School taking drastic measures

amother

↑ OP

Today at 9:47 am

amother Green wrote:

Day camp for 5-12 year olds at 1k per half is the average.
How do you expect parents to work to afford the tuition if they don't send to daycamp.
We need to stop lumping necessities (daycamp for kids of working parents, running car, simple house, food) with mild luxuries (clubs, therapies, sleep away camp for 1 half) with real luxuries (over 3500 sq foot houses, luxury cars, seminary, vacations).

In many circles seminary is considered more of a basic necessity than sleepaway camp.

amother

↑ Brunette ↓

Today at 9:48 am

amother Tulip wrote:

In this economy? I would say about half the parent body (if not more) is really struggling. I think there have been some informal studies in our community that have born this out.

In Lakewood?

amother

Mint

Today at 9:50 am

amother Freesia wrote:

Little known fact: In Sara schenirer's schools, a student whose parents were behind in tuition or didn't pay was sent home immediately. Yes, she valued chinuch, but she also valued paying her teachers and overhead and staying open. If you wanted a BY education, you made it work somehow. And in those days you takeh could have no food in the house due to poverty-- no programs.

Could you link to an article or book that discusses this?

amother

↑ Brunette ↓

Today at 9:53 am

amother Tulip wrote:

You don't get earned income credit if you have 190k in income. Something is wrong with your story...

You get a child tax credit. And chances are after your deductions you're also getting a bit of a refund. Idk but I used to get refunds when we were making $250,000. It wasn't that much it was a couple thousand dollars but that was the amount that we would put aside for saving.

amother

↑ Green ↓

Today at 9:54 am

amother OP wrote:

In many circles seminary is considered more of a basic necessity than sleepaway camp.

And in many circles IN LAKEWOOD, the girls works to cover seminary.
My daughter is in a local seminary now. We got some FAFSA. We're paying 8k (cost of tuition). She's paying the additional amount.
She and many friends have been working since 10th grade to cover camp and seminary - Sunday secretaries, clubs, daycares in the summer, helping shaitel machers, etc.
Her friends have worked and saved 25k and are paying their own seminary after whatever reduction they're given.

I certainly hope her parents aren't being penalized and criticized because all they paid was flight and insurance. The girls are paying seminary.

amother

↑ Brunette ↓

Today at 9:54 am

amother Tulip wrote:

Yes. Why do you think not?

Because I live in a working neighborhood.
And I see the way people spend. But I assume that they pay tuition.

amother

↑ Razzmatazz ↓

Today at 9:56 am

giftedmom wrote:

So what’s the solution?

That's the challenge here. Both sides have equally valid claims, so the responsibility can't be placed onto only one side.

Imo, we need to start restructuring our setup. We need to start at the foundation, and no longer ignore financial considerations for newlyweds. They need to start off ahead of the game, not push the ball down the road and end up paying their lives backwards. They need to start married life with stronger financial footings. And we need to stop telling our kids to figure it out later.

Of course, we also need to overhaul the crazy life expenses that have morphed into 'necessities'. The cost of living, expensive clothing, simcha expenses, crazy wedding expenses, seminaries, Israel yeshivas etc.

And most of all - we shouldn't have so many 'norms' and foster conformity. People should be taught to live within their means. Society needs to stop with pushing everyone down the same road.

Basically, we need a major reset.

amother

↑ Impatiens ↓

Today at 9:57 am

amother Brunette wrote:

I had to pay more taxes and got no refund. Most of us can’t get refunds at way less than 250,000, no idea what you are talking about.

amother

↑ Impatiens

Today at 9:59 am

amother Brunette wrote:

In Lakewood?

You think Lakewood is suffering less than the world? Most jobs don’t pay that well here. Even if you live simply food and gas cost so much more now during this period of inflation.

amother

↑ Lotus ↓

Today at 10:01 am

amother Brunette wrote:

Because I live in a working neighborhood.
And I see the way people spend. But I assume that they pay tuition.

Unfortunately, many don't make tuition priority.
They spend 20K-50K to go to the bungalow colony for the summer, but can't afford tuition. They wear expensive clothing, but can't afford tuition. They fly to Miami for mid winter, but can't afford tuition....
It's just not priority for them & schools have ever right to question & be drastic.

amother

↑ Holly ↓

Today at 10:02 am

amother Brunette wrote:

How maby kids is the 50k for?

High school $12,000
Son in elementary $10,000
2 girls in elementary $20,000
Son in preschool $7,000

Total $49,000

2 boys, I still need to pay 1 month daycamp
Rest of the kids, need to pay 2 months daycamp.
And no, I can’t skip daycamp. That’s an option for SAHM’s only, or for those who work in a school setting.

amother

↑ Dodgerblue

Today at 10:06 am

amother Brunette wrote:

Not correct. Many times we owe money for taxes at the end of the year.

amother

↑ Tulip ↓

Today at 10:06 am

amother Lotus wrote:

I don't know ANYBODY who does all these things and I live in a wealthier neighborhood. Are you talking about Lakewood?

amother

↑ NeonPink

Today at 10:08 am

amother Brunette wrote:

Because I live in a working neighborhood.
And I see the way people spend. But I assume that they pay tuition.

The top 20% of the community is doing great. The bottom 20% is doing okay because the top 20% gives tzedakah to them plus there are government programs. The middle 60% are struggling month to month and barely or not at all making it. I’m quoting Eli Fried here. If you’re on LinkedIn, there has been a ton of discussion about it how most frum families are struggling so badly in this economy.

The frum lifestyle is no longer affordable. I think we will start seeing people go otd from this.

amother

↑ Green

Today at 10:11 am

Everyone is skipping over the conversations of schools buying and building massive fancy buildings and going into debt that they just demand parents pay up.

I send to a different yeshiva. We settled our tuition and this year's building fees with head checks
But they decided to go fancier on the new building but they didn't get the donations they wanted. So now, I'm getting calls that I need to pay more, pay my whole years building fee by February when they agreed in July that I can divide it up over the year. ($50/month instead of $600 upfront).

amother

↑ Tulip ↓

Today at 10:11 am

amother Brunette wrote:

I just put 250k into an online tax calculator. The federal income tax is 40k. And this is without social security, state and local taxes. I have a great idea for you - give ME 40k and I'll also give you back a few thousand. Deal?

amother

↑ Holly

Today at 10:12 am

amother Brunette wrote:

lol

I’m an accountant
You don’t get earned income credit at that income level. Child tax credit yes, but not everyone gets a refund. Everyone earns money differently, if you have a w-2, and a mortgage, give charity, and withhold each paycheck, you’ll likely have a refund.
If you have your own business or earn on a 1099, you pay in to cover each quarter, and generally don’t get a refund.
So you getting a refund doesn’t mean everyone gets one.

And as an accountant, my informal study, most of my clients are earning way less than 4 years ago, and are struggling.

Many posters here are waaaay out of touch with reality, it’s laughable.

amother

DarkYellow

Today at 10:18 am

allthingsblue wrote:

Why is tuition unaffordable for the average family? Lakewood tuition is cheap comparatively.

Maybe other things should be toned down. Bar mitzvahs, clothing, day camp, sleep away camp.

I just want to say that my tuition bill for next year, in Lakewood, is around 16k. For one child. That isn’t cheap