Patricia Roberts is chief operating officer at Gift of College, Inc. where she provides employers of all sizes financial wellness benefits that address higher education costs. She is author of “Route 529: A Parent’s Guide to Saving for College and Career Training with 529 Plans,” has helped tens of thousands of families avoid millions of dollars in student loan debt over the past 20+ years through key roles at Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and AllianceBernstein Investments, and has recently gotten her own son through college debt free by saving a little at a time through payroll deduction at work.
Offering benefits such as student loan repayment assistance and contributions to 529 college savings plans can help improve employees’ financial wellbeing, strengthen their commitment and loyalty and distinguish employers in the competition for top talent.