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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Grant Money to Go to School Can Help With Student Expenses

Some students do not have to worry about college expenses. Either they have enough money to pay for college or they have been awarded scholarships that cover everything. But for those who do not have those options, college can be a bit daunting.

There is the worry of meeting the overwhelming expenses of tuition, books, room and board, as well as living expenses. Grant money to go to college is out there and student financial aid officers are there to help you learn how to get it. Here is a brief run down on how getting into school and getting money to pay for it works.

In order to get into a university you are going to have to take the ACT, SAT or a comparable test for admittance. The next step is to fill out a form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to determine how much money you qualify to receive.

This amount will be based on either your income from the previous year or your parent's income, depending on whether or not you are still classified as a dependant. The FAFSA will then generate a Student Aid Report which will tell how much grant money to pay for school you will receive.

The Student Aid Report will give a monetary amount of the financial aid for which you will qualify. It can range from a few hundred dollars on up to four thousand dollars and can be used for tuition, room and board, books and other expenses.

The great thing about this form of money, unlike loans, is that it does not have to be repaid once you graduate. That makes it much easier to go to school without worrying about accumulating a huge amount of debt. You still may need to take out loans but at least this federal student aid can help you offset the number of loans you will need.

The grant money to go to school is available if you make sure and fill out the proper forms and supply the school with the proper information. One note: you will need last year's taxes to determine your income. Do not wait until right before school starts to start the process or you will wind up not having the money available to pay for your tuition and expenses.

READ MORE - Grant Money to Go to School Can Help With Student Expenses

Converting Loans Into Fixed Rate Student Loans

The only fixed rate student loans available are federal loans, and even those can change based on federal law. However, if you want to lock in your interest rate, you can do so after you finish school.

Federal student loans offer a more stable rate; even though changing laws can change the interest rate on these loans, it is not going to happen from one day to the next, which is a possibility with private loans. Private loans should only be considered when federal loans and financial aid do not cover the costs of your education.

Education costs are rising faster than federal student loan amounts, so many students are finding themselves in a situation where they need extra funding. Lenders take advantage of this situation and stepping in to fill the gap.

If you have excellent credit, you are eligible for loans which offer Prime interest rates. Good credit takes time to build up, however, and if you're a young student, if you don't have bad credit, you probably have no credit or a very short credit history. This doesn't make it impossible to get a loan, but you may need a cosigner or be charged higher fees and interest rates.

This puts you in an even more precarious situation than other sub-prime borrowers, because unless bankruptcy laws change, you will not be able to have your student loan debt excused by declaring bankruptcy unless you have extreme economic difficulties and, according to current precedence, absolutely no chance of future improvement.

You do have the option of consolidating student loan debts. This will give you the chance to freeze the interest rate for the life of the loan. The downside of this is that, while you will also pay less per month, you will be paying off your debt over a longer period of time and in the end, it will cost more. Having a fixed interest rate and lower payments now may be worth the future increase in total cost.

Consolidating student loan debts also allows you different payment options. You can pay interest-only for up to four years with some lenders, allowing you to get a head-start on a career, or you can take advantage of a graduated repayment plan to start paying off the debt now. You can switch payment options, so if you ever suffer financial difficulties, you can switch to an income-based plan. And you can always make early payments on the principle.

Students wishing to convert their private student loans into fixed rate student loans should consider consolidation. It offers a locked interest rate but allows borrowers the chance to use varying payment plans to make student loan payment easier.

READ MORE - Converting Loans Into Fixed Rate Student Loans

Private Student Loans with Bad Credit - Chase - Sallie May - Citigroup

Private student Loans is another alternative that comes into force rescuing students who have a bad credit history. I have heard of many cases where students apply for loans as a supplement with their Stafford or Perkins loans. In other cases, I have seen people applying for student loans with private organizations when their Stafford loan amount comes to an end.

There are many financial institutions that offer private student loans with bad credit. The only fuss in the deal is the requirements of the financial institutions. Most entities that I know of providing this service would require a Co-borrower or a Co-Signer. This means as a student you and your parents would need to sign on the loan agreement agreeing to repay the loan.

In certain cases where you have repaid some installments of a previous student loan independently, you would be given the authority of branching away the Co-borrower. This is known as Co-Borrower Release and by doing so, you ensure that the loan repayment is entirely yours. This also puts you in a position where you are not hit by the Credit History of your Co-Borrower. Both of you are separate entities speaking from the loan perspective and you would hence need to take charge of repaying your loan off.

Be careful applying for private loans with banks. If your bank requires a co-borrower to sign on the agreement before the loan is sanctioned, make sure that your co-borrower has a good enough credit history. Not having a good credit history could jeopardize your chances of getting the private student loan that you would have otherwise got stand alone.

It is an unsaid rule in the world of loans that one needs a co-signer to ensure that the student loan gets approved. That said, it does not mean that you would not get loans if you do not have a co-signer to sign on your agreement. There are some lenders in the market who would offer loans to you with you having to worry about the co-signer.

Start your research today and trust me, you will find one or the other lender who will be able to give you a loan without your co-borrower. Please note that having or not having a co-borrower for your loan is subject to the credit history of your co-borrower. If he has a good credit history, you would not mind getting him on-board for signing the loan agreement. Think twice if it is otherwise.

READ MORE - Private Student Loans with Bad Credit - Chase - Sallie May - Citigroup

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Private Versus Federal College Student Loans - Which is Better?

It is advised by all financial services providers that you apply for a federal college student loan before jumping straight into applying for a private loan. This does not necessarily mean that a federal student college loan is any better than a private loan, but just that is can offer you a more competitive deal in terms of interest rates. Private lenders can determine their own interest rates to a certain degree, and they are often found to be substantially higher than that of federal student college loans. Private loan interest rates are largely dependant on the borrowers credit score.

Some people do not get approved for federal student college loans due to not having the financial need after being assessed. In these cases, private student college loans are the only viable option that could be applicable.

Another reason why federal student college loans are more appealing is that they are federally guaranteed, and can possibly even be partially subsidized to those who are approved. There may be offers of further reduced interest rates that also make them more attractive, but then private student college loans can also offer reductions in rates, depending on which financial services providers you apply through. With federal student college loans you will need to fill out a Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, but with private student college loans you could get approved within 24 hours. With private college loans, you will more than likely have to go through with a credit check to validate that you are a reliable candidate.

An advantage of private student college loans is that they send the funds directly to you so that you can distribute them as you see fit. Federal loans are usually paid to the school which could avoid any accidental spending on other irrelevant items.

Federal student college loans definitely seem to be the preferred loan of choice due to the advantages mentioned above, but if you are not approved for application then you are by no means setting yourself up for a lifetime of debt by opting to apply for private. If you have a decent credit score and you manage to find a suitable deal with a reputable private college loan provider, then you could walk away with a package that is equally as enticing as a federal student college loan.

Fill in your FAFSA form and see where that takes you before you start exploring private options. There is a wealth of information regarding both federal and private student college loans, so see which one fits your circumstances the best.

READ MORE - Private Versus Federal College Student Loans - Which is Better?

Consolidation - Defaulted Student Loan

With the cost of higher education being really high, students have to take loans in order to help them cover their educational costs and to manage their funds. Taking credit from various sources during different periods of time and with different rates of interest, it becomes difficult for students to repay their loans and to manage their funds.

Student loan consolidation is one of the easiest methods of easing the pressure of repayment. It is an option available to undergraduate as well as graduate students and helps them avoid default of their loan. Such a method helps by combining the various loans taken by the student and dissolving the various repayment terms and schedules into one blanket loan. This system also offers a lower rate of interest (with interest rates falling by as much as 40%) along with providing a longer time of repayment.

The problems arising out of a defaulted loan are many, such as: lawsuits, seizure of federal and state tax refunds, as well as a bad credit rating which could hamper the chances of qualifying for a loan in the future.

However despite these facilities, some students have been known to have defaulted on their loan. A repair option available for them is to get a loan consolidation on their defaulted loan to qualify for which the student needs to repay up to three months of his repayment on time. This enables him to obtain a federal consolidation loan in which the lender pays off the student's loan and issues him a new loan, reducing the rate of interest and increasing the repayment time.

The credit rating of the student is also revamped to reflect that his loans has been repaid using consolidation. The best way towards the consolidation of the defaulted loan of a student is to approach a student loan consolidation company which can assess the student's financial situation and come up with an appropriate consolidated loan.

READ MORE - Consolidation - Defaulted Student Loan

Look For Pre-Approved Student Loans to Complete Your Financial Package

Once the acceptance letter from a post-secondary school arrives, the real work of determining how to meet the financial obligations to the school and the financial needs of the student begins. Many students look to student aid for that help. Before looking at private lending institutions, each student should complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Despite generous federal grants and loans combined with scholarships and work-study, many students still need additional help to meet their college expenses. Federal and institutional student aid programs often provide for tuition, books, and fees but only provide a percentage of room and board and other living expenses.

Even students that are well served by their financial aid package can incur unexpected emergencies, such as unexpected travel expenses, field trip opportunities, or day-to day expenses.

Both groups can benefit by a pre-approved student loan. The beauty of the pre-approved student loan is that you may never have to use it. Yet, if you do, it is instantly available.

Pre-approved loans allow the borrower to tailor the amount borrowed to their immediate need. In addition pre-approved student loans usually allow you to fix an interest rate, which can be handy in today's volatile credit market.

Sources for pre-approved student loans are as close as your bank or credit union. Most banks that offer private student loans also offer pre-approval. In addition, a number of reputable lenders offering pre-approval can be found on the Internet.

In this year's worldwide credit crunch, it makes sense to get a pre-approval now, for a need that may occur later. The number of private institutions that are offering student loans of any kind is diminishing due to new federal laws tightening the restrictions o student loans.

READ MORE - Look For Pre-Approved Student Loans to Complete Your Financial Package

Who You Pay And How Much You Owe For Student Loans

It is so hard at times when you are a college student to remember about student loans when you have to deal with homework, tests, a love life and all of the other distractions. Pretty soon college is over and now you are fully responsible to take care of those student loans that you have put on the back burner for four years. This can be a scary task when you see thousands of dollars staring you in the face.

There are going to be some important steps to take when figuring out how to pay off this student loan. We are going to take a look at some simple, but somehow easily neglected questions that put a lot of graduates in trouble for their financial future. Pay attention because your credit may be at stake here.

1. What is the name of the loan?

Many students are young and need some guidance on how to get a loan and they usually go to their parents or a trusted family member for some help. This is good, but also can be bad if you don't pay close attention to how you are getting the loan and through whom.

You need to know what type of loan you have because it will be crucial in finding out how you make your payments and what terms and conditions you have agreed to for the repayment of this debt. Some loans like the PLUS Loan actually will be the responsibility of the parent, which is a very nice gesture and make sure to help out when you can.

Some of these loans may be federal loans such as a Stafford Loan or a Perkins Loan. Others may be private loans created by lending companies or banks. Some of these may be easier to consolidate if you get into a bind down the road and you are looking to minimize your scheduled payments.

The easiest way for you to figure this out is simply to look at the statements that could come monthly or usually each semester. If you have lost this information or if you have changed your address then I would suggest that you contact your financial aid office for your college you are attending. If they don't know for sure then they will definitely let you know who to get in contact with.

2. How much do you owe total?

Usually if this is a federal loan then the amount offered to you is decided by the Department of Education according to the school you are attending and your financial circumstance. They may give you more than what you need or end up giving you not enough and require you to get another student loan.

Whatever happens, these statements each month you receive will let you know what you have been offered and what you owe. Many times you will not be responsible for the loan until after you are done with school. Now some private loans may not give you that benefit in return for better interest rates, so you will have to decide what you can pay and when.

3. Whose pockets am I filling?

When you get a loan, it will come attached probably to a certain bank. That bank may sell your loan to Sallie Mae, which is the government agency created to help market student loans for the country.

They may keep it or sell it off to someone else. Whatever happens to your loan, you will be notified in your statements and your terms will stay the same as long as you keep your side of the terms. Be aware that some companies or organizations may go after you harder than others so make sure your payments are a priority and preferably automatic.

READ MORE - Who You Pay And How Much You Owe For Student Loans

Student Debt Consolidation Loans - The Way To Get Rid Of Financial Crisis

Student debt consolidation loans are appropriate methods provided to students to merge all their existing loans into a single loan. These services help a student to live debt free life. This task has become very easy by the introduction of online debt consolidation program. If you want, you can also take advantage of these facilities provided by these online debt consolidation programs, right from your P.C. without taking any sort of trouble of going to other places. Thus, you can save both time and money because both these factors are very precious in our life.

Lower Monthly Installment

First of all, let us understand how do student debt consolidation loans work? the working of these loans is quite simple. These loans help students to manage and utilize their money in a better way. One of the greatest advantage of these loans is that they help in reducing your monthly installment, which is significantly responsible in making the life simpler and easier to go. It makes positive impact on your cash flow that is one of the essential or critical factor when it comes to improving your financial situation.

The method of putting forward your request for consolidating debts is easy and problem free. We need not wander here and there for submitting our papers. Instead, it is an online facility. A lot of companies provide these services to you but the selection of a company should be right. You should not trust any of the companies blindly until you gather true information. It can be possible only if you keenly observe the company. These companies help you to submit your application online. Along with this facility there is one other option too. We can walk to the office of company in order to make face to face talks to collect information.

You Can Get These Loans Any Time

You can apply for these loans both before and after the graduation. There is no such restriction of the duration for the application of online debt consolidation program. You can apply for it at any time according to your convenience. You have to be very logical in this process. Otherwise, you will get into losses instead of solving your problem. By making right selection and negotiating properly you can drop down your monthly repayment to nearly half of the amount you were paying till now. This is a big aid because it not only provides you relaxation but also confidence along with a sweet smile on your face which adds years and years to your precious life.

READ MORE - Student Debt Consolidation Loans - The Way To Get Rid Of Financial Crisis

Federal Loan Consolidation Gives Students A Breather

Federal loan consolidation provides financial relief for students graduating with debt. Students who consolidate their loans get lower monthly installments, fixed interest rates and additional benefits. All this is done without a credit check, income verification or fee. Student debt consolidation companies do not have a downside and it's beneficial in many ways for students who have taken multiple educational loans from different borrowers. In this consolidation program, the consolidated loan is almost like a new loan where all existing loans are paid of by the student loan consolidation companies and the students has just one new loan at better terms and write just one check toward the monthly payments.

Benefits Of Federal Loan Consolidation

There are several benefits of these federal loan consolidation programs as listed below:

The first benefit is getting a loan at lower monthly installments, fixed rates and larger repayment period. The repayment period can be extended from standard 10 years to up to 30 years, depending upon the total amount of federal loan consolidation.
Some borrowers allow graduate repayment schedules for student debt consolidation, where the borrowers can keep more of their initial salary for themselves and the monthly installments increase as their salary increases in coming years.
There are no credits checks or co-signers required for taking these loans. Some student loans consolidation companies also offer special rewards and incentives to people who maintain good loan pay-back record.
If the student has loan amount exceeding $7,500, he or she can apply for the federal loan consolidation. These loans are supported by the US government on certain basis. If the borrower is unable to pay, the govt. pays to the lender and recovers the money from the defaulter.

What Loans Are Eligible For Consolidation?

There are certain loans which are eligible for federal loan consolidation. They are: Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Nursing Students Loans(NSL), Federally Insured Students' Loan(FISL), Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students(ALAS), Federal Supplemental Loans for Students(SLS), National Direct Students Loans (NDLS), Health Education Assistance Loans(HEAL), Federal Parents Loan for Undergraduate Students(PLUS) and Loans for Disadvantaged Students(LDS).

The federal loan consolidation is a great way to help out students in their education and enable them to repay their loans on time. If you are facing problems in taking care of your monthly repayment checks or are confused with too many loans, then opt for the federal loan consolidation and enjoy the benefits.

READ MORE - Federal Loan Consolidation Gives Students A Breather

Monday, March 29, 2010

Consolidate Student Loans - How it Works

Consolidating student loans is simple: If you meet certain requirements and you have student loans, you can consolidate them into a single loan. What this means is that the lender you choose will pay off the current student loan amounts that you still owe, and will combine the different amounts that you owe into just one loan. When the lender does this, you will probably see your monthly payment on student loans drop. And that's just what you are looking for, an easier and more affordable way to pay down your student loans.

Both students with student loans, and parents who owe on PLUS loans that they took out for their students, can consolidate their loans. Consolidating student loans (as long as they are federal student loans) does not require that you have a credit check done to prove that you qualify. Is that surprising to you? Well it's true. Your credit score, no matter what it is, does not disqualify you from getting a federal student loan consolidation approved.

To start out, you'll need to know whether your loans are federal student loans or private student loans. Federal student loans have the backing of the federal government and are usually known as the Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan, PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) or loans from the Department of Education. There are also other kinds of federal student loans, so you'll need to look at your student loan report to check on what type of loan you have. A private student loan is a loan that you or your parents took out from a private lender, and loans like this are not backed by the federal government and do not qualify for federal student loan consolidations.

If you are falling behind in your payments on this type of loan, call the lender that you make payments to and ask whether you can consolidate your loans with them or negotiate lower monthly payments.

For consolidating student loans, you have to:

o Have at least $10,000 in student loan debt. This $10,000 must be all federal student loan debt, not a mixture of federal and private loans.

o Be in your grace period or repayment period. Your grace period is the time period after you take out a loan before your payments start. Your repayment period begins after your grace period ends. Your repayment period is when you make monthly payments on your loan(s).

o Not be in default status on any of your loans. Default status is when you have fallen several months behind in your payments and you have received a notice of default from the lender. If you are in default, don't be afraid to look for a consolidation loan anyway. A lender may be able to work out an agreement on how you can pay off the default and still consolidate your loans.

o Be a U.S. resident or permanent resident. Notice that citizenship is not a requirement, just residency.

o Not have consolidated the same loans before, or have gone back to school and accrued more loans to consolidate with the original consolidation

READ MORE - Consolidate Student Loans - How it Works

Are You Eligible For a Student Consolidation Loan?

Parents today are forced to opt for different student loan options to help children complete their education. Especially during these tough economic times, students find themselves stuck with one or more school debt that they are unable to manage and pay every month. Federal loan consolidation was introduced to help students consolidate and bring all their payments under one umbrella.

Student loan consolidation is offered by both commercial lenders and the U.S. Department of Education, to reduce strain for borrowers and streamline their debt into a single repayment program. Borrowers are offered extended repayment terms thereby reducing the amount they have to pay every month and making their budget manageable.

Students who have dropped to part-time, left school or have graduated can consolidate their Stafford loan. PLUS loans on the other hand can be consolidated after they have been disbursed completely. Direct loan consolidation repayment starts 60 days after the disbursal of loan.

Products that are eligible for consolidation include the Student PLUS, Parent PLUS, unsubsidized and subsidized Stafford and Perkins loans. Eligibility does not take into account whether it is from the Federal Direct Program (FDLP) or the Federal Family Education (FFEL).

It is not possible to consolidate a Perkins loan by itself. It can only be combined with another eligible product. Similarly, private loans are not eligible for direct consolidation. They can be consolidated only through a commercial lender.

As the direct loan servicing center will tell you, if you are delinquent or have defaulted in your payments, you can consolidate such only after fulfilling certain requirements. This requires you to make at least three voluntary, on time, consecutive payments to existing lender prior to applying for consolidation. Defaulters can also consolidate under the FDLP Income Contingent Repayment Plan where their income, amount borrowed and size of family are taken into account to adjust monthly payment amount.

READ MORE - Are You Eligible For a Student Consolidation Loan?

Student Debt and Student Loans

The statistics show that more and more students are graduating from university with significant debt. The debt levels are growing year on year and many students will be paying them off for years after they graduate. It seems that the consumer addiction to credit and spending has effected the student population just as much as every one else. The fact that most students are not earning anything, and are living either on funds provided by their parents, or on money borrowed, they continue to spend millions each year.

These costs are spread over a variety of areas. Accommodation and other living expenses represent the largest portion of the expenditure. Added to this is travel to and from university, holiday and summer travel expenses, and entertainment. While students are generally financially responsible and not as out of control as many patents would have you think, they do continue to spend a huge proportion of their money on entertainment and socialising.

Employment

Many students will also be working part time during their studies. There are a lot of jobs available and finding one is not a problem for most students who genuinely want one. Employers recognise their flexibility and willingness to work unsociable hours and also that they will generally be happy to accept minimum or close to minimum wage. Therefore, while the jobs are there, they generally pay little, and students who work more than 10-20 hours a week are probably putting a serious strain on their studies and risking their future chances of success.

Most student debt is comprised of student loans. The student loans company based on eligibility criteria provides these. These loans are cheaper than credit that is available on the market from high street banks and have other significant advantages for students. Firstly, students will not have to start repaying the loans until they are earning a set minimum amount, currently around the £15,000 mark. Then there is also the fact that loan repayments are calculated according to earnings levels and are therefore always reasonably affordable. Students are giving as much time as they need to repay the loans and the interest rates, as said before, are very favourable.

Overdrafts

As well as these student loans however, many students will also have other forms of debt. Most banks are offering interest free student overdrafts of up to £2,000 and there are not many students who do not use this up pretty quickly. Then there are bank loans, store cards and credit cards. All of these represent a significant amount of debt that most students are living with.

READ MORE - Student Debt and Student Loans

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Federal Government Student Loan Consolidation Benefits

Education is today's biggest requirement besides food and employment for sustaining a decent life. In order to facilitate the employment and shelter needs, it is necessary to be equipped with the power of knowledge. To fulfill the needs of various students who find it difficult to pursue their education program, the US government has come out with the idea of providing students with a consolidated loan named as "federal government student loan consolidation," which is a combined form of the various loans taken, by a student.

A program that the US government has launched is the Federal government student loan consolidation program that enables students in continuing their graduation and higher study program. With the help of the consolidated loan where the interest rate is nominal as it is meant for the benefit of the students community where parents and guardians cannot invest huge amounts in the education of their wards.

This federal government student loan consolidation can be repaid in easy installments when the student completes his education and is in a position to earn and pay. This saves the student from repaying different lenders at different points in time with different interest rates. The time period chosen by the student for the repayment of the loan can vary from 10 to 30 years. However, the longer the time period you choose, the greater the amount you pay.

Some of the features of Federal government student loan consolidation are:

This loan does not require hefty loan processing fee, and the payments can be made in flexible schedules. The interest rate is a fixed amount, which is the average of the total interest rates of different loans, which is rounded off to the 1/8th of the percentage. Any student who has a history of bad loan payment is still eligible for the consolidated federal loan. There is no minimum loan amount limit.

Thus, this is a premium policy of the federal government student loan consolidation program, which is indeed a student friendly move.

READ MORE - Federal Government Student Loan Consolidation Benefits

Evaluate Before Taking Student Loan Consolidation Loans

Debt is an easy thing to get into. It seems that everywhere, everyone wants to give us a loan, credit card, store cards, etc. It all can put us in a bad position, especially for students. Students are finding it hard to pay back student loans, so can student loan consolidation loans make life easier for students?

Today, it only happens to the few that they can simply get a good education without having to worry about loans after. For most of us, we need to take out a student loan to be able to get a good education.

Education is important, and you know this. We all either have 2 options after formal schooling, that is either get a job and earn today or go through education in the hopes of doing a job which we want to do and or that pays us more money, than if we simply went to work straight after school.

Students are still finding it hard however. Many student loans we get barely cover all our necessary expenses to go through the course. This is where student loan consolidation comes to aid; however, it is a point to consider before getting student loan consolidation loans.

What student loan consolidation is is a way to get all those student loans and put them into one place. Generally the higher the borrowing rate, the better level of interest you can get on the loan. This is what makes student consolidation loans attractive.

You simply get all those student loans and put them into student loan consolidation and you have a better rate, and also better ability to manage the payments. However, even though it seems so rosy, the truth is that you need to evaluate before taking out student loan consolidation.

The first thing to consider is the terms. If you were thinking of using that money to pay back that big credit card balance, think again! Most of the student loan consolidation companies do not allow using the money on paying back credit cards, or any other normal loans.

Another point to consider is that of the amount you have to pay back. Most student loans provide a way, where you pay less now, and on increasing amounts after your education. This makes life much easier, as the normal rate of what you have to pay back is out of reach for almost all students.

This makes considering about your future an important thing to do. The road you are headed up, will the jobs there provide the necessary income for you to be able to pay back the student loan consolidation loan without having to resort to even more debt?

Student loans and student loan consolidation loans can seem daunting, but for many it is the only way to get a good education. With a bit of thought about your future and your position today, you can create a winning situation which does not have to resort in getting any less of a student's lifestyle.

READ MORE - Evaluate Before Taking Student Loan Consolidation Loans

Federal Loan Consolidation Gives Students A Breather

Federal loan consolidation provides financial relief for students graduating with debt. Students who consolidate their loans get lower monthly installments, fixed interest rates and additional benefits. All this is done without a credit check, income verification or fee. Student debt consolidation companies do not have a downside and it's beneficial in many ways for students who have taken multiple educational loans from different borrowers. In this consolidation program, the consolidated loan is almost like a new loan where all existing loans are paid of by the student loan consolidation companies and the students has just one new loan at better terms and write just one check toward the monthly payments.

Benefits Of Federal Loan Consolidation

There are several benefits of these federal loan consolidation programs as listed below:

The first benefit is getting a loan at lower monthly installments, fixed rates and larger repayment period. The repayment period can be extended from standard 10 years to up to 30 years, depending upon the total amount of federal loan consolidation.
Some borrowers allow graduate repayment schedules for student debt consolidation, where the borrowers can keep more of their initial salary for themselves and the monthly installments increase as their salary increases in coming years.
There are no credits checks or co-signers required for taking these loans. Some student loans consolidation companies also offer special rewards and incentives to people who maintain good loan pay-back record.
If the student has loan amount exceeding $7,500, he or she can apply for the federal loan consolidation. These loans are supported by the US government on certain basis. If the borrower is unable to pay, the govt. pays to the lender and recovers the money from the defaulter.

What Loans Are Eligible For Consolidation?

There are certain loans which are eligible for federal loan consolidation. They are: Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Nursing Students Loans(NSL), Federally Insured Students' Loan(FISL), Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students(ALAS), Federal Supplemental Loans for Students(SLS), National Direct Students Loans (NDLS), Health Education Assistance Loans(HEAL), Federal Parents Loan for Undergraduate Students(PLUS) and Loans for Disadvantaged Students(LDS).

The federal loan consolidation is a great way to help out students in their education and enable them to repay their loans on time. If you are facing problems in taking care of your monthly repayment checks or are confused with too many loans, then opt for the federal loan consolidation and enjoy the benefits.

READ MORE - Federal Loan Consolidation Gives Students A Breather

Student Loan Interest Deduction

Is your student loan tax deductible? The answer is a qualified yes. For most people you can deduct the interest paid on a student loan. However, there are exceptions that you need to be familiar with.

You may be able to deduct up to $2,500 of the interest paid, which should lower your tax bill. And the good news is, you will not need to itemize your deductions to claim the deduction. You cannot use the 1040EZ Tax Form; you will need to use either the 1040A Form or the 1040 Form.

If you are married, you must file a joint form, you cannot file separately. Also, if you can be claimed as an exemption by anyone else, you are ineligible for the deduction.

To be eligible for the student loan interest deduction, you need to have taken the loan for yourself, your spouse or your dependent. Interestingly, a dependent does not necessarily have to be a relative, but it must be a person who receives most of their support from you.

The IRS also requires that the student be enrolled at least half time in a program that leads to a degree from an eligible educational institution. This includes a college, university or vocational school that meets the student aid program guidelines administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

The interest payments are deductible over the life of the loan, but the loan must be taken out to pay for the educational expense. For example, if you take out a personal loan for something other than your education, you will not be able to deduct the interest payments.

You can deduct the interest from almost any loan that is used specifically for your educational expenses. However, you cannot deduct the interest paid to a relative.

The qualifying expenses for a student loan include tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies and other expenses. The IRS requires that you be able to identify where and how this money was spent.

As with all things from the IRS, there are qualifying limits for the student loan interest deduction. If you make over a certain income, you will not be allowed to claim the deduction.

For more details check with your tax preparer or IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

READ MORE - Student Loan Interest Deduction

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Vs Credit Card Debt Consolidation

The economic times are trying, with may of us being further in debt than we can conceivably pay on our current salary. There are multiple ways available to us to get out of debt and find some relief from the many calls and demands for payment that we receive.

Depending on the level of debt, the level of income, and what you can conceivably afford to pay, you must select the best option for you based on the best method for your situation.

Among the many other options that you might have are these two, each of which has merits and drawbacks.

* Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Very much a last resort, the Chapter 13 permits you to get out of debt completely and leave all of your bills behind, beginning with a completely clean slate.

The Up Side Chapter 13 will permit you to have no debts left when you are finished and you will begin owing nothing at all.

The down side: when you are granted bankruptcy the filing is immediately recorded on your credit rating. Depending on where you like, that reversal of your debt can stay on your credit rating for 7-10 years, preventing you from getting a job, from taking a home loan, an auto loan, or even getting a home or apartment to rent. In addition, your property may be sold in some cases to help satisfy your debts. While your home is usually excluded, other personal property may be subject to being taken by the courts.

* Credit Card Consolidation: when you use this option you are required to pay at least part of your debt. A company negotiates for you to gain you a lower pay off rate that may be between 40 and 70 percent of your current debt. The interest rates are also negotiated. You are then given a loan to pay them all off and have just one payment to pay to settle the debt.

The Up Side-Your credit card debt is forgiven to a certain extent, leaving you with less to pay. You can pay off your debts in a far faster time span.

The Down Side-You will take some hits on your credit. They will last possibly several months to a year.

When faced with difficult choices to get your debts under control, you are probably best served to use other solutions first and use bankruptcy as a very last resort when or if you are unable to find any other way to relieve your debt and get your financial situation back on track.

READ MORE - Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Vs Credit Card Debt Consolidation

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Medical School Student Loan Consolidation

Congratulations to you, doctor. You have completed a rigorous education of undergraduate and medical programs and survived. It takes a lot of work and a lot of money to make it through to the doctor level and you probably had to take out some student loans to get there. Most student borrowers ignore the idea of repaying their student loans until they have completed their educational programs and face them only when they have hundreds of thousands in debt coming to their mailboxes each month. You have a way out of student loans in medical student loan consolidation programs. This debt can be put into a manageable loan with a long term and low payments.

Medical Student Consolidation

Medical student loan consolidation falls under the federal student loan consolidation program which was designed to help graduates manage their debt and repay their education loans. Rather than being shackled to high monthly payments, you can consolidate to have a very low installment over an extended term. You will be better able to manage your debts without ending up with an empty bank account each month.

Doctor Benefits

When you have completed your medical school program, you can further defer your student loan payments through your residency. Medical student borrowers are usually able to defer or forbear their loans for up to three years so they do not have to worry about making payments when their salary is low. In addition to deferment options, you benefit from extremely low rates and considerably longer repayment terms. You can take more than 30 years to repay your loans with some consolidation programs.

Should you so choose, you can choose a graduate repayment program that allows you to make smaller payments in the beginning of your term and make larger payments toward the middle and end of the term. This type of plan accounts for the increases you expect in your salary as a doctor who is promoted from intern to resident to medical professional. You can always repay your medical student loan consolidation early without any penalty from the consolidator. How long you take to repay your student loans depends on your personal preference.

READ MORE - Medical School Student Loan Consolidation

The Lowdown On Student Loans

Getting an education is hard work and financing that education can be daunting if you don't know how to go about it. Even if you have scholarships and grants (money that is given to you and doesn't have to be repaid), there are still expenses that you may not be able to cover. You may need a student loan.

Sometimes you can borrow the money for your education from the school you're attending, but more often, you'll have to choose a lender. The federal government is by far the least expensive of these! There are two kinds of federal loans (formerly known as Guaranteed Student Loans), the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and the Federal Direct Student Loan (FDSL).

When you obtain a FFEL, you borrow the funds you need from a credit union, bank or other financial institution of your choice and the government guarantees the loan. If you renege on your student loan, the federal government is obligated to repay it. A FDSL loan is borrowed from the feds through the Department of Education.

If you choose to borrow from a bank or credit union, you will be applying for a character (or signature) loan. This type of loan is made when the bank is so certain that the borrower will repay the loan that no collateral is required, merely a signature. You will need either an excellent credit background or be a customer of long standing to obtain a signature loan. The interest rates will be higher than a federal student loan but still much lower than the usual consumer loan.

Generally, you will not have to repay a student loan until after graduation. But what if you can't repay it? Your options are severely limited in such a case. Before 1998, people were sometimes able to discharge their student loans by declaring bankruptcy but this is no longer allowed.

Permanent disability or death are acceptable reasons for not paying your student loan. If the school you're attending closes before you graduate, you may be able to discharge your federal student loan or challenge it.

Closings generally are more common in trade and business schools, as they are smaller institutions and have less financial backing from their alumni. Stricter laws enacted since 1998 have made it extremely difficult to prove great enough financial hardship to have student loans forgiven. If family illness or disability creates hardship in repaying your federal loan, it may be deferred but rarely forgiven.

There are many who believe that any debt is bad debt but borrowing for your education is widely considered good debt. By investing in your education, you will be able to enter a career field that affords you a better standard of living and later, better years of retirement. By borrowing the least amount possible and making a solid plan for repaying the loan, this good debt will be well worth it.

Be sure to investigate grants before you borrow money for your education. A grant is a financial gift that does not have to be repaid. Most grants are relatively small amounts but can take care of expenses such as books and other learning materials. The federal government, schools and private organizations are good places to start investigating grants.

READ MORE - The Lowdown On Student Loans

Select a Debt Consolidation Loan Carefully

If you own a house or condo in Nevada, you can take advantage of Nevada debt consolidation loans. Loans to consolidate your debt can lower your monthly bill payments by consolidating your high interest debt into one easy low interest rate payment. Your credit card bills, car payments, student loans and other debts may have interest rates well over 15%. Some of these interest rates may be so high that the balance keeps growing--even though you pay the minimum payment every month.

Consolidating your debt by taking a loan on your Nevada home can give you relief from high interest rates. This is because lower interest rates are typically given to debt consolidation loans backed by a Nevada property. You can then use the money you get from the consolidation loan to pay off other high interest debt, like credit cards. You then pay one monthly payment at this lower interest rate. Instead of wondering if you will ever catch up to that credit card debt, your monthly consolidation payment begins to erase that debt.

Select Nevada Debt Consolidation Loans Carefully

Finding the right Nevada debt consolidation loan for your situation may be confusing. The pressure of steep monthly bills may prompt you to take the first loan you come across to consolidate debt. But, like any important decision, research can pay off. You need to be aware of the fees and closing cost associated with the home loan and factor in those costs when trying to determine how much the loan may save you over time.

Today the internet provides you a very good resource to find the best available debt consolidation loans for your Nevada property. These online resources will give you offers from multiple lenders in your area that can be used to compare against the rates your get from your local bank. Debt does not have to cause sleepless nights. See if a low interest rate home loan can help you get rid of your high interest debt.

READ MORE - Select a Debt Consolidation Loan Carefully

Friday, March 26, 2010

Government Student Loan Consolidation

It is often said that education is the best investment that one can make in one's life. Although there are various student loan options but repaying them can be a tough task. However, government student loan consolidation is a reasonable option as compared to private loan offers. Many people are reluctant to take student loans because of the high interest payment.

Government Student Loan Consolidation Eligibility

Government Student Loan Consolidation can be applied by any student that have taken federal loans. Some of the requirements that must be considered are that the student should have taken more than one federal student loan. Also, a student should have a good credit rating or should be in the grace period of a post graduation course.

To make payment easier for students, both unsubsidized and subsidized student loans can be consolidated. This enables a student to pay only one payment per month.

Government Student Loan Consolidation Benefits

Government Student Loan Consolidation allows students to pay loans over a longer period of time as compared to private student consolidation loans. As a result students are required to pay only a small amount per month. The interest rate, total loan amount and repayment duration determine the monthly payment cost.

Maximum repayment duration can extend up to 30 years. It is advisable that a student should try to pay quickly as the interest rate along with the principal sum adds up to be a significant amount over time.

Some of the benefits of government student loan consolidation include low payments, low interest rate and easy payment method. With the loan, a student is not required to pay any of his previous loans and instead is required to pay only a single monthly installment. Moreover, the interest rate currently is at the lowest levels, and thus it is the best time to take student consolidation loans.

READ MORE - Government Student Loan Consolidation

Student Loan Consolidation Calculator - Consolidation Calculation

It's time to consolidate your student loans and you want to know exactly what to expect. You can always contact a lender by phone to discuss terms and have them try to sell you on consolidating with their programs. You can visit your local banks and financial institutions to see what deals they offer. The easiest way to get payment information on your potential consolidation loans is by going online to find a loan calculator. There are a number of websites that have this feature and it is easy to use.

Knowing the Difference

When you are looking at consolidation you will find that lenders offer a variety of similar interest rates to attract borrowers. Small differences in percentages can make a big difference in payment so you need to know how much those little points will cost you. The student loan consolidation calculator takes into account your loan amount, percentage for interest and term for repayment.

Using the Calculator

You will need to enter the loan amounts and interest rates for your outstanding loans. Sometimes you will be able to enter the total amount of your loans combined to do this step. You need to make sure you enter your base interest rate for the consolidation loan. There is usually a section where you enter the duration for repayment so you can get a better idea of how much each installment will be. Finally, you click the 'calculate' button and get all the information you need.

You should be aware that the information from online student loan consolidation calculator. It is considered as estimates of the actual amount. There may be fees, charges or a change in rate that will affect your particular repayment. Your credit will also affect the consolidation loan you get if you are consolidating private loans.

READ MORE - Student Loan Consolidation Calculator - Consolidation Calculation

Thursday, March 25, 2010

How to Consolidate Student Loan?

Student Loans can sometimes be a tough thing to handle when you get around to it. When a student loan rates themselves can continue on being a ever growing problem for many students out there. If you end up defaulting on a student loan it could mean disaster for your credit score as a young person who is starting out building up there credit profile.

So what might be student loan consolidation and how can it help you? Well loans consolidation for your student loan can help you by avoiding defaulting your loan as well as allowing you to make your monthly payments to the loan a lot more manageable for yourself. Just about every type of loan you can take out as a student can be allowed to be consolidated according to the higher education act. This goes for those students that are in undergraduate or even graduate school programs, as they all are able to qualify for them. There are quite a few different examples available for this.

These programs make student loan consolidation quite easier by allowing you to combine a lot of different types of federal education student loans even if they have different terms and conditions or payment schemes as well as if they need to be paid to different lending institutions. It all gets consolidated into one lower interest loan that makes things a lot easier to manage and budget for. Additionally, the amount that you are required to pay is typically lower than you normally would be and as a result the payment cycle is extended to account for these lower payments. These things are put in place to allow for you to make things a lot easier on yourself in order to not have to worry about defaulting on your loans and as a result screwing up your credit for many years in the future.

Just about any single person that has a student loan can benefit from having to consolidate it. You really should think about it especially if your monthly payments are becoming too much of a burden for yourself. If you are close to defaulting on your loan because you are having trouble with making your monthly payments then student loan consolidation needs to seriously be considered. There are a lot of different research tools online that include calculators that can help you figure out exactly what your new payments would be with the various programs that are available. This will help you figure out if it's perfect for you. You could have a lot of different payments that are needing to be paid to many different lenders. If you want to find yourself a simple way of managing these multiple payments to these different lenders each month then again student loan consolidation can be a great solution for you to only have to make one lump sump payment each month that will in turn be disbursed to each of your outstanding lenders and their loans.

If you happen to also have a variable rate interest student loan the interest rate for the typical student loan consolidation program is fixed for the duration of the loan itself. This can make it a lot more manageable for you knowing exactly what will have to be paid for the duration of the student loan consolidation. These rates are easily calculated by using the weighted averages of interest rate loans are similar.

There are several ways of going about getting yourself a student loan consolidation. You can get a free one through the United States department of education by simply applying for it. Although if you are serious about it you would be best off going with a professional lender that specializes in these types of student consolidation loans. They can quickly figure out your situation and come up with the absolutely best consolidation loan that will work perfectly for you and your financial situation. As with any product or service, it is best to seek out the knowledge from multiple lenders in order to find the best fit for you. It will help you in the long run in many more ways then one and will allow you to save yourself from falling into the trap of defaulting your loans and ending up with a poor credit mark on your credit profile.

READ MORE - How to Consolidate Student Loan?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Government Debt Consolidation Loans

Government debt consolidation loans are loans offered through various government programs to pay off multiple loans. This enables an individual to take care of one single monthly payment compared to 3 or 4 payments to different creditors. This is the principle of debt consolidation. Debt consolidation also helps by lowering the interest rate by switching from unsecured debt to secured debt.

The federal government has various programs that help particularly students in debt to consolidate their loans to quickly reduce and eliminate their debt. Students typically have student loans, credit card debt, and medical bills that keep them in a state of high debt. The Department of Education pays off the original federal education loans and issues a new loan for the consolidated amount of the old loans. This is done as part of the Direct Consolidation Loan Program.

The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Programs and the Direct Loan Program are programs that fall under the Higher Education Act (HEA) and allow loan consolidation. This works by issuing a new consolidation loan to the borrower that pays off the borrower's existing loans. The borrower might have contracted the existing loans from various lending agencies, which have different terms, repayment dates and arrangements. Paying off these multiple loans with one loan and making a single monthly payment helps individuals effect timely payments at a lower interest rate. With a consolidated loan, the monthly payment amount is generally lower. Moreover, there is increased clarity as to the total term of payback, the exact interest rate charged, and the payment due date. In most cases the payback term can be increased to ease the payoff process and reduce the monthly commitments.

The government debt consolidation loan program has four plans for the borrower - standard plan, extended payment plan, graduated payment plan, and income contingent repayment (ICR) plan. Each of these plans has features that suit the situation of a borrower, thus providing the flexibility required of a debt consolidation and elimination program.

READ MORE - Government Debt Consolidation Loans

How To Forbear, Defer Or Consolidate Student Loan Payments

There are times that come up in your life where you are going to have to pay a grip load of debt or emergencies happen that make the wallet a little thin. That is fine because life happens and many people look for ways to cut back. One of those ways is delaying a student loan payment that is probably going to take you many years anyways.

Putting off a student loan will cause you to simply spend less now and more down the road. That can be a hassle, but at times it will get you out of a jam. Often with money it is making it day to day when you are fresh out of college and trying to climb the corporate ladder or attempting to start your own business.

Deferment is one option to take a look at to put off your loans. This is when it really is tough and you can not pinch out even another dollar for a student loan payment. This is a time period that you will have to negotiate with your lender as to how long that will be before you start paying again.

During this time you will continue to pay interest if your loan is unsubsidized. If it is subsidized by the government then they will be nice enough to take care of it for you during that period. Whatever situation it is you are going to have to come to the table with your lender with a pretty good excuse as to why you can't pay the student loan for a certain period.

Forbearance is the second option and this will give you three months of no payments and this is easier than deferment because you will not have to exude a crisis. Instead just let them know if you have to make a down payment on an apartment, a down payment on a car, get surgery and might be out of work for a while, or whatever floats your boat.

The final option is consolidation and this is something that many students take to take care of their loans. This is the practice of bunching your loans into one big massive loan to pay off. Many student loans are $300 a month and this would allow you to pay only one payment for $300 a month instead of having numerous $300 payments.

This is easier to pay off and doesn't cause the confusion of paying so many bills. This option I would only use if you don't intend to go to any more school because it could hurt your chances to get subsidized again by the government for a grant or other private lenders. This loan will obviously take longer so try to pay off as much as you can each month or your interest could kill you down the road.

READ MORE - How To Forbear, Defer Or Consolidate Student Loan Payments

Student Loan Debt Relief Help

Getting student loan debt relief isn't the hardest thing you'll ever do. Nowadays, getting a student loan debt relief is a lot easier than you ever thought. One of the options is by going back to your bank or your financial institutions offering you the credit. They're more than happy to help you by providing a consolidation loan to get all your bills paid off. You also can work on with debt consolidation company which their main service is providing facilities to get your total bills from various card providers into only one account of bills. This way, you can eliminate all other previous account and you will commit to only one account with better payment terms

When did you start accumulating student loan debt? Why do you desire to be debt free? The reason why people don't cut such waste is because they think short term. They think about the short term pain, not the long term gain. Here's an Example to go by, if your minimum monthly payment due is $85.00, and based on your budget, you budgeted to pay an extra $100 toward your credit card debt, you would then make a payment of $185.00 to this credit card.

One option is Consumer Credit Counseling, which is often mistakenly called debt consolidation. I called the owner and after telling him I was holding the cheque, he was more than happy to agree the booking.

She was supposed to meet with her bankruptcy attorney the previous Thursday evening, but by chance she saw me on TV that morning and requested help.

Don't worry about what other people's financial situations are. While you are in the process of paying off your student loan debt, don't add new debt into your existing debt by avoiding the use of credit in your purchases, instead use only cash. If you are a person who hard to control yourself from stop using your credit cards, it's better to terminate the cards, but if the credit cards still have balances, terminating the cards means you need to pay the balances in one lump sum. Hence, the alternative way to prevent you from using your credit cards is keep your credit cards at the location that are not convenient to be accessed or just cut the cards into pieces. Once you have cleared the balance of any card, eliminate it permanently by terminating it.

READ MORE - Student Loan Debt Relief Help

Government Student Loan Consolidation

It is often said that education is the best investment that one can make in one's life. Although there are various student loan options but repaying them can be a tough task. However, government student loan consolidation is a reasonable option as compared to private loan offers. Many people are reluctant to take student loans because of the high interest payment.

Government Student Loan Consolidation Eligibility

Government Student Loan Consolidation can be applied by any student that have taken federal loans. Some of the requirements that must be considered are that the student should have taken more than one federal student loan. Also, a student should have a good credit rating or should be in the grace period of a post graduation course.

To make payment easier for students, both unsubsidized and subsidized student loans can be consolidated. This enables a student to pay only one payment per month.

Government Student Loan Consolidation Benefits

Government Student Loan Consolidation allows students to pay loans over a longer period of time as compared to private student consolidation loans. As a result students are required to pay only a small amount per month. The interest rate, total loan amount and repayment duration determine the monthly payment cost.

Maximum repayment duration can extend up to 30 years. It is advisable that a student should try to pay quickly as the interest rate along with the principal sum adds up to be a significant amount over time.

Some of the benefits of government student loan consolidation include low payments, low interest rate and easy payment method. With the loan, a student is not required to pay any of his previous loans and instead is required to pay only a single monthly installment. Moreover, the interest rate currently is at the lowest levels, and thus it is the best time to take student consolidation loans.

READ MORE - Government Student Loan Consolidation

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Easiest Way to Reduce the Burden of Student Loan Debt

Graduating from college opens a whole new world of possibilities. After the years of sheer hard work, sacrifices, with a good dose of pain, laughter and tears, graduation becomes a moment of celebration and joy. Indeed it concludes the end of a long season that marks the beginning of an exiting new journey in a person's life.

After the initial euphoria has dissipated, the hard, cold reality finally sets in. This isn't a time for you to spend restless days under a shady tree chatting on your favorite topic and sharing a few giggles with your good friends. You are all on your own now, at last. You are free to do whatever you want and more importantly, you are now financially responsible for everything that goes on in your life and that includes paying your student loan.

"Ah! Darn those loans!" But like it or not, those monthly payments have to be made if you do not want creditors to come haunting you every step of the way or knocking at your doorstep at times when you least want them to.

To make matters worse, those loans come at different interest rates and you may be getting a little overwhelmed trying to maintain everything in perspective, not to mention the confusion of getting into a new phase of life that will certainly bring its own confusion and some initial disorientation.

Is there a way to reduce the burden of student loan debt?

Student Loan Consolidation

Sadly, there isn't a magic wand that you can wave and make all those debt disappear into thin air but there is a systematic and intelligent way to manage your multiple loans with varying rates. You can achieve this by consolidation them into one single loan. If you are wondering how this will help you on the long run, here are just some of the benefits of student loan consolidation.

Lower Monthly Payments

Student Loan Consolidation allows you to extend the term of the payment beyond the normal ten year period. Depending on the loan amount, you can choose to extend it for up to twenty years, making the monthly installments very affordable especially when you are just starting out on the workforce.

Ease of Payment

It is a lot easier to pay just one creditor instead of paying multiple lenders at one time. No longer do you have to make separate payments in different values at the end of the month.

Easy Management

By consolidating all your smaller loans into one bigger loan, you can benefit from one interest rate instead of having to juggle with different rates from different lenders. This will make it easier for you to find the best rate that can suit your purpose.

Starting your new life after graduation doesn't mean you should burden yourself with the task of paying the dreaded student loans while sacrificing the wonderful period of life steeping into the workforce and earning your own income. With proper management and the right knowledge, you can make the right steps to manage your resources better without sacrificing the quality of life you deserve.

READ MORE - The Easiest Way to Reduce the Burden of Student Loan Debt

4 Tips for Paying Off Your Student Loans

While going to college is almost a must today, it can be quite expensive and usually leads to a great deal of student loans to deal with. This can be quite a financial burden, and it is important that you start thinking in advance about ways that you can start paying them off. The following are a few tips that can make paying off your student loans much easier and will help you reduce the amount you owe more quickly as well.

Pay Through School

One thing that can be very helpful when you have student loans is to start paying on them while you are still in school. Most student loans will not require that you pay while taking classes full time, but taking the initiative to do so can save you having to pay as much when you are just out of college. Even if you can only make a small payment on your loans each month, it can save you a great deal of money. You are not charged interest until you are out of school, so paying as much as possible during this time can save you money in interest rates.

Never Miss a Payment

Another tip that can help you when you are paying off your student loans is to make sure that you never miss a payment. Missing a payment can actually lead to a variety of problems. Many companies will actually raise the rates of your loan when you miss a payment, and this can cost you thousands of dollars over a few years. This may also cause you to get negative marks on your credit report, and it will affect your entire credit history. If you do have a problem and you cannot pay your loan payment, make sure that you speak with the company and try to work something out. Some companies will allow you forbearance if you are going through financial hardship.

Try Locking in a Low Rate

High interest rates can cost you a great deal of money over the years, and many student loans have variable rates that fluctuate with the economy. If possible, it can save you a great deal of money if you can lock in a low rate on your student loan. Although rates may only fluctuate a small amount, just a point or two in interest can cost thousands of dollar over a few years.

Pay More than the Minimum Amount

If you want to pay off your student loans as soon as possible, you may want to consider paying more than the minimum amount due each month on your student loan. While paying the minimum amount is good, paying more can help you to pay off the loan much more quickly, which can result in you saving money on interest rates as well.

Even if you have a great deal in student loans, it is possible to save money and pay off your loans quicker. Keep these simple tips in mind when repaying loans and you will save money in interest and get out of student debt much more quickly.

READ MORE - 4 Tips for Paying Off Your Student Loans

Student Loan Forgiveness - 7 fields, the benefits

The debt has become a major problem for many students these days, and many can not find their way out. More recently, educational loan forgiveness programs offer great opportunities, Whittle down the debt.

The most popular sectors that offer programs to repay the loans in three categories, and in fact a man, many jobs offer some form of loan forgiveness. The most important factors in general will remain the same in every sector.

What does> Student Loan Forgiveness Do?

Have you heard of scholarships and other awards, such as the Pell grant, or perhaps the National Merit Scholarship? Think back a loan given the type of scholarship: to receive the money after you pay to go to school for college tuition and expenses that you paid on a student loan.

Why do organizations and governments? Because of these three categories listed above. Here they are:

- Lower wagesCivil Service or Non-Profit Jobs

- Jobs Unwanted located in areas less desirable

- Specific areas that require more work

The fields most commonly used

The following list represents the most common elements or groups of people in a sort of loan forgiveness

1. Public and private, some teachers

2. The workers care for children

3. Peace Corps and Americorps volunteers, the program includes VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)

4.Public defenders and other government lawyers busy

5. Medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, especially in critical areas of need

6. Social workers in state or local government agencies

7. Law enforcement or public safety officials, such as police and firefighters, for example. Some military positions also receive benefits.

The area can have several programs available, because many programs offer help. Application requirements vary according to length of service,Salary, location, and programs in your area, and also the needs of the government or the local schools, for example.

To find out if you qualify, please contact the first university. Then the state government contact and see if the state has any programs, usually the Department of Higher Education administers the program. Moreover, the federal government offers several programs, too.

If you're still in school, you might consider the first work in a field that you havesome support loan commitments, while some experience and costs are still low.

Good luck!

READ MORE - Student Loan Forgiveness - 7 fields, the benefits

Monday, March 22, 2010

How Do I Pay For College Without Loans

Every student wants to understand how to pay for college without loans or other sources of lending that can create large amounts of debt once you graduate. Although it may seem like this is an impossible task, there are several different options you can choose to utilize when you decide that loans are not for you. Unfortunately with this type of financial situation, you cannot afford to apply to expensive colleges, only state and local colleges if you are going to make this work. If this is something you can deal with, than yes there are ways to pay for college without utilizing loans and student debt that can lead you to bankruptcy before you even begin working for a living.

Many college students want to enjoy campus living for their first year and every student should have this experience, the only problem is that this type of living can cost up to $10,000 which can be hard to come up with if you have not already saved for your college years through high school employment. This is where local and community scholarships become a great asset. You may be thinking that you do not have the grades to be approved for a scholarship but what you may not know is that not all scholarships are based on your academic standing. There are many different types of scholarships that you can apply for on many different grounds. Taking the time to research this information is time well spent.

You can find scholarships on your chosen college's website and throughout your community and high school if you take the time to look. So many people skip scholarships and head directly towards federal and private lending that it can be easier than you think to receive scholarship money with less competition. So many students ask themselves, "how do I pay for college without loans" and for some reason scholarships never cross their mind. If you are applying for scholarships but are still uncertain if you will receive enough money to pay for your school and boarding accommodations, there is only one other option, working.

For many students, depending on what type of courses and degrees you are going through for, working through school can be far too difficult. On the other hand if you want to avoid high interest rates and large amounts of student debt after your schooling is over, this is the best way to do so. Work and pay for your schooling and necessities as you go along and be very careful with your money. Learning money management is a skill that we are not taught in schools but is a vital aspect of seeing success in every aspect of our lives. When you wonder, how do I pay for college without loans, there are many on-campus job positions you can utilize that understand your classes should come first but they also provide you with the income you need to afford your college years.

By taking this newly earned income and combining it with the scholarship money you have been awarded, you will more than likely have enough to pay for one year of college. Take these principles and apply them to each year of schooling and when you are done school you will have a great work ethic, money management skills and zero debt to start your new career and life off on the right foot. No one wants to hurry and search for the first job they can find after graduation to pay their loans, you want to find the job of your dreams and by paying cash for college you have the ability to do just that.

READ MORE - How Do I Pay For College Without Loans

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Settle Loan Amount with Student Debt Consolidation Loan

What is the most crucial part of a loan? Is it your search, finding approval or anything else? Well, it may come to you as complete surprise that the most significant part of any loan option is its repayment schedule. You may not agree with this particular view now. But, after a certain point of time, you will surely recognize this fact. You may understand its importance when it is too late. So why not consider the perils in advance and take the necessary steps to avoid it.

And if you are already struck in the above mentioned situation, here you will find all possible ways on how to find aid and come out of this trouble. If you are student, then you can apply for student debt consolidation loan and evade falling in the vicious cycle of debts. Here, you will find all the required information on student debt consolidation loan.

With student debt consolidation loan option, you are supposed to make a single monthly instalment for the repayment of the loan amount. It is surely going to help you if you have a regular source of income and stable employment. You will have lower rates of interest, simplified repayment procedure, discount rates and so on. All such astonishing benefits for a lower price, isn't it a great deal.

Moreover, with student debt consolidation loan, you can stretch the repayment duration of the loan amount. You can extend up to 25 yrs, so that you become self dependant and make the repayment of the loan amount.

You will find very many lenders presenting student debt consolidation loan, as and when you require it. But, you should not blindly go for the first you encounter in a hassle. Moreover, you should be all the more cautious. Get quotations from more than one lender and choose a student debt consolidation loan that will prove to be most suitable to your requirements.

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

School Loan Consolidation For Students

The cost of school education is sky rocketing in today's society. The only option that students have is to go in for school loans. They need loans not only for school fees and exam fees but also for books, clothes, food, boarding and so on. So they keep accumulating these loans and they become a huge colossal amount.

Once they complete their education, all these loans fall due. However, they do not find good jobs immediately and they find it difficult to repay these loans. The best way they can solve this problem is to go in for school loan consolidation. By this, all their loans with the various lenders are combined into one loan. Next, the interest rate, terms and duration of the loan is fixed based on the financial situation of the borrower.

These loans normally have a term of around 20 to 30 years. This ensures that the amount of monthly repayment they have to pay reduces a lot. Sometimes, this is only 50 percent or lesser than what was previously paid.

The main advantages of School Loan Consolidation are

o No risk of defaulting on loan payments

o Reduces hassles as you have to make only one payment to one lender. Previously you had the burden of making multiple payments to various tenders.

o Improves your credit score as all your previous loans are considered paid and you have only one loan to your name.

The only disadvantage of consolidation is that your interest amount is slightly more when compared in absolute terms. Since there are various scams doing its rounds, always be alert and aware before you go in for this form of financing.

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Student Loans 101

When it comes to furthering your education, you must have student loans to do it. It is rather simple to get extra funding to cover your school costs when scholarships and grants do not add up to enough funding. There are student loans out there for you to apply for as well as private loans and loan consolidation if you need it.

Student loans are available through the federal government and they are the biggest source when it comes to education loans. The most popular federal loans are Federal Stafford loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students or PLUS. The Federal Stafford Loans are available to both graduate and undergraduate students. The Federal Perkins Loans are given by colleges to those who need it the most and these loans require no payment of interest while the student is attending school. PLUS student loans are low interest and are available through the financial aid office of the school your student is attending or through the Sallie Mae foundation. This student loan covers all expenses, including room and board and books, which you as a parent were going to be financially responsible for. Two programs are responsible for federally funded loans. One is the Federal Family Education Loan Program in which the lender can be your school or bank. The other program is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program where the lender is the U.S. Department of Education.

Private student loans are available to you when a scholarship, grant, or federal loan falls short of your tuition costs and other expenses like books or living. They are also called alternative loans. A private student loan is not sponsored by the government and therefore no federal papers will be needed to be signed by you. It is a loan that is offered through a bank or other financial institution. To obtain this type of student loan, credit is reviewed by each lender from you, your parent(s), and in some cases, a co-signer may be needed. The Sallie Mae program offers a private loan program for both graduates and undergraduates. Other private student loans include MEDLOANS and MBA LOANS. Loan consolidation is a great move when you have several loans to pay off. When you consolidate, your student loans with their various repayment schedules can be condensed down into one simple payment. An FFEL consolidation loan will give you a one-month payment option and they will contact credit bureaus and notify them that you have a zero balance. You must be in repayment of your defaulted loan with three on time payments to be able to obtain a FFEL student consolidation loan.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Consolidate School Loans? Is This An Option For Every Student?

Student life is not always a fun-filled journey for every one. In order to get admission at best schools, colleges and universities one has to pay some price as they are relatively expensive as compared to their counterpart that is; community school or college.

In this context, most of the students end up taking loans so that they can continue the study program they got enrolled in. Now, what exactly happens is this that during their study life they can not opt for full-time job so they venture out for odd jobs which sorrowfully do not let them pay off their debt easily and on time.

In order to get away from the hassle those who have either graduated or is in the process of graduation; opt for a consolidation program. This turns out to be very beneficial to them as their paying procedure becomes very handy. Firstly, opportunity to make repayment easier helps the borrower to avoid default on your loan.

Student loan consolidation allows the borrowers to amalgamate all of their outstanding loans into one large loan. Along with this it also allows the borrower to pay off the monthly installment on a lower interest scale and just once in a month.

This program comes in handy for those who have just graduated and have shortage of money. As soon as one comes into the working world things tend to become very tough and if you are under debt then it is far much terrible that one can ever imagine.

If you are trying to find work or planning to continue education, flexibility with loan consolidation may be the key difference between struggling and having a manageable budget that is livable. In this case, consolidation can prove to be a blessing in disguise however; there are few requirements and prerequisites that every student has to fulfill before becoming eligible for the school consolidation loan.

This does not mean that applying for a loan is difficult; one should always give it a try. Find out all the possibilities of availing the offer. One good source is the direct loans. In short, availing school loan consolidation seems like an intellectual and wise decision to take after graduating or if about to graduate.

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Consolidate Your Student Loan and Reduce Your Debt

Recently a friend graduated from law school after 4 years of hard work. It did not take him long to find employment with the local States Attorneys Office. It is a good entry level job and he was thrilled to get it. After about 3 weeks on the job he started getting letters from the various banks that were holding his student loans informing him it was time to start making payments.

The four loan packages he had used to get his law doctorate amounted to a little more than $130,000.00. Each loan package had a different payment date and each had a different interest rate. Two were 15 year loans and two were 10 years. It was not long before the enormity of his student loan debt hit home. He was worried that he might miss a payment and truly wished the payment date was the same for each loan.

When he went to the local car dealership to purchase a good used car he was surprised to find that his credit score was too low to normal interest car loan. The four student loans combined to lower his credit score to 610. He would only qualify for the high interest High risk loan. He also had no choice but to pass on his vehicle purchase. He like many college students do not realize the impact of several loans and a limited employment record could have on a credit score.

When payday came he also found that the monthly loan payments equaled approximately one half of his monthly income. He immediately began searching for the best student loan consolidation advice available. There are many student loan packages that will allow graduate, medical and law students that would allow him to combine his loans Many financil insttitutions have government stundent loans consolidation packages avaiable. He quickly found that by doing a student loan consolidation he could reduce his total monthly payments by 1/3 and was even able to lower his interest rate. He used a Great lakes student loan package to completed his loan consolidation. The application process was relatively trouble free and it was approved in less than a week.

In consolidating his student loans his credit score slowly started to rise and after one year he was able to qualify for most consumer loans. He also was able to apply for and receive an automobile loan at a competitive rate.

Every student should give priority to consolidating their student loans. It is the best way to save a significant amount of money. It is also one of the best ways to improve your credit score.

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Is it the End For the Student Loan?

In these desperate times students are now finding that they are unable to meet the repayments on their student loans. Recent figures have shown that nearly 400,000 graduates still haven't started to make any repayments on their student loan even seven years after graduating.

These figures are coming from the fact that during the credit crunch many employers have cut back on the amount of people that they are employing, this means that students are finding it increasingly hard to get themselves into employment with a wage higher than the £15,000 threshold. Of course, as long as they are not earning over this amount they are exempt from paying back their loan.

Some student lenders are now warning that there could be an end to cheap student loans in order to try and keep up with these troubled times. With financial matters in their current state students are finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet as it is. If the price of their students' loans were to increase then there are worries that many people will be put off the idea of carrying on into further education.

Some students from wealthier families have commented that their parents are willing to pay for their student fees and others are willing to take on part time jobs to help pay for them. Saving up has become increasingly popular amongst some students who are trying to pay them off on their own.

The average student debt of a graduate leaving university is around £20,000. This is accumulated over a number of years after paying for tuition fees, accommodation and food and drink. Living at home with their parents and staying at a local university is also becoming increasingly popular amongst students to try and cut down on as many costs as possible.

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Student Loan Consolidation Advice

With the constant rise of tuition costs, many college students are opting to apply for student loans. As a result, a large majority of graduating students end up with multiple loans. Unless they've graduated with a degree in finance, most students don't understand how to responsibly handle a large amount of debt. Fortunately large banks and financial institutions recognize this and now offer student loan consolidation advice and services.

There are a multitude of programs available to graduating students that can provide you with excellent benefits which can reduce your interest as well as providing an overall better loan in your terms. When you decide to consolidate your student loans, you are lumping them into a single lower interest, lower monthly payment. This provides easier money management and less hassle so the student can get on with their careers, instead of focusing on debt worries.

If you are considering consolidating your student debt, you need to be aware of the pitfalls that may cross your path. The overall goal here is to save money and to restructure all of your loans to fit your budget and needs better. Don't lose sight of your goal. Many consolidation companies may entice students with lower monthly payments, but higher interest rates. The lower payment may seem appealing at first, but you may end up paying much more in additional fees and finance charges. The only loan you should consider is one that saves you money and time in the long run. A good consolidation company will provide you with a plethora of options that can do both.

Another pitfall students may face when trying to consolidate is bad credit or the lack of credit. Graduating students should not be expected to have several years of credit history like their parents who have most likely paid off many cars and even their house. A good consolidation company recognizes this fact and many offer suitable terms that can help any student regardless of their credit situation.

A specific list of student loans, offers, terms, and interest rates is beyond the scope of this article. However, by using the power of the internet you can search and compare consolidation companies nationwide. When comparing companies, be sure to list the pros and cons of each, as well as listing the fees, charges, interest, and monthly payments of all your options.

Now that you are armed with the right knowledge, you should be well prepared to take the next step and find the perfect loan for your needs.

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