As a student loan borrower, I’m excited about the possibility of some form of student loan forgiveness happening in 2021. Democratic leaders like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders appear eager to cancel federal student debt. In Joe Biden, they have a powerful ally in the White House who may be …
Chasing Public Service Loan Forgiveness & Dealing with Private Loans
One of the biggest downsides to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is that the program wasn’t designed to help with private student loans. Borrowers chasing PSLF have a clear path to debt freedom with federal loans. Unfortunately, those with private loans often face significant challenges. Today I will break down …
Student Loan Relief Ignored in New Stimulus Bill: Don’t Panic Yet
Today Congress will be passing a new Covid-19 related stimulus bill. Unfortunately, the relief doesn’t include an extension of the 0% interest and payment freeze on federal student loans. Earlier versions of the bi-partisan legislation included an extension on the federal student loan payment and interest suspension currently set to …
Paying Down Student Loans During School
Earning some extra money during college to pay down student loans can be a brilliant move. The little steps and small payments made during school can have lasting benefits. While there is no single ideal strategy, there are many approaches that students can use to get a leg up on student …
Refinancing and the Student Loan Interest Tax Deduction
Student loan refinancing can be a dramatic change to your student loans. Many borrowers fear that a student loan refinance could mean the end of the student loan interest tax deduction. Refinancing usually means a new lender, new interest rate, and new monthly payment. Fortunately for borrowers, in most cases, …
Paying Down Student Loans vs. Investing in a Roth IRA
Deciding between attacking student loans and saving for the future in a Roth IRA is a difficult question. Many student loan borrowers may lean towards eliminating debt first. Retirement is a battle for another day. However, there are a couple of unique advantages to Roth IRAs that could make a …
The 8 Best Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Ranked
We ranked the best student loan forgiveness programs according to how easy they are to qualify for and how many borrowers could be eligible. Some programs require borrowers to be in a specific field or occupation. Other programs only apply to federal student loans. Student loan forgiveness can also have …
Covid-19 Relief: Refunds on Federal Student Loan Payments
The Department of Education is currently issuing payment refunds to borrowers who made federal student loan payments during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This relief includes payments that were made by an automatic direct deposit and by manual withdrawal. Borrowers who have had wages garnished are also eligible for a refund. All …
Does a Student Loan Refinance Help or Hurt My Credit Score?
Many student loan borrowers will find that refinancing is a huge help to their credit score; others will see a refinance hurt their score. Whether refinancing is good or bad for your credit score isn’t random chance or luck. Instead, it is a predictable change. This article will focus on …
The Federal Government will Probably Extend the Interest Rate Freeze (Updated)
As part of the financial relief during the Coronavirus epidemic, interest rates on most federal student loans have been temporarily lowered to 0%. Payments have been suspended through January 31st, 2021. The Biden transistion team has indicated that Biden will be extending the interest freeze and payment suspension. Full details …