<p>Countingdown,</p>
<p>Your post is one of the reasons I find the financial aid policies at schools grossly unfair. If I recall correctly, your husband works for the federal government with a retirement program and associated healthcare insurance. Those of us whose employers eliminated such programs and laid off workers covered by such must fund our retirement out of savings. Unfortunately, colleges see such savings as available for college tuition. Colleges ask questions about many aspects of financial health - but never take into consideration the availability of retirement programs. IRA contributions will not be sufficient to support a retired couple and pay their health care costs</p>