Student Loan Consolidation
There are many advantages to consolidating student loans. Most importantly, you’ll have fewer payments to make each month. But, if you consolidate student loans you could end up paying more than what you would have paid otherwise. If you choose to consolidate, be sure to check out our article on how to do it.
Paying Off Your Debt Early
If you pay off your debt early, you may not only save money on interest charges but you will also have saved time. Instead of making one payment per month, you will make just one larger monthly payment.
Lower Interest Rate
The average federal loan interest rate right now sits at around 4%. However, if you were to add private student loans onto your balance, you could pay even higher rates. Because private loans are offered with variable rates, they can increase dramatically once a year when their contract renews.
Get Help From a Professional
A professional career counselor will help you understand the different options you have before you begin repayment. You can learn about them in our article on how to get student-loan forgiveness.
Credit Card Debt? Consolidate!
As mentioned above, consolidation does carry some risks. If you use credit cards for purchases, you might want to consider getting rid of your debit card. Debit cards aren’t subject to interest charges and they don’t affect your credit score.
Student Loans For University
Student loans have become a huge financial burden for students over the years.
A lot of people don’t even know that they exist.
There are various types.
You might not need them, but if you do, here’s what you should look out for!
5.
Student Loans For University
The United States government gives out student loans to students who have accepted federal financial aid. These loans can help pay for school costs, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, and supplies while attending college. There are two types of federally subsidized loans: Direct and FFEL (Federal Family Education Loan).
Direct Subsidized Student Loans
A direct loan is granted by a bank directly to a student; they do not require the approval from any third party. There are many banks that offer direct loans. The interest rates on these loans vary depending on how long you take to repay them. The average repayment term for a direct student loan is 10 years. Most of the time, private lenders do not offer direct loans to their customers. However, there are some exceptions. A few private lenders may provide direct financing to clients.
Generally speaking, direct lending is much less prevalent than indirect lending. As a result, direct lenders tend to charge higher interest rate than indirect lenders. In addition, direct lenders usually have fewer deals open at any given point in time.
There are three major types of direct lending programs offered by the U.S. Department of Education: Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal PLUS Loan Program, and Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Program. Each type of direct loan program offers different features and advantages.
Federal Perkins Loan Program
This program was created to encourage parents to send their children to school. Parents with low incomes are eligible to get a direct loan if they meet certain income requirements and agree to make payments directly to the lender. Payments for a Federal Perkins loan go directly into a borrower’s account. Unlike other types of direct loan programs, borrowers cannot apply for a Federal Perkins Loan after graduating from high school. If the parent wants to continue providing for his or her child, he or she will need to work full-time or look for employment with a salary above $30,000 per year.
The maximum amount of a Federal Perkins loan that can be taken out is equal to either 12 or 15 percent of the cost of attendance, whichever is lower. Students can borrow up to the total cost of attendance minus the total amount of grants and scholarships received. Interest accrues at variable monthly rates between 4% and 8%, depending on the length of the loan. Payment terms range from six months to ten years, although most loans last five years.
The Federal Perkins Loan does offer several perks and benefits. First, you can use Perkins loan funds for education expenses that include tuition and mandatory fees, as well as textbooks and course materials. Second, you can borrow up to 100% of what you need without having to worry about paying back the rest. Third, Perkins loans are typically not paid until after graduation. Finally, Perkins are considered federal loans, meaning that once a graduate has finished repaying the principal and accumulated interest, he or she may qualify for a tax deduction.
If a parent has earned enough money to cover the entire cost of sending his or her child to school, then there are no additional expenses associated with applying for a Federal Perkins loan. The remaining balance will be covered by the parent’s earnings.
Federal PLUS Loan Program
Unlike Federal Perkins loans, the Federal PLUS loan is only for undergraduate students only, regardless of whether the parent earns enough money to cover the full cost of sending the student to school. Both parents and students can apply for Federal PLUS loans. Parental PLUS loans can be used for both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Although the Federal PLUS loan program is ideal for undergraduates, it should be noted that it is extremely difficult for families to qualify for a PLUS loan if both the father and mother earn under $50,000 per year. Moreover, if both the father and the mother work below the poverty line, then the family will not be able to receive any financial assistance whatsoever.
Payments for a Federal PLUS loan fall under the same guidelines as Federal Perkins loans. Interest accumulates at variable monthly rates between 5% and 7%. Payment terms range from six to twelve months.
Student Loans For University
Student loans have become a way of life for thousands of students who attend college each year. Many parents spend years saving money so they can send their children off to school knowing they won’t have to pay back student loans. Unfortunately, many students find themselves buried under debt after graduation, and are forced to live paycheck-to-paycheck just trying to make ends meet.
Are You Paying Back Your Loan? If you’ve been paying your student loan payments on time, then you’re doing great! However, if you are having trouble meeting your monthly payment obligations, or feel like you should have paid less than what you did, then you may need some help.
Federal Student Aid (FSA) – This program is designed to provide financial assistance to you while you are attending school. FSA provides grants and low interest loans to eligible individuals so that you don’t have to borrow money at high rates of interest. FSA also works in conjunction with private lenders. In fact, FSA makes sure that you get the best possible deal when you apply for a loan.
Stafford Loans – These are government-backed loans that are offered to students with exceptional academic records. Students who do not qualify for federal aid but still want to go to school can often use these loans instead.
Parent PLUS Loans – Parents who co-signed a student’s loan generally receive a lower rate of interest than the borrower does. Once the parent co-signer pays off the loan, he or she can collect any remaining balance.
Graduate Plus Loans – Because graduate school graduates often have outstanding debt, the government offers them special loans to help pay off any remaining balances.
Private Loan Programs – Private lenders offer their own loan programs, but are not guaranteed by the government. Most private lenders require a credit check before approving a loan request.
9. How Much Can I Afford? – A good rule of thumb is to try to budget about $500 per month towards student loans. If you exceed that amount, then you’ll probably start falling behind in your loan payments.
What Do My Payments Look Like? – When viewing your student account online, look for a breakdown of how much you owe and when it was due. Also search for information regarding your repayment plan. Every lender is different, so you should always contact the lender directly if you have questions.
Where Does My Money Go? – This is the most important question to ask yourself. While you’re making payments on your student loans, where does that money go? Is it going to your rent, utilities, food, etc.? Keep track of how much you spend using a simple spreadsheet. You might even want to set up automatic withdrawals from your checking account every month so you don’t forget.
What Should I Expect To Pay Off? – Each person’s situation is unique, but here are examples of average earnings and loan amounts for recent grads:
$35K-$40K – $70-$80K in debt
It’s hard enough paying for school without having to worry about extra costs. But what about those students who don’t have their parents’ bank account? Many schools offer financial aid to help cover tuition costs. And if you’re eligible for federal aid, you’ll get even bigger discounts.
What does it take to qualify for student loans? It’s actually quite simple. First, you need to be enrolled full time. That means attending classes every day (or as close to every day as possible). Second, you need to have a GPA above 2.0. Third, you need to show proof of parental income. Parents make up for the rest of the requirements.
There are two types of student loans out there – private and federal. Private loans are considered personal debts between borrower and lender. Federal loans are offered by the U.S. Department of Education. Both types of loans carry interest rates that range from 4.29% to 8.25%.
But here’s where things start to get tricky. You can apply for federal aid before you even declare your major. Once you’ve selected your major, you can still apply for additional aid if you meet certain criteria. The most popular federal programs are Pell Grants and Stafford Loans. Both require high-school graduation or GED certification. These awards range from $250 to $5,775 per year.
A few tips: Most universities provide financial assistance based on financial need. If you have a high GPA, then you’re probably going to receive financial aid. Your parents’ income is a big factor. In fact, if your parent makes less than $50,000 a year, you won’t likely get any financial aid. On the other hand, if you have wealthy parents, they may decide to pay for everything themselves.
The last thing you want to do if your parents aren’t willing to foot the bill is quit school. Remember, college education is an investment in your future. So, if you want to stay current with technology and learn how to manage money, you need to invest in yourself. As long as you remain diligent, you should be fine.
►HEY, we’ve got more valuable information here: ►CLICK HERE LOANS FOR STUDENTS◄
►Cloud of related items ▼
bloque1x

Related Links ▼
- Studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans
- Salliemae.com/student-loans/
- Discover.com/student-loans/
- Nerdwallet.com/best/loans/student-loans/private-student-loans
- Money.usnews.com/loans/personal-loans/personal-loans-for-students
- Credible.com/blog/student-loans/personal-loans-for-students/
- Govloans.gov/categories/education-loans/
- Forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/best-private-student-loans/
- Navyfederal.org/loans-cards/student-loans.html
- Wellsfargo.com/goals-going-to-college/loan-options/
- Whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/
- Ed.gov/category/keyword/federal-student-loans
- Myfedloan.org/
- Navient.com/
- Usa.gov/student-loans