Some may say that a planned early retirement with the specific intent to game the system for need-based financial aid for college costs may be unethical, and an example of what some people may resent about a system which seems to help the wealthy and affluent become more so, while syphoning dollars out of the system which were originally intended to help those with "need", not those with "game".
Our current economy is shrinking. Many jobs are being outsourced overseas. Many other positions are changing from full-time (with benefits including health insurance) to part-time (without health insurance or other benefits). There are many good, hard-working people without paid employment. There are many more with part-time jobs which cannot pay for housing plus college. The unemployed and underemployed are negatively impacted by those who seek need-based financial aid for sport.
There is a saying, "Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should".
Some people have played the system well, ranging from boasting of the faux divorce (occupying two of several owned residential properties as domiciles), to selling homes and converting proceeds to gold, to living off the grid on a cash basis.
Unfortunately, for some families "ethics" may not be a compelling reason to undertake one course of action and forego another.
