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<p>To add to this some. Your analysis ignores the gains those accounts will likely in earn during those years … on average over time something like 5-8% for year. So even after being docked to pay for school investment assets will, on average, be relatively flat … there will not be a huge decrease in value. So overall … </p>
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<li>The saver family absolutely will pay more for college</li>
<li>They also will also have substantial more assets than the non-saver family after paying for school</li>
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<p>As a saver family there is no way I’d want to switch positions with a non-saver family. IMO, the “sacrifices” we’ve made over the years pale in comparison to the financial freedom the trade-offs bought us … and, in our opinions, we did not deny our family anything essential to a rich life (we’ve traveled, supported their ECs, etc).</p>