we love sharing women’s stories, we decided it was time to lend the Martians of LKN our ear, too. This month we share the perspectives of Jackson Principi of Fogle Insurance Group.

STAYING

BALANCED Working out and eating healthy keeps me going every single day — good or bad. Working towards my business goals helps to keep me motivated — going the extra mile to help Fogle Insurance Group become the most successful it can be. I’ve realized that time management is necessary for being successful in outside sales and business, but I also know how important it is to do things I love outside of work such as hiking, reading, listening to podcasts, playing golf, and doing yoga. One of my favorite ways to unwind is catching a Charlotte FC match or a Panthers game.

WITH GOD

BY MY SIDE

Joshua 1:9 — “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” I feel that anything is possible with God by your side. Failing is a part of living and being human. e only way to lose in life is by giving up. I try not to let fear stand in my way. I would fail 1000 times over if there was any chance at being successful.

BLESSED AND GRATEFUL I watched my mom and dad work very hard my entire life. My brother and I were very comfortable, and it made me want that kind of nurtured life for my own family one day. Also, I am so lucky to have friends that I have bonded with over the years. ose are lasting friendships and they’ve meant so much to me. w

Jackson Principi is a commercial lines agent with Fogle Insurance Group in Huntersville. Contact Jackson at 704.875.3060 or via email at jackson@foglegroup.com.

ROBIN MERMANS

ROAD TO RESOLUTION

EMBRACE. ACCEPT.

IF THESE PAST FEW YEARS OF

uncertainty taught us anything, it’s to seize the moment, be grateful, and do what you love. Just ask Robin Mermans.

As founder and principal attorney at Road to Resolution Divorce Mediation & Collaborative Family Law, this Charlotte-based mama of ve not only understands the path to amicable splits, but she is a pro at cultivating and running a blended family.

“My divorce, while incredibly di cult and painful, was a blessing in disguise,” Robin shares. “It gave me the chance to learn my life’s purpose and led me to Andy and my stepsons … between us we have ve children: Ellie (23), Kase (22), Buchanan (20), Jake (20), and Walker (18).”

Embracing a new direction in her personal life is what led Robin to her passion: helping couples nd a peaceful way to end their unions. “Like many before me,” she says, “I thought my rst marriage would last forever. However, once we decided that divorce was the only healthy way forward for us, we did what most people do and hired attorneys.”

thrive

"I LOVE OFFERING A PLACE WHERE COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION ARE ENCOURAGED, CULTIVATED, AND THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FAMILY REMAINS THE FOCUS.”

Unfortunately, as is the case for many, the divorce was expensive and combative. Robin felt controlled by the process instead of empowered. Six months and thousands of dollars later, they still had nothing to show for all the time and money invested … not to mention the emotional toll.

is experience motivated her and her now former husband to draft the basic terms of their separation and give those terms to the attorney to re ne and put in a legally binding document. “Learning there are alternate options to the traditional divorce process inspired me to open ROAD to RESOLUTION Divorce Mediation in 2011 as a non-attorney mediator,” Robin explains. “While mediation is a wonderful process for many, it may not be for every situation, so I enrolled in law school to study family law. After passing both the North Carolina and South Carolina bar exams, I added Collaborative Family Law, Collaborative Divorce, and other alternative dispute resolution processes. I love o ering a place where cooperation and collaboration are encouraged, cultivated, and the best interest of the family remains the focus.”

No stranger to facing life’s challenges head on, 2019 would test Robin once again when her son was in a serious skateboarding accident, fracturing his skull and su ering a severe TBI (traumatic brain injury); the doctors were uncertain of his fate for the rst few days. is tragedy, as you can imagine, brought the entire family to their knees.

“Fortunately,” Robin recalls, “my son is a ghter and walked out of the hospital seven days later.” We assume we will outlive our children and that there is always a tomorrow. is tragedy reminded me not to take time, life, or loved ones for granted. Life is transient and impermanent, and tomorrow is never guaranteed … I often look to this quote by Golda Meir for inspiration: “Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into ames of achievement.” w