It is no secret that student loan lenders are not charities, but in fact, they are in business to make money. Over the years the law has progressively become more and more lender friendly. As a result, many borrowers and their cosigners have found themselves in ridiculous positions. One of …
How do I sign up for Income Based Repayment (IBR)?
Enrolling in an Income Based Repayment Plan for your student loans is a fairly easy task. Not only is IBR a great way to lower your monthly payments, but the program also offers benefits such as student loan forgiveness. However, be advised that signing up for IBR is a little …
Putting an End to the “Good Debt” Fairy Tale
Student loans and to a certain extent mortgages have long been referred to as “good debt”. Credit card debt and auto loans were considered to be the proverbial “bad debt”. If there is once thing we have learned from the sub-prime mortgage crisis and student loan crisis, it is that …
Student Loan Consolidation and Refinancing: Is it Good or Bad for my Credit Score?
Many student loan borrowers can improve their credit score by consolidating or refinancing their student loans. Unfortunately, not all borrowers see an increase. Some borrowers may see their score drop by consolidating or refinancing. Though federal direct consolidation and private student loan refinancing are very different processes, the impact on …
10 Tips for Dealing with Your Lender Over the Phone
Phone calls with lenders can be especially stressful. For many borrowers, student loans are by far their biggest debt. Student loan companies, including federal student loans servicers like Navient and MyFedLoan have a well deserved reputation for lousy service. This combination of financial pain and terrible customer service can be …
Guide to Getting your First Student Loan
For most people getting student loans is a pretty easy process. You fill out some paperwork, sign your name, and before you know it, tuition is paid in full. Unfortunately, getting the right student loans is not so simple. Repayment plans, interest rates, fees and cosigners make navigating the student …
Credit Cards and College: An Easy Decision
Last weekend the local paper had a financial advice column for parents of students headed off to college. This “financial expert” suggested that even though building a credit history important, college freshman and sophomores are likely not ready for the responsibilities of a credit card. In this experts eyes, credit …
Should I consolidate my federal loans to improve my credit score?
A couple days ago reader Alex posted a great question in response to our article about whether student loan consolidation was good or bad for your credit score. Alex wrote: I have a student loan that shows up on my credit record as 4 Dept of Ed/Sallie Mae accounts. When …
Student Loans: a right or a privilege?
Student loans have been the subject of great debate in both the halls of Congress and in our classrooms. With well over a trillion dollars of student loan debt in the United States and many people hurting because of it, the student loan debate has become a hot button issue. …
Avoid shady “Bank Math” with your extra payments
Are you paying more than the minimum payment on your student loans? Great choice! The money you save on interest in the long run will make your sacrifices of today worth the effort. However, you need to be careful about how you apply your extra payments to your loans. Banks …