Archive for category Private Student Loan
Eliminating Debt Early With Private Student Loan Consolidation
Posted by admin in Private Student Loan on March 14, 2010
Many recent graduates are finding it harder and harder to stretch new paychecks. Graduation may be a milestone in itself, but alongside a college diploma are the endless monthly bills. Living on one’s own has never been easy. Private student loan consolidation is often used to lower monthly payments and improve credit ratings.
Accumulating Debts
Often, the accumulation of other debts is to blame for such a sorry state of affairs after graduation. Take the case of 25-year-old Tamika Gambrel, who has a $60,000 a year job but still finds it difficult to make ends meet. She has to pay $840 for the apartment, $280 for the car note and a hefty $24,000 credit card debt that came from her college days. She speaks frankly about her debts:
“After four years, I walked away owing only $28,000 in loans. Considering that tuition and room and board alone at Colby was $35,000 a year, I think I did alright.”
Not everyone could put up such a brave face in the face of debt. Some just decide to file for bankruptcy, instead of getting a private student loan consolidation.
Fees Not Letting Up
According to the College Board:
“The cost of attending a public, four-year college or university in the 2007-08 school year–including tuition, fees, and room and board–was $12,796, up 35% over the past five years; for private schools, the cost was a hefty $30,367.”
These figures are by no means fixed. As we all know, tuition fees and other related fees increase and decrease depending on inflation and other economic forces. But people still want to borrow money for their college days, because indeed it’s a chance to get a better shot at life. Private student loan consolidation becomes a chance to get better rates in the end.
Know Your Debts First
To “retire” your student loans faster, you have to know your loans. Log on to www.nslds.ed.gov (National Student Loan System) to read about the specific details of different student loans. Check the status of your loans, as well as the variable interest rates and the principal. Make sure too that you obtain the required personal identification password (PIN). This can be obtained from the Department of Education. Log on to www.pin.ed.gov for more details.
Another important thing to remember is that federal loans and private loans are different. Federal loans have caps on their interest rates while private loans do not. Often, private loans are costlier. And another thing: federal loans and private loans cannot be consolidated by one large loan. They must be consolidated separately. And again, federally subsidized loans have the government backing it up (Uncle Sam pays the interest rates while you’re in school).
Make sure that you only go to attractive private student loan consolidation deals. The case of Gambrel was actually good: she had been able to get consolidation at a 2.87% interest rate. Gambrel acknowledges: “I got very lucky. At the time I graduated, jobs weren’t plentiful, but student loan consolidation programs were very, very attractive.” This just goes to show that careful financial planning can lead to beneficial results.
Advantages of Private Student Loans
Posted by admin in Private Student Loan on February 23, 2010
Although the cost of education has been constantly increasing, there are many ways that suggest that money need not be a hindrance for those who wish to acquire a degree from a college or a university. Student loans are created to achieve this purpose and the loans are of many types, of which private student loans are the most flexible.
The greatest advantage of private student loans is that they are quite uncomplicated and are finalized in a matter of few days, say within a week, unlike the other student loans. Private student loans are offered to students with bad credit history or no credit history. There is neither application filling procedure nor any closing dates. The upper limit to avail a private student loan is also much higher than the federal loans.
If the loan amount is small, it needs no co- signer but if it is sufficiently high, a co- signer, usually the parent’s is essential. Generally, the private student loans are availed when the student is not able to meet the educational expenses through federal student loans. Since the private student loan lenders do not get any subsidy from the government like the federal student loans do, the interest rates are a little higher.
Private student loans are also used to refinance the federal student loans at a lower interest rate. More than one private student loan can be applied and consolidated and along with other educational expenses, laptop and the like accessories can be purchased.
There are some conditions to apply for a private student loan. The student has to be enrolled at a half- time in a certificate, degree or technical program. He or she must be a US resident and a permanent resident at that and the credit score should be high and must have already utilized a federal student loan.
Some private student loan companies state that the repayment scheme depends upon the school year during which the financial aid is applied for. The academic performance of the student and the financial situation of the family are also taken into consideration. However, it is better to search the internet for a thorough knowledge of the various companies offering private student loans and their terms and interest rates and their repayment schemes. It is better if the company is a reputed one which would place the student in a comfortable position.
So, finance need not be a hurdle for those who wish to complete a degree from a college or university and private student loans guarantee that the student becomes successful in accomplishing the dream of his or her life. The private student loans ward off the sleepless nights considering the educational expenses and concentrate more on the academics.