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PrintThat's Just Wrong: College's Prepaid Plan
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Producer:
Diana Reed
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Today, most parents will do anything to offset the cost of college. Many of them here in Florida will invest in the state's prepaid plan. But when one local boy decided not to further his education, the state refused to refund his money. Now, his mom tells us keeping the cash is just wrong.
It is a day that will change your life forever. But with a bouncing bundle of joy comes a bundle of responsibility... Like how will you finance his future.
Janice Caballero: "I thought it was a good investment."
Janice Caballero knew a long time ago sending her son Christian to college was a smart investment. That's why she enrolled in Florida's Prepaid Plan. But when it came time for her son to go to college...
Janice Caballero: "He didn't go to school actually because he got sick."
Christian may have been too ill to attend school, but when Janice asked the state for her money back, she felt like she was attending the school of hard knocks.
Janice Caballero: "They said it would take six to eight weeks to process."
So she waited...And waited...And waited. And when she called the state again for her seven thousand dollars, she was told to wait some more. Then when she inquired about her money a third time...
Janice Caballero: "They told me no we already sent it."
In fact, according to the state's records, the check had been cashed. But when Janice was told it was her job to investigate who had her money, she told the state - "That's Just Wrong."
Janice Caballero: "It's crazy what they said to me. I don't think it's my job to go after these people just in case the check got in the wrong hands and someone else cashed it."
When Seven News talked with Florida's Prepaid College Plan, it told us Janice was misinformed by one of the employees. Her check had never been cashed by someone else and even if it had, the state would not expect her to investigate it. In the mean time, the state has issued Janice a new check. She says she'll use the money for her son's treatment, but she hopes the state has learned a valuable lesson in how to treat people.
Janice Caballero: "I think it's their job to issue another check to me and try to investigate and claim the money."
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Florida's Prepaid College Plan:
http://florida529plans.com/