Expert Guidance from Personal Experience
This is one of the clearest, most honest blogs I’ve come across. Kudos to you, Sherpa, for providing people an honest forum to communicate their student loan frustrations.Erin
The Tools to Defeat Your Student Debt
Refinance Reviews
More and more companies are offering consolidation and refinancing options. Learn what is out there and who is the best.
Discussion Forums
Join the Student Loan Sherpa Community to ask questions, share your advice, and learn.
The Sherpa Blog
Get the latest news and developments in the world of student loans and learn the strategies to get your debt under control
What is the Student Loan Sherpa?
A blog
This site started as a simple blog, a student loan borrower’s outlet to vent, and an attempt to help others others out.
A Community
Over the years the site grew into more. Numerous readers and student loan borrowers contributed their time, energy, and talents. These contributions include student loan interviews, guest writers, hundreds of article comments, and a discussion forum.
A Research tool
Dealing with student loans is already hard enough. This site aims to provide all of the relevant information, and a few tips along the way, so that your student debt is as painless as possible. More than anything, the goal of the site is to look at things from a big picture point of view. Student loans are more than just interest rates, contracts, and complicated laws.
I want to echo other posters and say this is the best and most honest internet resource about Student Loans I have found.MVP
A Big Picture Approach to Dealing with Student Debt…
Federal Student Loans
There are many tools to get your government loans under control…
- For people who work for a non-profit or for the government Public Service Loan Forgiveness is available.
- The government won’t lower your interest rates, but if you have good credit and a strong income, low rates are available with private refinancing.
- The Government offers a number of different repayment plans based upon your income.
Private Student Loans
Banks and lenders can be less forgiving than the government, but there tools to attack private debt…
- If you are struggling to keep up with your private loan payments, you can talk your lender into lowering your interest rate in order to stay caught up.
- If you have a good job and payment history, you can take advantage of record low consolidation interest rates, now starting under 2%.
Consumer Alerts
The law offers limited protection for student loan borrowers, being alert is your best defense…
- Some companies will make grand promises, but all they really do is charge you for free government programs.
- If you have a cosigner, their death could leave you with a huge bill, even if you have never missed a payment.
- Even the government needs to be held accountable, there are special student loan assistance programs only for Congressional Staffers.
- Your loan can have a huge impact on anyone who cosigned for you, learn how to protect their interests.
Student Debt and Your Life
For many, student loans are much more than just a monthly bill, they have a huge impact…
- Student loans have a huge impact on your personal finances, especially if you want get a mortgage or buy a car.
- Anger at your lenders can be a big problem, learn how to deal with it in a productive way.
- Can student debt mess with your mental health? Is there a connection between student loans and depression?
Take a Stand
If you have been treated unfairly, you don’t have to just accept it. Learn about resources in place to help you resolve your issues.
File a Complaint with the CFPB
The Consumer Final Protection Bureau has a great reputation for borrower advocacy and will force your lender, whether it be a private loan or a federal loan, to respond to your complaints.
Navient/Sallie Mae Customer Advocate
Sallie Mae, and now Navient, isn’t easy to deal with. If things get sticky, they have a customer advocate who can help.
Department of Education Ombudsman
As a last resort for dealing with federal student loan servicer issues, you can file a complaint with the Department of Education.
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