Annie’s Mailbox: Finished degree a safety net

Dear Annie: I am currently pursuing a degree in teaching. I decided to do this slowly (it’s been five years), because I wanted to stay home with my son. Also, I have never been truly sure that teaching is what I want to do. More importantly, I have bipolar disorder, and this may interfere with the job and the final stage in obtaining my degree.

I have been very stable emotionally for many years now. I take my medication and see my psychiatrist as scheduled. I do, however, still experience some mood swings, which my husband simply attributes to my monthly cycle.

I also have established a fairly successful part-time pet-and-home-sitting business. Annie, I love it. I enjoy being around the dogs, cats, birds, etc., and meeting new people. It makes me feel wonderful when these clients say they need me.

Here’s my dilemma: I have this huge student loan to pay off, and I am slated to student-teach this coming fall. My husband believes I should finish my degree and while I run to two different schools for over 16 weeks, we’ll somehow figure out a way to get our son to class. I feel like my head is going to explode.

I wanted to stop pursuing this degree a long time ago, but my husband pushed me to keep going, as being a teacher would be the only way to pay off the loans. I have not even tried to put money into advertising for my pet-and-home-sitting business, and I know I can be very successful at it. Any advice? – Confused in New York

Dear Confused: It would be great if you could finish your degree since you are so close to completion. Also, your pet-and-home-sitting business may not take off, and you will have teaching as a fall-back position. However, we are not sure how well you will handle the stress. We recommend discussing this with your psychiatrist, who knows your capabilities and can help you determine the best course of action.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are nearly 70 and have a decent, but not huge, nest egg. We have three children who are doing OK.

I know there are legal ways to pass on most of your assets to your children and then be eligible for Medicaid if you need it later. Maybe it is just my pride, but I think I should pay for my own care as long as possible. Is there an ethical answer, or is this just a matter of preference? – Baffled in the Midwest

Dear Baffled: There are perfectly ethical ways to set aside money for the kids without cheating the government. Do what lets you sleep at night.