A student loan consolidation makes repayment seem more manageable because you only have one loan and one payment. You also have other ways for consolidating student loans such as a direct consolidation loan that offers many repayment options depending on your finances.
You can consolidate your student loan directly with the US Department of Education through a direct consolidation loan. They offer a number of payment options for you to choose.
If you need the flexibility to change your payment plan due to changes in your financial situation, the direct consolidation loan is what you need. It is designed for just his purpose.
Another repayment plan is called the standard repayment plan. With this plan you will settle on a fixed monthly amount until you have paid the balance in full. Your monthly payments can start out as low as $50.00 per month for 30 years depending on the amount you owe.
The extended repayment plan goes up to 25 years but to be eligible you have to have a loan amount that is more than $30,000. You can have a fixed monthly payment of $50 until you have paid off the whole loan or pay the interest first and settle the remaining amount later. For the latter option, your payment will start out very low and will increase every two years.
The income contingent repayment option determines your monthly payment based on your annual income, balance owed and the size of your family. The loan term may be extended for up to 25 years.
The direct consolidation loan does not have specific requirements for you to qualify, and there is no fee. You only have one lender to deal with which is the U.S. Education Department.
You now have all the information you need to know about the direct consolidation loan payment options. This should help you make a more informed decision about the program and let you compare with other consolidation loan programs that are available.
By: Ryan Wilkins
Posts Tagged ‘Loan Term’
Student Loan Debt Consolidation in Texas – Why Texas Needs To Consolidate Student Loans More
November 19th, 2009
College students in TX pay more in tuition than the average student and are often left with student loan debt that is hard to manage. If you are one of the many Texas college graduates struggling to make student loan payments, consolidating your student loans could bring the relief you need. There are a few things you should know though before you consolidate.
Consolidating Will Change Your Interest Rate
If you currently have a variable interest rate on your student loans, there is a chance that your rate (and your payment) could increase at some point during your loan term. This could leave you paying more than you already do. Most consolidation loans allow you to lock in at a fixed interest rate. This will be beneficial if rates increase later on. Of course, the reverse is also true. If rates go down, you could end up paying more with the new fixed rate loan.
Consolidating Increases Your Monthly Cash Flow
In 2003, Texas legislators deregulated tuition and listed the caps on tuition increases. The price of college soared. As a result, many new graduates now have an average of $20,000 in student debt and a difficult time meeting payment obligations. If you find yourself in this situation, consolidating your loans could lower your monthly payments and increase your cash flow.
Consolidating Student Loans in Texas is Easier Than You Think
Nearly everyone is eligible for student loan consolidation. In most cases, borrowers are not even subjected to a credit check. Fees do not normally apply, which means there is no out of pocket expense. The bottom line is that if you have been worrying about getting turned down for a consolidated student loan, you can stop. Consolidating student loans in Texas couldn’t be any easier.
By: Jane Hale
School Loans Consolidation – How to Manage Your School Debt
November 9th, 2009
Usually there is a very easy and lucrative step you can take to make sure you only have to pay the absolute minimal amount of interest over your loan(s). This is because very often the school loan is spread across more than one loan and therefore can be consolidated.
Although not always but often the federal loans provides special benefits and therefore you might not want to consolidate it with a private loan because that way you might lose these benefits.
While it may sound pretty complicated to consolidate your student loan, in reality it is not. In fact, it is the easiest and best thing to do when reducing those debt costs. The interest rates and other costs don’t have to be as high they are for you now.
Another way in which the consolidated loan will help you get you monthly payments down, is by stretching out the loan term in which the money has to be payed back. You might be able to stretch this to a 30 year term. The current extremely low interest rates can help you find a very low interest rate quite easily. You may have to act fast to profit from this situation.
Don’t let your school loan take over your life. You can easily do something about it. Just search for the best terms of agreement and the best consolidation interest rate for you. What benefits do the lenders offer you? Something that can work really well is to negotiate about your interest rates or other terms with the lender.
By: Johne Weales