Stanley Targosz, President of The Responsible Brand, Interviewed on The Influential Entrepreneurs Podcast to Discuss Student Loan Myths & Misconceptions

April 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM EDT

Stanley Targosz discusses Highlights Student Loan Myths & Misconceptions

Listen to the interview on the Business Innovators Radio Network: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-stanley-targosz-president-and-founding-member-of-the-responsible-brand-discussing-student-loan-myths-misconceptions/

Stanley Targosz, the founding member of the Responsible Brand, discuss student loan myths and misconceptions. Stanley shares his journey into the financial services industry, highlighting how mentorship and a passion for helping others led him to specialize in college planning and student debt management. With over 15 years of experience, he emphasizes the importance of understanding financial options for paying for college and the common challenges families face with student loans.

In the current landscape of higher education financing, student loan debt is often viewed as a burden solely borne by students. However, as Stanley Targosz highlights in the podcast episode, this perspective is misleading. The reality is that student loan debt is a family issue, with nearly equal amounts of debt held by both parents and students.

According to Targosz, the staggering total of $1.8 trillion in college debt is almost evenly split between parents and students. While students are indeed taking on significant loans, parents are also heavily involved in financing their children’s education, often through Parent PLUS loans or other forms of borrowing. Targosz predicts that in the next decade, the amount of debt held by parents may surpass that of students, further emphasizing the shared nature of this financial challenge.

A common misconception is that students should be able to navigate their college financing independently, as many parents did in their own youth. Targosz points out that this belief is flawed; the financial landscape has changed dramatically. For instance, if a student were to pay for their own college education solely through work, they would need to work 40 hours a week at a job that pays more than minimum wage. This scenario is unrealistic, as it would leave little time for academic responsibilities and personal well-being.

The implications of this shared debt are profound. When students struggle to make loan payments, it doesn’t just affect them; it also impacts their parents, especially if the loans are in the parents’ names. Targosz notes that many families find themselves in a precarious situation where the financial strain of student loans can lead to long-term consequences, such as delaying retirement or even having Social Security checks garnished to cover loan payments.

Given the shared nature of student loan debt, Targosz emphasizes the importance of family involvement in the planning and decision-making process. Parents need to be engaged from the beginning, understanding the financial commitments involved and working together with their children to create a sustainable plan. This collaborative approach can help families avoid the pitfalls of excessive debt and ensure that both parents and students are aligned regarding their financial futures.

In conclusion, student loan debt is not just a student issue; it is a family issue that requires collective awareness and action. By recognizing the shared responsibility and working together, families can navigate the complexities of college financing more effectively, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both parents and students.

Stanley shared: “Families often struggle with managing debt during their life seasons. I have been very successful at sharing ways to use internal savings to fund life’s events without taking away from big goals like college, retirement, or helping others. We all make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time, my job is to give better information to help make better decisions moving forward. our goal is to use our God given skills and talents to serve others, not debt”

Stanley also discusses the alarming trend of older adults still making student loan payments, with some even having their Social Security checks garnished. This underscores the importance of addressing student loan debt responsibly and ensuring that it does not become a lifelong burden.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/G4D9USWNy50

About Stanley Targosz

As the President and Founder of The Responsible Brand, Stanley is dedicated to bringing financial education back to families and the industry. He believes that responsible solutions begin with a knowledge base that can be applied to each phase of life, helping individuals have more control over their current and future financial decisions. With over 20 years of experience in helping families understand how to afford the next step after high school without affecting their life goals, he also solves the extreme college debt issue organically, using a knowledge-based solution that everyone can implement. His mission is to put the family at the center of the solution, ensuring everyone wins.

Learn more: https://theresponsiblebrand.com/

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Stanley Targosz, President of The Responsible Brand, Interviewed on The Influential Entrepreneurs Podcast to Discuss Student Loan Myths & Misconceptions

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