Do You Save for College or for Retirement? What Parents Need to Know

If you're a parent, there is no doubt you want the best for your kids. To most of us, this means providing our children with the opportunity to not just attend college -- but to attend the college they want and graduate without thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

This isn't about spoiling your kids. Student loans present a serious burden to the students and graduates who carry them. Plenty of research shows how student debt is damaging a generation by forcing them to push back major life milestones like getting married, having a family or owning a home.

At the same time, you have your own financial realities to face. It's becoming harder for many to feel like they can maintain a middle-class lifestyle, and ultimately, we all have limited resources to use to fund short-term, mid-term and