In this edition of the student loan plan, we take a look at Lindsey’s private student loan dilemma. On the student loan forums, she shared that she has one loan with an interest rate above 10%. While this rate is outrageously high, it is also surprisingly common. If you want tips …
Public Service Forgiveness for Parent PLUS Loans
Parent PLUS loans are in many ways the black sheep of the federal student loan system. Federal loans are usually considered to be far superior to private loans, in part because of the great repayment plans and forgiveness programs that are available through the federal government. Unfortunately, many of these …
Mega-Mailbag: PSLF Issues and Income-Driven Repayment Considerations
In this giant mailbag we will be covering a range of student loan questions: everything from Cost of Attendance issues to the timing of an Income-Driven Repayment Plan request. We also have a few Public Service Loan Forgiveness questions to cover as well. If you have a question for the …
Ask Sherpa: Dealing with Massive Federal Debt and No Hope
In today’s Ask the Sherpa, we hear from a reader who is paralyzed by her massive federal student loan debt and feels like she had no hope of ever paying it off or retiring. To help with the hopelessness of the situation, we will take a look at the worst …
Mailbag: Should I Switch Federal Repayment Plans?
Making the decision on whether or not to refinance your student loans can be very challenging. On one hand you have the low interest rates offered by the refinance companies, but you are forced to give up federal perks. One of our readers, Brad, is currently facing this dilemma. He …
Student Loan Consolidation, Credit Age and Credit Score
In this edition of the Sherpa Mailbag we take a look at the credit score questions of Jane. She is trying to improve her credit and is worried that her student loans may be dragging it down. If you have a question for the Sherpa, feel free to ask us! …
Mailbag: Good Job but Lots of Debt, Should I Refinance?
Making the decision on whether or not to refinance your student loans can be very challenging. On one hand you have the low interest rates offered by the refinance companies, but you are forced to give up federal perks. One of our readers, Brad, is currently facing this dilemma. He …
Help! My Loan Servicer Messed Up My Payment Calculation
If your loan servicer makes a mistake calculating the proper payment for your income-driven repayment plan it can be extremely frustrating and scary. Today we will discuss what can cause this error and how to get fixed. We will start by looking at a recent reader email from Jake who …
Mailbag: Wrapping Your Head Around Massive Debt
In today’s mailbag we will dig deep into Sally’s student loan issues. Sally borrowed a ton of money to attend a for-profit college and doesn’t really see a light at the end of the tunnel. If you have a question for the Sherpa, feel free to ask us! This particular …
Mailbag: Dealing With Big Debt for a Physical Therapy Degree
In today’s mailbag we will take a look at Natalie’s student debt issues. Natalie took out a massive amount of student loans to fund her education as a Physical Therapist. She might be able to afford the standard repayment plan, and fears that if she banks on loan forgiveness, she …