<prompt> Human: Title correction: I do want to help out, but not completely sure on how to go about doing so, and if I should completely take over the loan or help with a portion of it.So to start this out, I was pretty oblivious to managing my finance and investing until recently. And I feel that my parents are also...Im about to graduate college and have a full time job lined up, I currently live with my parents mother and step-father while in school. My parents took parent plus loans out and at the beginning, said they didnt want me to have to worry about paying it back. They have paid for all of my needs, even non-essential things, recreation, and hobbies until I started earning my own money with a part time job. But I have been mostly saving in a money market account making a measly 1 interest.My biological father died a while back, and I got a inheritance check for 13K around a year ago. At first I wanted my parents to have it, since I didnt need it, and wanted to help them out due to all the financial support they have given me. I know they are in debt and struggling somewhat, but they refused.Anyways, now I have around 25K in savings from that and my part-time job. My full time job offer is around 100K salary per year. After I got the offer I brought up wanting to help them out with the college loans again. The loan total is somewhere around 100K with around 4 interest I think.. and they are only able to afford the minimum payments. My step-dad wants me to take it over completely now, but my mom just wants me to help out not fully take it over.Im mentally kicking myself for a few reasons now: I wish my parents just took my money from that check. I feel like so much money was wasted due to compounding interest on my student loan. With my parents only paying the minimum payment, the total is just staying constant. My mom didnt even realize this until I had her show me the loan and explain it to her. I shouldnt have just had it sitting in a money market account making crap interest. Ive only recently learned about investing. I could have put it in a safe investment account and had it grow more. - but paying down the loan would have been smarter.So Im feeling really conflicted on what to do. My parents dont want me to give them a lump-sum right now to pay down the loan, in case I need it, but its literally just sitting in my bank. Im also getting reimbursed on my moving expenses, so Im not worried about needing it. And they are also confused about tax benefits if I give them money for the loan.Im rather pissed that they told me to keep the money at first and not want me to help them with the loan, but now they want to; and my step-dad wants me to take it over fully. I feel so much money was wasted, if he said this to begin with I would have given him the majority of my money for it. They paid for my living expenses - its not like I needed it at the time.Sorry if this is kinda ranty, but Im looking for advice. If I were to take it over fully, how would I do so. Would I somehow take out a personal loan for possible lower interest and tax benefits?Edit: Estimated take home after taxes is 70Kyear, rent estimate 1100-1300Kmonth. Not even sure how much I will have left over after 401K contributions, food, utilities, car insurance. I do have a car, so no car payments. But my step-dad wants me to buy a new car AND take over the loan completely!! Makes no sense to me! Edit: I mean I just think that a new car makes no sense, my current one is fine, I dont want to be more in debt. Im not sure how to estimate my future costs on these either since my parents paid for all my needs. So Id appreciate advice on this also.TLDR: Regardless of the past.. I have 25K in savings, about to start 100Kyear job out of college, my parents have around 100K in parent college loans. Parents oblivious to compounding interest on loan and total not going down after payments. Step-dad wants me to fully take it over. Not sure how much I should help out, or how to even help out with this.Assistant: Hi, thanks for the share.Your conflict seems to be derived from the fact that 1 they helped you out and 2 your step-dad is asking for a payback.I wouldnt recommend paying lump sum or taking on another debt to cover this one. What I would do in your situation is I would help them with as much of the repayment as I could to beat the increasing amount.Try not to dwell and beat yourself up over wasted money as it will not help the situation and will probably just make you feel crap.If you feel like you ought to help with the repayment, sit down and talk to them that while you cant one shot take it all, youll do your best to help them out as much as possible. As money is usually a touchy subject with anyone, please dont take my advice word for word.All the best to you!Human: Yeah, thanks for responding. That is pretty much what Im thinking and my mom agrees with it. Paying a lump sum could be dangerous in case I need a safety net fund. Life happens.My step-dad is just all over the place sometimes, e.g. wanting me to buy a new car and getting more in debt at the same time as helping out. I think they didnt expect me to get my first job paying this much, so thats why they just told me to hang on to my money at first.I do want to help them out some so they could retire comfortably since they helped me so much financially through my life.  <response>: Budget a monthly amount that you can afford to contribute towards this debt. Send those payments directly to the loan service. That way, you know for certain that the payments are going to their intending destination. 