Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Strategy”
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on February 8, 2014. It has been updated on January 22, 2020, to reflect up-to-date lender practices and edited for clarity. With interest rates at low levels, I decided to see if I could lower the interest rate on my existing auto loan. …
Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Accredited Financial Counselor Todd Christensen. Any opinions expressed in this article are those of Mr. Christensen. If you were enjoying your 2019 end of year holidays (meaning, you were not watching the news or following politics), you likely missed the signing into …
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated on January 16, 2020, to reflect Senator Warren’s plan to forgive student debt without Congressional approval. Now that Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both proposed massive student loan forgiveness, it introduces a complicated situation for borrowers. Traditionally, paying off student loans aggressively …
It doesn’t seem fair. Married borrowers are often expected to pay more on their federal student loans than a borrower with the same income who happens to be single. Income-driven repayment plans are one of the great perks about federal loans because they help ensure that student loan borrowers can …
As we kick off a brand new decade, now is a great time to look into our crystal ball to see what the future holds. Making exact predictions about student loans is nearly impossible. There is no way to determine the precise changes that will be made or when they …
Student loan repayment can get complicated for married couples. If you are on an income-driven student loan repayment plan, such as IBR or PAYE, how you file your taxes can have a huge impact on your monthly payments. File jointly, and your spouse’s income affects how much you pay. However, …
Many student loan borrowers are torn between saving for retirement and paying down their student loans. While there are ways to decide whether your next dollar should go towards retirement savings or debt elimination, most borrowers end up prioritizing one goal or the other. What if it was possible to …
Eliminating student debt should be a priority for all borrowers. Student loans are a huge source of stress, and the interest adds up quickly. Paying off student loans early is a worthwhile goal, but aggressive repayment comes with a cost. A singular focus on student debt can cause borrowers to …
Student loans can affect a mortgage applicant’s debt-to-income ratio and credit score Student loan refinancing and other strategies can minimize the damage from student loans. Mortgage underwriters have historically been hard on income-driven borrowers, but things are getting better. Student loan co-signers can also have problems caused by student loans …
There is a debate about who should be expected to pay for Parent PLUS loans. Those looking at things from a moral standpoint might reach a different conclusion than those looking at it from a legal point of view. What isn’t up for debate is the fact that paying off Parent …
