Student Loan Consolidation » Interest Payments

College Scholarships vs Student Loans

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:00:33 +0000

There is no way you can compare the value of college scholarships against student loans. Who wouldn’t want a college scholarship that would provide grant money that did not have to be repaid versus paying back money borrowed plus interest. Simply put, a scholarship is your money to spend on college. A student loan is just that: Borrowed money that must be repaid.

A college scholarship is real money that a student is granted to use for such things as college tuition, room and board and other expenses as allowed by the stipulations of the college scholarship. A student loan is money loaned to students for college tuition and other expenses, but students pay interest immediately as soon as the check is used

The best type of college scholarship is one that is granted for all four years of college. These scholarships are called “renewable.” On the other hand, a student loan is typically taken out each year from a loan granting institution or sometimes from the college itself. The interest rate on the loan will vary.

Some loans are called “subsidized” loans. Students who are eligible for subsidized student loans, based on family income, can take a Stafford student loan. The beauty of this loan is that the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest that accrues while the student is in college and for six months after graduation.

Other loans are called “non-subsidized” student loans. These loans are not given based on need, and any student can request an unsubsidized student loan. With a non-subsidized loan students are charged interest from the day the check is delivered. For both loans the principal payments will begin 6 months after graduation, but as mentioned, the non-subsidized student loan would have interest payments due from day one of the loan.

Therefore, it is always in a student’s best interest to take the time to search for college scholarships. This means searching for awards even after they are accepted to a school, and searching for scholarships during college. The goal is to have a student graduate with the smallest amount of debt in student loans as possible. This means taking advantage of college scholarships as much as possible, and covering extra expenses with loans or job income.

By: Phillip Walters

Which Student Loan is Right for YOU

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 07:12:51 +0000

Life is made from decisions, some small and inconsequential, others you may look back on and think… “That was a turning point in my life”. To make a good decision about student loans (a very important decision), requires research and planning.

For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume you have already looked into grants and scholarships, if not, PLEASE do so, since that money does not have to paid back, while student loans are just that… a loan and at some point in time, the money will have to be returned.

Assuming you’ve decided you do need a loan, where do you look? The first place should be federal student loans. They are easier to obtain, interest rates are lower, and they are long term loans created with education in mind.

STUDENT LOAN FACT: The first payment on your loan is due six months and 45 days after graduation.

With that in mind, let’s look at the Federal Perkins Loan in more detail. This loan is based on need and that need is determined by information submitted on the FAFSA (The official document used by colleges and universities to determine eligibility for Federal Student Aid). Undergrads can borrow up to $4,000 per year, which is increased to $6,000 per year for grad students.

Next in line is the Federal Stafford Loan which is available to both undergrads and grad students. These loans vary depending on your year of education and current financial situation. Details can be obtained at your college or university financial aid office.

Your Stafford loan can be subsidized or unsubsidized. The difference is simple; with subsidized loans the government pays your interest, while you are responsible for interest payments on unsubsidized loans. Your financial needs and a conversation with your financial aid office, will determine which you are eligible for.

Next on the agenda is where your parents come into the mix, it’s called the Federal PLUS Loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students). This is a low cost loan allowing your parents to borrow the amount of money needed for attendance, less other loans, grants and scholarships, already in effect.

While still a government backed loan, this one is a more traditional and requires a credit check, and is not based on financial needs.

Federal loans were designed to be used; if you qualify (and most will) then these are better and easier to obtain than private loans.

FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN FACT: Under certain situations federal loan re-payments can be deferred for up to three years while you are searching for a job.

Private loans are between the individual and the lending institution. These loans are designed to fill the gaps not met with Federal loans. They are be available from banks, possibly your school and organizations created specifically for private student loans.

When looking at these loans remember… your credit will be examined and loan terms will vary; be certain to shop the lenders for their best rates and on your end, protect your credit rating.

FEDERAL AND PRIVATE LOAN THOUGHT: Be conservative, don’t borrow more than you need; and remember that unlike a grant, this money DOES have to be repaid.

Continuing your education and obtaining a degree or advanced degree is the single greatest decision you’ll make. Abraham Lincoln said “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”. Your education is YOU sharpening that axe, the axe that can cut through the adversities of life. Money should not be something that stops you from obtaining your education, and with student loans, it no longer should.

By: Alan King

College Student Loan Deferment

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:06:21 +0000

This article is going to explore student credit deferment generally and the main varieties of deferment readily available for federally guaranteed student education loans. There’s a chance you can receive some sort of deferment with a private student loan, although that’s firmly up to the particular loan company. The actual borrower doesn’t have the right to a deferment as they do with a federal loan, and that’s a further legitimate reason to avoid private student education loans if at all possible.

For government loans the lender is not able to deny people a deferment should you fulfill the qualifications. You will need to finish all of the required forms. For those who have a subsidized loan the federal government is going to make the loan interest payments during deferment, but if a person’s loan is not subsidized the interest will be combined with the credit account balance, or capitalized. You are permitted to make payments for a loan that’s in deferment and never lose deferment status. If at all doable it is certainly advisable to come up with interest installments on non-subsidized government loans during deferment so that you can at the least keep the loan account balance at the level it had been. In the event that borrowers let their loan balances balloon they might find it hard to ever get out from under their student loans.

In School Deferments

If you are enrolled at least half-time in an accredited institution of higher learning you are qualified to apply for an in school deferment. Naturally you will need to fill out all necessary paperwork and notify your lender. There is no time limit pertaining to an in school deferment provided that you remain in school. If you take a semester off or maybe transfer schools you have to alert your loan provider.

Unemployment Deferment

If you happen to be employed less than thirty hours each week you’re regarded as substantially unemployed, and therefore you can be eligible for an unemployment deferment. You are able to get this type of deferment by qualifying for state unemployment benefits or simply registering with an employment agency and looking for work. In the initial six months there is no requirement to document exactly what you did in the employment search, although to receive an extension past that you need to demonstrate that you applied to at least six businesses within 6 months. Unemployment deferments may be prolonged up to three years for federal student education loans issued in 1993 and afterwards. They can just be prolonged for two years for federal student education loans issued prior to 1993. These kinds of deferments are obtainable for people with Perkins loans, Stafford loans, and also Direct loans, as well as for parent borrowers of PLUS loans in the event that the parent is out of work.

Economic Hardship Deferment

This particular deferment is for people who are not eligible for the unemployment deferment. You can qualify if your full-time job monthly income does not exceed the larger of the government minimum wage or 150% of the poverty level for your size of household from the state that you are living. You also qualify in case you have previously been given an economic hardship deferment via a different federal program such as a Perkins loan for example, or if you’re receiving state or government support, such as food stamps, or if you are in the Peace Corps. You’ll need to retain pay stubs, tax information and also any financial records having to do with income you have been given, as you will be expected to substantiate all revenue along with aid obtained to qualify for this kind of deferment.

Military Deferment

A person with a federal student loan that is called to active duty could qualify for this deferment. This kind of deferment is likewise intended for students who get into the military on active duty and who desire to return to school subsequent to concluding military service. The deferment ends 13 months after the active duty service is finished or when the student re-enters college, whichever happens first. Make sure to consult with a loan adviser to complete the mandatory documents regarding this type of deferment.

Graduate Fellowship Deferments

This deferment is for persons carrying out graduate studies which are outside the classroom, for example doing research, independent study or teaching. You have to possess a bachelor’s degree as well as be certified through a member of the program. These types of deferments are available for people with Perkins loans, Stafford loans, and Direct Loans, as well as for parent borrowers with PLUS loans taken out earlier than 1993.

Perkins Loan Deferments

Perkins loans, which are granted to students with exceptional monetary need, have their very own deferments. A lot of these lending products might make you eligible for forgiveness if the borrower takes part in public service work. If you have obtained a Perkins loan be sure you meet with your loan product counselor at your institution and that you know very well what these types of public service professions are in case you might get a college loan deferment or perhaps even loan forgiveness.

By: Walt Ballenberger

Student Loans With No Co Signer Or Credit History

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:03:19 +0000

It is safe to say that there are very few students out there today who have great credit and money management skills. The majority of students throughout the USA today are struggling with student debt and interest payments that they can barely afford. This is how many students spend years of their lives until it is time to graduate and even at this point, the student debt has not disappeared, only enhanced in size. Of course this type of financial struggle can either bring on bad credit or maybe you have no credit at all, either way this does not prevent you from obtaining the student funding you need to complete school.

What is important for students in this situation to understand is that using no co-signer and with bad credit, your number of loans is greatly limited that you will be approved for, but there are options. The first step towards finding student loans with no co-signer or credit history is to research your options. This means take a look at your community scholarships and federal and state loan options like the Stafford Loan Program. This is a great way to really learn what is out there and what is required of you in order to be approved. The Stafford and Perkins loans are by far the most common and they do not require credit checks in order for you to be approved.

Filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the next important step to secure your federally funded loan programs. This application can be found online and is simple to complete for anyone. The FAFSA is an application that will not only help you achieved federal loans to help you through school but grant money as well. The third step in this process would be to apply for the Stafford Loan. This is a loan targeted towards needy students who cannot afford to go to college or university. If you have low or zero income, no co-signer and no credit history you can still see success with this loan. Although the amount awarded for this loan can sometimes be small, every little bit helps.

Next you will want to try to apply for the Perkins Loan. This loan is designated for the students with the greatest financial needs. This loan offers 5% interest rates and a longer payback period than the Stafford loan which makes it a great choice if you are approved. If you are a non-traditional student, or someone returning to school to complete or further their degrees there are many different state and federal scholarships that can be utilized in this case, giving you more options than traditional students.

Even if you find that you are not eligible and have not been approved for any of the above federal loan programs, by choosing to fill out your FAFSA forms you will find that the government is aware of your situation and will send you grants and scholarships occasionally to help offset the expenses of school. From here your last option is to check with the financial aid services within your school to make sure you have not missed any possible avenues and have looked into every possible option to help you pay for school.

It can be very frustrating knowing that you cannot afford to go to school but don’t let money get in the way of what you want to do with your life. There are many ways to obtain student loans with no co-signer or credit history, thousands of students do this every day.

By: Jenney Pan

How To Consolidate Federal Student Loans

admin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:22:08 +0000

Federal student loan consolidation is a program by which students can consolidate their loan liabilities and pay them off with much more convenience and ease.

As we all know that loan consolidation is a service that is provided by a bank or any financial institution for the compilation of liabilities or debt taken up by an individual under one lender, and by simultaneously reducing the interest rates. Apart from reducing the interest rates, the organization also decides upon a fixed interest rate on the basis of the debt amount.

Often, students take up educational loans for various educational expenses, which they find difficult to repay because of the mismanagement of interest payments of different loans. In such a case, consolidate federal student loans are a good option as it takes the burden off their shoulders by managing the loan amount as well as interest repayment.

Additional Time Period For Student Loan Consolidation

Federal student consolidation loans also give the students an extension period to repay the loan amount as well as the interest. No matter from where you borrowed money, a loan consolidation program is available for federal as well as private loans.

If you also wish to choose a student loan consolidation program you must look for an appropriate lender, as the terms of the federal student loan program are same regardless of the service providers. There are no extra fees charged by the organization for providing the service not even any penalties or application fee. Federal loan consolidation is a program that is initiated by the U.S. government, so there a few rules, which every organization has to abide by for providing this service.

Are you a student, who is looking for loan consolidation program to get rid of the growing debt as soon as possible? Do you really find it difficult to payback the debt due to so many interest dates? Well, do not think too much and opt for consolidate federal student loans today!

By: Ricky Lim