What Are the Benefits of a Student Consolidation Loan
by Daniel Millions
If you have successfully managed to get through College and University then you are probably also burdened with a certain level of debt as a result of your studies. Unsurprisingly, the last thing that most students need after they have finished their education is to be faced with a mass of debt repayments, especially as most do not get their ideal job straight away. If this sounds like you then perhaps you should consider a Student Consolidation Loan. These loans are ideal for those students fresh out of education and are worried about meeting the monthly repayments on their loans.
The Federal Consolidation Loan Program was first established in 1986 with the intention of helping students with their financial commitments. In 1999, the original variable rate was replaced with a fixed rate of interest.
Dependent upon each individual's wishes the student can choose to make repayments over a duration of 10 to 20 years. The payments are over a longer period of time than the initial loans but the repayments are more manageable. Students need to also recognize that some of the original loan benefits such as post graduation grace periods are not retained under the loan consolidation program.
Those students you are successful in applying for a consolidation loan will need to fulfill certain criteria.
Any student who has taken federal loans such as a Stafford loan or Federal Perkins loan are eligible to consolidate them so that only one monthly payment needs to be made. However private sector loans are currently not party to the scheme.
The student will need to have a total amount of at least $20,000 in federal loans and cannot have defaulted on any of them. To apply you will need to be in the grace period after the course has finished or have made some repayments. However on a positive note, eligibility does not require that you are employed and a co-signer is not needed to complete the application.
Consolidation loans are perfect if you are struggling to manage the debt repayments and they offer a number of benefits.
Besides the aforementioned reduction in monthly payments and a smaller amount to pay over a longer period of time, the student consolidation loan can actually help to improve your credit rating immediately, rather then years from now.
During college you probably took out Stafford loans that are logged as separate loan agreements. Typically, the average college student will have 6 to 8 loans on file at the time of graduation. One of the key factors in deciding a person's credit rating is the total number of credit agreements they have. Consolidation, therefore can instantly improve the situation.
Besides this, the consolidation loan is great because it is set at a fixed rate, which means that you can be absolutely certain of the amount that you need to repay each month. Currently a consolidation loan cannot be set any higher than 8.25%.
If you are concerned about credit checks when making the application then there is no need to worry. The consolidation loan does not require this and there are a range of flexible payment plans that can be designed to fit around your individual circumstances.
In this respect, you should also consider the option of making repayments via direct debit. This is not obligatory but it can assist in helping you to manage your finances and there is an additional incentive of a 0.25% reduction on the rate of repayment.
แสดงบทความที่มีป้ายกำกับ Student Consolidation Loan แสดงบทความทั้งหมด
แสดงบทความที่มีป้ายกำกับ Student Consolidation Loan แสดงบทความทั้งหมด
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 10 กรกฎาคม พ.ศ. 2551
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 17 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2551
Student Loan Consolidation that Reduces the Number of Checks Payable
Student Loan Consolidation that Reduces the Number of Checks Payable
by poly muthumbi
Are you a student who is your own guardian? Don't die paying all these lenders while you can comfortably pay one and evade a difficult life. Defaulted student loans can get so cruel. It means your credit history is destroyed, options for delaying credit like forbearance and deferment are rejected and you are in for a full loan payment. And guess what, your wages are affected, federal income tax is withheld and yet chances of getting other federal loans reduces.
But relax. By going for student loan consolidation, some of the companies will help you recover and clear your bad credit history name, pay for this pressuring loan and offer comfortable interest rates that you can manage. Life must go on, loans don't forgive. Well, just going for student loan consolidation options could be all that you need. Don't waste your time, today the interests may be low, and tomorrow they get higher than anyone expected and you will smile to enjoy today's interests. Look for this information online and get surprised by the number of lenders you will get. Then decide your lender
Just before i forget, some defination should come hardy at this point. Well i almost forgot about it! Student Loan Consolidation is the process of a student combining any existing loans from different lending institutions and approaching one lender to take care of all of them at a fixed interest rate and over a period of time. You will agree with me that we all have goals to achieve in life, and these goals need a strong financial base. Education, for instance, happens to define the person you will become in the future and lifetime career choice. It needs smart financial planning and consideration!
Life necessities overwhelm us at times. There is no way to escape them. We need a strong financial base to meet them. Loans are always an option for many, but hard work is a must to settle them. If you are parent with four kids, so to say, all grown up and demanding for school fees every term. This can really weigh you down regardless of how strong your financial base is. All the basic needs, a dreaded competitor in your business arena, Electricity bills and rent must be met first and still be answerable to your kids even if they do not go to school.
Definitely you need a smart plan to take care of this. I would advice you to go for a student loan consolidation. Many institutions are offering student loan consolidation services. The government itself offers federal student loan consolidation and private lending institutions offer student loan consolidation too. Whichever way, you choose that best suits your lifestyle, rest assured that your loans will be taken care of.
Picture this, having four loans for your four kids. One doing a doctorate course, the other one in college for another course, the other two are in high school, plus the loan you took for mortgage and what about that family car that you can not do without, and the loan you have taken to refinance your business. Ouch! That's a hell bunch of loans to consider not mentioning your home needs.
Yes, you may have a good job that takes care of all of them but bear in mind that, they have different interest rates, some very high. By merging these loans and approaching one lender to pay them for you definitely reduces the high interest rates to fixed low rates though with prolonged period of paying. That's ok I guess, besides there is too much to enjoy like lower monthly payments, tax deductible interests, one lender takes care of it all, fixed interest rates and above all your credit history is set straight and this means you are legible for forbearance and deferment. By forbearance and deferment I mean that you can be allowed to reduce payments or delay them for a short period of time after an agreement with your lender that at your own time you will start paying from where you left. If this can happen then no one should complain that they did not have enough education since this is taken care of all you have to do is work harder to pay for the loans when you are most comfortable.
This organizes you and reduces the number of checks you have to write to many lenders every month. Besides, your kids grown up now, let them pay for these loans after school, that way they become responsible.
by poly muthumbi
Are you a student who is your own guardian? Don't die paying all these lenders while you can comfortably pay one and evade a difficult life. Defaulted student loans can get so cruel. It means your credit history is destroyed, options for delaying credit like forbearance and deferment are rejected and you are in for a full loan payment. And guess what, your wages are affected, federal income tax is withheld and yet chances of getting other federal loans reduces.
But relax. By going for student loan consolidation, some of the companies will help you recover and clear your bad credit history name, pay for this pressuring loan and offer comfortable interest rates that you can manage. Life must go on, loans don't forgive. Well, just going for student loan consolidation options could be all that you need. Don't waste your time, today the interests may be low, and tomorrow they get higher than anyone expected and you will smile to enjoy today's interests. Look for this information online and get surprised by the number of lenders you will get. Then decide your lender
Just before i forget, some defination should come hardy at this point. Well i almost forgot about it! Student Loan Consolidation is the process of a student combining any existing loans from different lending institutions and approaching one lender to take care of all of them at a fixed interest rate and over a period of time. You will agree with me that we all have goals to achieve in life, and these goals need a strong financial base. Education, for instance, happens to define the person you will become in the future and lifetime career choice. It needs smart financial planning and consideration!
Life necessities overwhelm us at times. There is no way to escape them. We need a strong financial base to meet them. Loans are always an option for many, but hard work is a must to settle them. If you are parent with four kids, so to say, all grown up and demanding for school fees every term. This can really weigh you down regardless of how strong your financial base is. All the basic needs, a dreaded competitor in your business arena, Electricity bills and rent must be met first and still be answerable to your kids even if they do not go to school.
Definitely you need a smart plan to take care of this. I would advice you to go for a student loan consolidation. Many institutions are offering student loan consolidation services. The government itself offers federal student loan consolidation and private lending institutions offer student loan consolidation too. Whichever way, you choose that best suits your lifestyle, rest assured that your loans will be taken care of.
Picture this, having four loans for your four kids. One doing a doctorate course, the other one in college for another course, the other two are in high school, plus the loan you took for mortgage and what about that family car that you can not do without, and the loan you have taken to refinance your business. Ouch! That's a hell bunch of loans to consider not mentioning your home needs.
Yes, you may have a good job that takes care of all of them but bear in mind that, they have different interest rates, some very high. By merging these loans and approaching one lender to pay them for you definitely reduces the high interest rates to fixed low rates though with prolonged period of paying. That's ok I guess, besides there is too much to enjoy like lower monthly payments, tax deductible interests, one lender takes care of it all, fixed interest rates and above all your credit history is set straight and this means you are legible for forbearance and deferment. By forbearance and deferment I mean that you can be allowed to reduce payments or delay them for a short period of time after an agreement with your lender that at your own time you will start paying from where you left. If this can happen then no one should complain that they did not have enough education since this is taken care of all you have to do is work harder to pay for the loans when you are most comfortable.
This organizes you and reduces the number of checks you have to write to many lenders every month. Besides, your kids grown up now, let them pay for these loans after school, that way they become responsible.
วันจันทร์ที่ 14 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2551
Where To Find Student Loans For College
Where To Find Student Loans For College
by Dennis Conner
A college education may seem trivial to some but to not to most people who want to achieve a better status in life economically and socially. Globalization has made education very important because of the increasing competitiveness among young professionals worldwide.
A college degree has become a prerequisite in getting better work opportunities in any field of discipline. The lack of a college degree can thus put a person at a disadvantage especially when he is applying for a job and his competitors are all college graduates.
It is common knowledge that the income of people is directly proportional to the degrees they have achieved. Thus, a college graduate has better chances of getting a high paying job than a high school graduate. On the other hand, those who have masters' degrees will definitely have higher incomes than those armed with college degrees.
However, getting a college education is so expensive nowadays that only a few can afford to get one. Most families who belong to the low income group could not even send their children to college even if they want to do so. But there are solutions to those who are bent on getting a college education but who do not have the financial capacity.
Students who are eyeing a college education should already start preparing by narrowing the choice of colleges they want to attend as well as the possible expenses that would be incurred in getting that college education.
The family can start and working extra hard so they can contribute to the educational fund of their children or sibling. Planning ahead may also entail postponing or abandoning the family's vacation plans. The aspiring college student can also take on part time work to build his college education fund.
Qualified families can also avail of student loans offered by the government or by private financial institutions. It is also best to consider the type of student loan one would be getting because there are institutions offering student loans with exorbitant interest rates.
The United States government has acknowledged the importance of getting more Americans to college so it has prepared federal grant options for incoming college students. Federal grants are usually based on the financial requirement of the student and there is no need to maintain a certain grade while in college.
To qualify for the grant, a student must be a first time college student meaning this is your first college course or degree and possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent. Citizenship is not an issue because both American citizens and non citizens who are qualified can avail of the grant.
However, a student must be able to plan on repaying his student loan to avoid being stuck on a long repayment scheme. Most college students who have not planned ahead are still paying for their loans several years after getting their college degrees.
by Dennis Conner
A college education may seem trivial to some but to not to most people who want to achieve a better status in life economically and socially. Globalization has made education very important because of the increasing competitiveness among young professionals worldwide.
A college degree has become a prerequisite in getting better work opportunities in any field of discipline. The lack of a college degree can thus put a person at a disadvantage especially when he is applying for a job and his competitors are all college graduates.
It is common knowledge that the income of people is directly proportional to the degrees they have achieved. Thus, a college graduate has better chances of getting a high paying job than a high school graduate. On the other hand, those who have masters' degrees will definitely have higher incomes than those armed with college degrees.
However, getting a college education is so expensive nowadays that only a few can afford to get one. Most families who belong to the low income group could not even send their children to college even if they want to do so. But there are solutions to those who are bent on getting a college education but who do not have the financial capacity.
Students who are eyeing a college education should already start preparing by narrowing the choice of colleges they want to attend as well as the possible expenses that would be incurred in getting that college education.
The family can start and working extra hard so they can contribute to the educational fund of their children or sibling. Planning ahead may also entail postponing or abandoning the family's vacation plans. The aspiring college student can also take on part time work to build his college education fund.
Qualified families can also avail of student loans offered by the government or by private financial institutions. It is also best to consider the type of student loan one would be getting because there are institutions offering student loans with exorbitant interest rates.
The United States government has acknowledged the importance of getting more Americans to college so it has prepared federal grant options for incoming college students. Federal grants are usually based on the financial requirement of the student and there is no need to maintain a certain grade while in college.
To qualify for the grant, a student must be a first time college student meaning this is your first college course or degree and possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent. Citizenship is not an issue because both American citizens and non citizens who are qualified can avail of the grant.
However, a student must be able to plan on repaying his student loan to avoid being stuck on a long repayment scheme. Most college students who have not planned ahead are still paying for their loans several years after getting their college degrees.
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 6 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2551
Student Debt Consolidation - An Overview
Student Debt Consolidation - An Overview
by apurva
Student debt consolidation is an effective way to reduce the burden of student loans wherein concurrently running loans are paid off with the help of a student debt consolidation loan. The type of student loan consolidation option you can select of course depends on the type of loans you have taken. Since the federal student loans are guaranteed by the government of the US, the process of federal loan consolidation is tad different from normal debt consolidation loans.
Student Loans - Advantages And Consolidation Options
Interest rates for student loans can be anywhere from 9% for Plus Loans, 8.25% for Stafford Federal Loans to a low of 4.70%. The student debt consolidation program allows students to consolidate loans the first time with a private lender. However, they can then reconsolidate but only if it is with the permission of Department of Education. Interest rates are set as per the prevailing guidelines at that time. The thing to note here is that rates remain the same when a student's loan reconsolidation is done. Here, an average of all loans taken previously is calculated, and compared with the current rates of interest on these loans taken.
People make the mistake of calling this student loans refinancing, though this is not true, as rates in student debt consolidation are locked, and not changed. The Federal Government offers incentives and subsidies to companies that handle student debt consolidation. This is why they do not charge the student any extra charges.
The US Department of Education gives loans to the tune of $60 billion a year through its various student Federal loan consolidation Programs. The department's Federal Student Aid program offers the best and easiest way of getting student loans. These give you the opportunity to be able to further your education and pay the government later. Leading financial lenders provide standard student debt consolidation programs. These offer you easy unsecured loans, but such loans come at a price of higher interest rates than those offered by federal loans.
The biggest advantage of student debt consolidation is convenience, as you make only one payment for your loan as opposed to multiple payments every month. This drastically reduces paperwork, and you don't have to remember due dates every month. If you are lucky, you may also end up making a slight gain from paying less when you consolidate loans sometimes. For example, you may be making three payments of $100 each for three separate loans every month, but when you consolidate them, you may end up paying $290 for all three loans under the students' debt consolidation program. Doing this also gives you a longer time to re-evaluate your options and repay your loans over a longer period of time. This can buy a student much wanted time to settle down after he/she has finished studying to pay back the loan.
When a student goes in for student debt consolidation, he/she technically pays off all his old loans and takes out a new one, so the older loans are considered paid off. Hence, credit ratings of students who opt for students debt consolidation is also higher, but only if the student loan consolidation company in question submits the data to credit bureaus.
by apurva
Student debt consolidation is an effective way to reduce the burden of student loans wherein concurrently running loans are paid off with the help of a student debt consolidation loan. The type of student loan consolidation option you can select of course depends on the type of loans you have taken. Since the federal student loans are guaranteed by the government of the US, the process of federal loan consolidation is tad different from normal debt consolidation loans.
Student Loans - Advantages And Consolidation Options
Interest rates for student loans can be anywhere from 9% for Plus Loans, 8.25% for Stafford Federal Loans to a low of 4.70%. The student debt consolidation program allows students to consolidate loans the first time with a private lender. However, they can then reconsolidate but only if it is with the permission of Department of Education. Interest rates are set as per the prevailing guidelines at that time. The thing to note here is that rates remain the same when a student's loan reconsolidation is done. Here, an average of all loans taken previously is calculated, and compared with the current rates of interest on these loans taken.
People make the mistake of calling this student loans refinancing, though this is not true, as rates in student debt consolidation are locked, and not changed. The Federal Government offers incentives and subsidies to companies that handle student debt consolidation. This is why they do not charge the student any extra charges.
The US Department of Education gives loans to the tune of $60 billion a year through its various student Federal loan consolidation Programs. The department's Federal Student Aid program offers the best and easiest way of getting student loans. These give you the opportunity to be able to further your education and pay the government later. Leading financial lenders provide standard student debt consolidation programs. These offer you easy unsecured loans, but such loans come at a price of higher interest rates than those offered by federal loans.
The biggest advantage of student debt consolidation is convenience, as you make only one payment for your loan as opposed to multiple payments every month. This drastically reduces paperwork, and you don't have to remember due dates every month. If you are lucky, you may also end up making a slight gain from paying less when you consolidate loans sometimes. For example, you may be making three payments of $100 each for three separate loans every month, but when you consolidate them, you may end up paying $290 for all three loans under the students' debt consolidation program. Doing this also gives you a longer time to re-evaluate your options and repay your loans over a longer period of time. This can buy a student much wanted time to settle down after he/she has finished studying to pay back the loan.
When a student goes in for student debt consolidation, he/she technically pays off all his old loans and takes out a new one, so the older loans are considered paid off. Hence, credit ratings of students who opt for students debt consolidation is also higher, but only if the student loan consolidation company in question submits the data to credit bureaus.
วันเสาร์ที่ 5 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2551
Student Loans: Repay, Refinance or Reach a Settlement and Save Thousands
Student Loans: Repay, Refinance or Reach a Settlement and Save Thousands
by Mary Wise
Before applying for a student loan it is wise to think about how you will be repaying the loan. Even though you may think you have many years ahead to solve that problem, the truth is that once you apply for a loan the loan terms are fixed and you will have to stick to them even if the circumstances change.
Avoid Future Problems Today financial decisions will determine your future financial worthiness so you need to make sure you commit to a repayment program you will be able to honor. Otherwise you may end up defaulting on your student loan and damaging your credit for many years.
Try to Determine your Future Income and Expenses Start by analyzing your future possibilities: what job opportunities you might have when you graduate? How much will you be able to earn? How much will you be able to save? How much will you have to spend? Don't be too optimistic, keep it real and then determine a probable monthly installment for your student loan. Remember not to set it too close to your limits or any unexpected expense would turn it unaffordable.
Select the Type of Student Loan that Best Suits your Needs There are many types of student loans so you should do your research before applying, not all of them will be suitable for you and you may find some loans more appealing than others. Most of them are not due till after graduation, sometimes even six months after graduation. However, you may find loans that are payable before graduation. If you have the money and don't want the repayment schedule to last many years after graduation, you should choose these loans.
Get a Waiver from the Government Agency When it comes to federal student loans or state government student loans, you'll find that your debt can be reduced just by applying for jobs on certain areas designated by government agencies where the administration has special interest in satisfying specific needs. For further details contact the government agency that grants the particular loan.
Refinance your Student Loan to reduce the Monthly Payments On the other hand, if your student loans are private, you can negotiate with your creditors if you can't meet your monthly payments. You can always agree to a loan refinance where the loan length will be extended and the monthly installments reduced. Moreover, if market conditions have improved you could even get a lower interest rate and trim down your payments even more. Always keep an eye on interest rates; you can save thousands by refinancing.
Reach a Settlement to Reduce your Overall Debt Another option is to reach a settlement with your lender where you will be able to get a reduction on the loan principal in exchange of keeping the current interest rate and schedule. This should be done only if you find yourself incapable of meeting your monthly payments. It is best if you foresee such a problem and agree a more suitable schedule from the beginning.
by Mary Wise
Before applying for a student loan it is wise to think about how you will be repaying the loan. Even though you may think you have many years ahead to solve that problem, the truth is that once you apply for a loan the loan terms are fixed and you will have to stick to them even if the circumstances change.
Avoid Future Problems Today financial decisions will determine your future financial worthiness so you need to make sure you commit to a repayment program you will be able to honor. Otherwise you may end up defaulting on your student loan and damaging your credit for many years.
Try to Determine your Future Income and Expenses Start by analyzing your future possibilities: what job opportunities you might have when you graduate? How much will you be able to earn? How much will you be able to save? How much will you have to spend? Don't be too optimistic, keep it real and then determine a probable monthly installment for your student loan. Remember not to set it too close to your limits or any unexpected expense would turn it unaffordable.
Select the Type of Student Loan that Best Suits your Needs There are many types of student loans so you should do your research before applying, not all of them will be suitable for you and you may find some loans more appealing than others. Most of them are not due till after graduation, sometimes even six months after graduation. However, you may find loans that are payable before graduation. If you have the money and don't want the repayment schedule to last many years after graduation, you should choose these loans.
Get a Waiver from the Government Agency When it comes to federal student loans or state government student loans, you'll find that your debt can be reduced just by applying for jobs on certain areas designated by government agencies where the administration has special interest in satisfying specific needs. For further details contact the government agency that grants the particular loan.
Refinance your Student Loan to reduce the Monthly Payments On the other hand, if your student loans are private, you can negotiate with your creditors if you can't meet your monthly payments. You can always agree to a loan refinance where the loan length will be extended and the monthly installments reduced. Moreover, if market conditions have improved you could even get a lower interest rate and trim down your payments even more. Always keep an eye on interest rates; you can save thousands by refinancing.
Reach a Settlement to Reduce your Overall Debt Another option is to reach a settlement with your lender where you will be able to get a reduction on the loan principal in exchange of keeping the current interest rate and schedule. This should be done only if you find yourself incapable of meeting your monthly payments. It is best if you foresee such a problem and agree a more suitable schedule from the beginning.
วันเสาร์ที่ 29 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2550
Student Loan Forgiveness
Student Loan Forgiveness
by Ken MacKenzie
Normally once a student has graduated college, they have about six months before they need to begin paying back their student loans. However, it is possible to have some or all of your student loans forgiven. It will usually involve trading your time in a variety of different ways.
To qualify, you must be involved in volunteer work, serve in the military, teach in a designated secondary or elementary school for low-income or special education students or other "teacher shortage areas", and meet other various requirements.
Peace Corps volunteers may be able to defer payment on their Stafford, Perkins, direct and consolidation loans. Also, they can receive forgiveness for their Perkins Loans. For each of the first two years of service, 15% can be canceled. Then, for the next two years, 20% can be canceled for each year for a total of 70% for a four year commitment.
Partial student loan forgiveness through volunteer work can also be achieved through VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), a private non profit group dedicated to the eradication of poverty in the United States. A one year commitment to VISTA will allow you a $4,725 education award. Your student loans may be placed in deferment or forbearance while you are serving.
The Army National Guard has a program called Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)which will provide for forgiveness of up to $20,000 in student loans. It's available to those who have existing student loans when enlisting or those who get the loans after joining. This program is in addition to the Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits and tuition assistance program. The downside to this is there is a six year commitment.
If the military isn't for you, and you don't really want to be a volunteer for years just to get rid of your loans, there are a few other options available.
Student loan forgiveness for either Perkins Loans or Stafford Loans can be achieved through full-time teaching positions at a low-income school as designated by the U.S. Department of Education or teaching in certain subject areas such as special education, mathematics, science, foreign languages and bilingual education. The chief administrator of the qualified school at which you taught will have to verify your participation and completion. Depending on your qualifications, you could earn forgiveness of from $5,000 to as much as $17,500 in loans.
Certain health care professionals can also have their payments deferred or totally forgiven with participation in the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. The NELRP will repay 60 percent of the qualifying loan balance of registered nurses who are selected for funding in exchange for 2 years of service at a critical shortage facility. Those selected may be allowed to work a third year and receive repayment for an additional 25 percent of their qualifying loan balance. Only about 15% of the total number of applicants were selected to participate in the program for the last two years.
The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program provides for up to $50,000 in forgiveness for qualifying educational loans in exchange for two years service in a underserved communities. Areas of need currently are primary care professionals, including dental and mental and behavioral health clinicians.
There are other, less common ways to become eligible for partial or total student loan discharge. For example, if the school happened to close within 90 days of your enrollment and you were unable to finish your course(s), you may be eligible for a partial discharge of your loan, dependent on the amount of your expenses. If you did not receive an expected refund, you may be eligible for forgiveness of the amount of that refund. If your signature was forged on your loan agreements, your loan can be forgiven. If you die or find yourself temporarily or permanently disabled, you may receive student loan cancellation.
If you are thinking about a student consolidation loan, check first because by consolidating, you may lose the opportunity to have certain loans forgiven.
by Ken MacKenzie
Normally once a student has graduated college, they have about six months before they need to begin paying back their student loans. However, it is possible to have some or all of your student loans forgiven. It will usually involve trading your time in a variety of different ways.
To qualify, you must be involved in volunteer work, serve in the military, teach in a designated secondary or elementary school for low-income or special education students or other "teacher shortage areas", and meet other various requirements.
Peace Corps volunteers may be able to defer payment on their Stafford, Perkins, direct and consolidation loans. Also, they can receive forgiveness for their Perkins Loans. For each of the first two years of service, 15% can be canceled. Then, for the next two years, 20% can be canceled for each year for a total of 70% for a four year commitment.
Partial student loan forgiveness through volunteer work can also be achieved through VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), a private non profit group dedicated to the eradication of poverty in the United States. A one year commitment to VISTA will allow you a $4,725 education award. Your student loans may be placed in deferment or forbearance while you are serving.
The Army National Guard has a program called Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)which will provide for forgiveness of up to $20,000 in student loans. It's available to those who have existing student loans when enlisting or those who get the loans after joining. This program is in addition to the Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits and tuition assistance program. The downside to this is there is a six year commitment.
If the military isn't for you, and you don't really want to be a volunteer for years just to get rid of your loans, there are a few other options available.
Student loan forgiveness for either Perkins Loans or Stafford Loans can be achieved through full-time teaching positions at a low-income school as designated by the U.S. Department of Education or teaching in certain subject areas such as special education, mathematics, science, foreign languages and bilingual education. The chief administrator of the qualified school at which you taught will have to verify your participation and completion. Depending on your qualifications, you could earn forgiveness of from $5,000 to as much as $17,500 in loans.
Certain health care professionals can also have their payments deferred or totally forgiven with participation in the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. The NELRP will repay 60 percent of the qualifying loan balance of registered nurses who are selected for funding in exchange for 2 years of service at a critical shortage facility. Those selected may be allowed to work a third year and receive repayment for an additional 25 percent of their qualifying loan balance. Only about 15% of the total number of applicants were selected to participate in the program for the last two years.
The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program provides for up to $50,000 in forgiveness for qualifying educational loans in exchange for two years service in a underserved communities. Areas of need currently are primary care professionals, including dental and mental and behavioral health clinicians.
There are other, less common ways to become eligible for partial or total student loan discharge. For example, if the school happened to close within 90 days of your enrollment and you were unable to finish your course(s), you may be eligible for a partial discharge of your loan, dependent on the amount of your expenses. If you did not receive an expected refund, you may be eligible for forgiveness of the amount of that refund. If your signature was forged on your loan agreements, your loan can be forgiven. If you die or find yourself temporarily or permanently disabled, you may receive student loan cancellation.
If you are thinking about a student consolidation loan, check first because by consolidating, you may lose the opportunity to have certain loans forgiven.
Student Consolidation Loan Checklist
Student Consolidation Loan Checklist
by Ken MacKenzie
If you are graduating college soon, now is the time to begin preparations for your student consolidation loan. You have a six month grace period after graduation before payments begin, but the consolidation loan application process can take several weeks, especially if you haven't gathered all your loan information and decided on a lender.
Inventory your student loans. Make a list of all your loans, including type of loan, lender, the amount of your loans, interest rates and the amount of your payments. Review your loan documents, contact your lenders or loan servicers or go to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. If you don't know your PIN (Personal Identification Number) to log in, you will have to request a new one and it will be mailed to you. Expect to wait a week or two for the PIN to arrive, so best to get it done early.
Calculate Your Current Monthly Payments. If you are already in a repayment status, you will know your exact monthly payments. However if you are still in school or in your grace period, you should estimate your monthly non-consolidated loan payment based on the current interest rates and your loan balance. You can also check your estimated payment amounts by contacting your lenders or loan servicers.
Budget? What's a Budget? Though many people wander through life from paycheck to paycheck without knowing where their money is going, you really need to set up a budget to see if student loan consolidation is for you. Once you have that first job, determine a reasonable amount of your income that can be allocated to your student loan payments. This percentage should be based on a realistic budget. Then see if the estimated loan payment amounts you calculated above will fit into your budget.
If your estimated or actual payment exceeds that monthly budgeted amount, reevaluate your income and outflow. Can you trim any areas of your budget? Can you increase your income?
If it's a short term issue (expected raise in pay, getting a part time job, etc.), consider your deferment or forbearance options.
However, if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, it is time to consider consolidating your student loans.
Select loans for consolidation. Determine which of your loans are eligible for federal consolidation. A listing of the loans that can be consolidated in addition to Stafford and Perkins can be found at Eligible Consolidation Loans.
Private student loans are not eligible to be consolidated through the Federal consolidation programs.
You might lose some discharge (cancellation) benefits or deferment benefits if you include certain types of loans in your consolidation loan like Federal Perkins Loans, for example. You can contact the holders of your loans to find out what the impact of consolidation will be on your current benefits.
Consolidate Your Loans. Try going through the Federal Direct Loan Consolidation Program. You can make the application online.
If you have graduated, but are still in the grace period, start the consolidation process approximately two months before the end of the grace period. This will allow enough time to have your consolidation loan processed before the grace period expires, yet not so early that you lose too much of your grace period if you have a FFEL consolidation loan. (If you consolidate FFEL loans during the grace period, you will give up whatever portion of your grace period remains. You retain all of your grace period, however, if you get a Direct Consolidation Loan.) Some FFEL lenders offer to hold disbursement of consolidation loans until the end of the grace period to enable borrowers to minimize their interest rate and maximize their grace period. Check with your lender to be certain.
Keep in mind that if you consolidate during your grace period, you can lock in an interest rate at least a half percent lower than the current repayment rate. Many lenders will give you a discounted rate if you sign up for electronic payment and also for making a certain number (usually 36) of on-time payments.
When filling out the consolidation application, make sure you provide complete and correct address information, include two references, and sign the promissory note. Miss any of these and you will delay the processing of your application.
If you are already in repayment, continue making payments on your loans until consolidation is completed. If you need immediate payment relief, request deferment or forbearance
by Ken MacKenzie
If you are graduating college soon, now is the time to begin preparations for your student consolidation loan. You have a six month grace period after graduation before payments begin, but the consolidation loan application process can take several weeks, especially if you haven't gathered all your loan information and decided on a lender.
Inventory your student loans. Make a list of all your loans, including type of loan, lender, the amount of your loans, interest rates and the amount of your payments. Review your loan documents, contact your lenders or loan servicers or go to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. If you don't know your PIN (Personal Identification Number) to log in, you will have to request a new one and it will be mailed to you. Expect to wait a week or two for the PIN to arrive, so best to get it done early.
Calculate Your Current Monthly Payments. If you are already in a repayment status, you will know your exact monthly payments. However if you are still in school or in your grace period, you should estimate your monthly non-consolidated loan payment based on the current interest rates and your loan balance. You can also check your estimated payment amounts by contacting your lenders or loan servicers.
Budget? What's a Budget? Though many people wander through life from paycheck to paycheck without knowing where their money is going, you really need to set up a budget to see if student loan consolidation is for you. Once you have that first job, determine a reasonable amount of your income that can be allocated to your student loan payments. This percentage should be based on a realistic budget. Then see if the estimated loan payment amounts you calculated above will fit into your budget.
If your estimated or actual payment exceeds that monthly budgeted amount, reevaluate your income and outflow. Can you trim any areas of your budget? Can you increase your income?
If it's a short term issue (expected raise in pay, getting a part time job, etc.), consider your deferment or forbearance options.
However, if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, it is time to consider consolidating your student loans.
Select loans for consolidation. Determine which of your loans are eligible for federal consolidation. A listing of the loans that can be consolidated in addition to Stafford and Perkins can be found at Eligible Consolidation Loans.
Private student loans are not eligible to be consolidated through the Federal consolidation programs.
You might lose some discharge (cancellation) benefits or deferment benefits if you include certain types of loans in your consolidation loan like Federal Perkins Loans, for example. You can contact the holders of your loans to find out what the impact of consolidation will be on your current benefits.
Consolidate Your Loans. Try going through the Federal Direct Loan Consolidation Program. You can make the application online.
If you have graduated, but are still in the grace period, start the consolidation process approximately two months before the end of the grace period. This will allow enough time to have your consolidation loan processed before the grace period expires, yet not so early that you lose too much of your grace period if you have a FFEL consolidation loan. (If you consolidate FFEL loans during the grace period, you will give up whatever portion of your grace period remains. You retain all of your grace period, however, if you get a Direct Consolidation Loan.) Some FFEL lenders offer to hold disbursement of consolidation loans until the end of the grace period to enable borrowers to minimize their interest rate and maximize their grace period. Check with your lender to be certain.
Keep in mind that if you consolidate during your grace period, you can lock in an interest rate at least a half percent lower than the current repayment rate. Many lenders will give you a discounted rate if you sign up for electronic payment and also for making a certain number (usually 36) of on-time payments.
When filling out the consolidation application, make sure you provide complete and correct address information, include two references, and sign the promissory note. Miss any of these and you will delay the processing of your application.
If you are already in repayment, continue making payments on your loans until consolidation is completed. If you need immediate payment relief, request deferment or forbearance
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