our grandson is starting college. We would like to help with the expenses. Is there a way we can do this and avoid taxes?

Yes, in addition to using the annual donee exclusion of $13,000 that is available to you and your spouse, you can give an unlimited amount for education without using your lifetime exemption (currently 3.5 million).
There are some qualifiers, such as the amount must be paid directly to the educational institution. To get all the details and discuss your overall goals and assets, you should retain an experienced estate planning attorney in your state.

Hope this helps.

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