Many people consider an education to be the vehicle to the future – a way to fulfill their professional and personal dreams. Travel, family, owning property, wealth, opportunity and happiness seem more attainable with an education.
And yet, many students finish their education feeling cheated. They are left with a piece of paper, a massive job hunt and often more than $20,000 in debt. This can be discouraging. What many students don’t realize, however, is that they don’t have to be controlled by their student debt. In fact, they can control the purse strings.
Consolidating student loan debt is one way that many young people are using to take control of their financial future. They already have the education and now they need to move forward in a positive way.
Normally, with debt consolidation people are able to combine all of their debt, including credit cards, lines of credit and loans, into one big loan. This can result in lower interest rates and savings, as well as less stress and hassle.
With student loan debt consolidation, there are some added benefits:
1. While with most debt consolidation programs, a person is required to qualify based upon their credit rating, student debt consolidation programs don’t. So, even if you have a poor credit score, you are able to access the benefits of debt consolidation.
2. While some people may be restricted in terms of the amount they can receive in one loan to consolidate their debt, student loan debt consolidation typically has no maximum amount.
3. If money is ever tight, with student loan debt consolidation, people can postpone repayment until graduation or until they get a job.
4. With student loan debt consolidation, the debt is usually discharged at the death of all borrowers. So, you won’t be leaving an unnecessary burden behind on your co-signers or family members.
5. Everyone loves to save money on taxes and with student loan debt consolidation the interest you pay may be tax deductible.
So, if the amount you owe the bank for your education is getting out of hand or you’ve just graduated and you want to make repayment easier, a good student loan debt consolidation plan could be right for you. Check into local financial institutions and consider seeing a credit counselor to help you.
By: Kathy Burns-Millyard
Posts Tagged ‘Debt Consolidation Programs’
Am I Eligible For Student Loan Debt Consolidation?
December 18th, 2009
As a student who has taken admission in college for the first time or as parents who are planning to send their child to college, you can’t help but cringe, when you have to purchase textbooks worth thousand dollars or when you receive a bill for tuition fees. The rise in expenses associated with college education in United States has led to increase in demand for student loans. This has, in turn, increased the requirement for student loan consolidation services. Students, whether pursuing their studies in a graduate school or studying abroad have accrued huge debts, much beyond, what was considered reasonable, a few years back. Student loans have lower than normal interest rates and very flexible payment terms. This is because these loans are specifically meant for the people who are not employed.
But even with such low interest rates and convenient pay-back terms, many students may find it difficult to pay these loans as per the payment schedule. Student Debt Consolidation programs are customized to assist the students in managing their loans and thereby helping them to avoid defaulting on their debts.
There are debt consolidation agencies which are specially meant to manage debt problems of the students.
Basic Types of Loans
Student loans can be classified into federal and private. If you are one of those students who have taken both types of loans it is strongly recommended that you do not consolidate these two loans into one. Out of these two loans, only loans classified as federal can be refinanced as they are backed by the government. You should package all the federal loans into one and solve them before heading for the private loans. Private loans are mostly unsecured in nature therefore they charge interest rate which is higher than federal loans.
Criteria for Consolidation
If you would like to go for consolidation of your student loan, you will need to meet certain criteria. Firstly, it is required that either you should be out of the school or college and be in what is defined as the “grace period” of your loan or you must have already started repaying the loan in order to take advantage of student debt consolidation service. When you get in touch with a consolidation agency providing service to students, you must begin by asking them to get in touch with your creditors.
The agency will negotiate with these creditors and convince them to reduce rate of interest as well as your monthly payment. The repayment of your student loan has a direct impact on your prospects of taking loans in future, as is the case in any other type of loan. In case your student loan becomes more than 85% of total monthly income earned by you, it will be assessed as a negative score for any future loans. This emphasizes the importance of timely repayment of your student loan and its effect on your future decisions of borrowing money. Based on their evaluation of your financial position and repayment schedules, some debt consolidation agencies can qualify you for further debt reduction programs. These addition reduction programs assist you in many ways, most important of which is reduction in your interest rates. They also include savings made during grace period, automated direct debit payment and on time payments.
Beware
It is very important to state here that not all consolidation companies are genuine in nature. Therefore, you must apply to the consolidation company which is a famous company with credentials to support. Ignoring this advice may lead to substantial increase in your problems as such illegal companies will lead to higher debts.
By: John J. Baker
Equity Loans in Debt Consolidation
October 10th, 2009
When considering debt consolidation, you should be aware that there are some debt consolidation programs that will help you with your plight and some debt consolidation plans that will hurt it.
Options
There are several options that you can follow in your debt reduction program. First and foremost is living within your means and leaving the credit cards at home. Paying off the maximum amount due will also help. Next you might consider visiting a debt consolidation advisor and coordinator. A third option you may want to consider, and one of the more popular debt consolidation avenues, are loans, both secured and unsecured.
Loans
With a debt consolidation loan all of your debts are paid off and then carried under one loan and one interest rate. There are several types of loans to choose from with each having their plus sides and negative sides. Regardless of which loan is chosen, care should be taken so that the longer terms associated with these loan vehicles do not end up costing you more in the long run.
Equity loans
One of the better loans to consider is an equity loan. The interest rates that you will receive with this type of loan will likely be quite a bit lower than the debt that you are currently financing. Debt consolidation in this instance occurs as you pay off your outstanding debt from the highest interest rates down to the lowest interest rates while also paying off the loan. If the interest rate on your outstanding debt is higher than the equity loan it needs to be paid off. But remember, you are not out of debt just because the higher interest rate debt is gone. Debt consolidation still leaves the debt in place. It just happens to be at a lower interest rate.
Home, car and property
Using this type of loan in your debt consolidation program does not need to be confined to a second mortgage of your home. Most people do not think about their other possessions as an equity form. Your car or a second piece of property can serve as equity. Just make sure your car can run through the term of the loan and you are not taking a second loan on the property against your home.
Counseling
Consolidation managers are another option to consider when you are thinking about debt consolidation. If you have gotten yourself into this fix in the first place perhaps you have other issues to think about. If this is the case having a councilor to help you with the financial aspects of the issue is a good idea. However, be sure to do your homework as a person providing a service is not likely to be doing it out of the goodness of his own heart. It will cost and it is likely that you have little to spend. If you do consolidate through this method make sure to check fees, terms and schedules.
By: Alan Lim