Sunday, November 26, 2006

Eliminate The Student Loan Blues With A Debt Consolidation loan

By Tim Gorman

Todays Tip! With student loan consolidation, you cut on monthly payments, thus saving on money in the long term.

With classes coming to an end many college graduates will soon be faced with the inevitable task of repaying their student loans. In some cases this can amount to a rather difficult task based on the amounts involved. Perhaps you are one of these students facing a large amount of debt to repay back. Fortunately, there are some ways to relieve yourself of this financial strain and burden by utilizing a student loan debt consolidation program or plan.

Just in case you need a quick refresher course, college students are able to obtain two different types of financial aid in order to pay for their college tuition. The first is a government loan that is administered by the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Program. This is a very popular choice for many students and generally speaking is an easier loan to pay off with a student loan debt consolidation plan.

The second form of financial aid utilized by a financially struggling college student is a basic private student loan. This loan is readily obtained from any lending institution and as you can imagine the rates charged during the payback period of this loan are substantially higher then a regular federal student loan. Unfortunately, the higher rates also make it more difficult to qualify for a student loan debt consolidation program when compared to the government-backed loan.

As I'm sure you know a standard debt consolidation loan is normally used to pay off all of your current outstanding debt by tabulating it all into one lump sum. In some cases you can enlist the help of a debt consolidation specialist who will negotiate on your behalf in order to obtain more favorable rates in the event you're unable to obtain enough funds to pay off your entire financial obligation.

Todays Tip! Consolidating your student loan and hence extending the duration of your loan past the 10-year period standard for a federal student loan, you are in a position to significantly reduce your monthly repayments. It is noteworthy that in the long term, you will be paying more or extra interest since you will be paying for a longer period of time.

As someone who has been around the financial aid office on a college campus I can confidently tell you that the financial aid worker will be able to help you search for a local bank or lending institution that will be able to readily support a student loan debt consolidation plan. Keep in mind that this loan is only for consumers that are no longer attending college. There are some additional constraints such as you can't be late on any previous payments and the original student loan must be in excess of $10,000. Failure to meet these minimum criteria will result in the student loan not being eligible to be part of your debt consolidation loan.

As mentioned earlier college students that obtain their funding through the use of a private loan will find that the stipulations regarding its consolidation are not quite as strict as a government sponsored federal student loan. With the interest rates normally higher on a private loan it only makes sense to seek out a student loan debt consolidation plan that will offer better rates and lower monthly payments.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Debt-Relief-Solutions.com He provides more debt consolidation advice, solutions and information on student loan debt consolidation that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

In-School Student Loan Consolidation�3 Things to Know

By Carrie Reeder

Todays Tip! To lower your student loan cost and its interest rate, you can opt not to consolidate all your available student loans; you can decide to include unsubsidized loans only or leave out loans with high interest with a low loan balance.

With interest rates on student loans rising, many students are considering consolidating their student loans. This article covers the three things you need to know before consolidating:

Consolidating Your Loans Locks You In At Lower Interest Rates

Consolidating your student loans before interest rates rise will lock you in at the lower interest rate. That interest rate is then fixed for the life of the loan. The lower interest rate could save you thousands of dollars in interest charges over your repayment period.

Consolidating Requires You to Forfeit Your After-Graduation Repayment Period

Todays Tip! Through consolidation, a student can cut their payment every month by a maximum of 60 percent using student loan consolidation centers.

On unconsolidated student loans, the government pays the interest on your loans for six months after you graduate. This means that you wouldn't be responsible for a payment during this time. However, consolidating your student loans forfeits this grace period. You will be responsible for payments on your loans immediately after graduation. Students considering consolidation should first determine their ability to begin making loan payments before they have the opportunity to look for a job. If you want more information about student loan consolidation services visit www.abcloanguide.com

Todays Tip! Everyone loves to save money on taxes and with student loan debt consolidation the interest you pay may be tax deductible.

Interest Rates May Go Down Before You Graduate

Recently, interest rates have been steadily rising. However, they may not continue to do so. If you consolidate, you are locked in at the current rate for the lifetime of the loan. If you don't consolidate, your interest rate will fluctuate depending on economical conditions. It is possible that interest rates will drop lower than the current rate in the future. However, if you consolidate now, you will be locked in at the current rate regardless of the state of the economy. The maximum interest rate that can be charged on student loans is 8.5%.

Todays Tip! Lower Interest Rate. Student loan consolidation can save you thousands of dollars.

View our Best Student Loan Consolidation Interest Rates, as well as ABC Loan Guide's recommended provider lists with Help For Getting Out of Debt.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Student Loan Consolidation Rates Expected to Soar on July 1

By Jeff Mictabor

Todays Tip! As part of seeking student loans, you need to make a thorough assessment of what expenses you will be encountering in regard to attending school over the course of the coming semester and the coming year. You need to determine specifically what your tuition costs will be each semester for the year.

Student loan consolidation is the way to go for college students and graduates who want to help ease the burden of their hefty loan payments. With interest rates set to increase only weeks away on July 1, now is the time to consolidate.

Along with interest rate increases, on July 1 changes to rules and regulations also will greatly affect the student loan industry due to the recent passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, S. 1932. The legislation was signed into law on Feb. 8 by President Bush and includes major cuts to federal programs, including the federal student loan program. Even though Medicaid and Medicare funds also were cut, the federal student loan program is facing cuts totaling approximately $12.7 billion, more cuts than any other federal program.

Todays Tip! Ask if there are in school student loan consolidation programs. These programs will help you lock your low rate while in school.

Cuts to Federal Student Loan Program

As the president talks of ways in which our country needs to be more globally competitive and stresses education, it is difficult to understand why cuts were made to a program that helps students achieve a college education, a sentiment shared by concerned citizens and students.

The cost of a college education has been on the rise, and cuts to federal student loan programs do not make the situation any easier. Those hurt the most are students and families in the low-income and middle-income brackets. Federal programs are being cut, including the decrease in available student grants. With higher interest rates students will end up paying more in the long term for their student loans.

Todays Tip! If you have two kinds of loans, make sure to refinance them separately. It is also advisable that you refinance your federal student loan first, before any other private loans.

Student Loan Consolidation Helps Lift Financial Burden

Student loan consolidation offers students and graduates a chance to ease their financial loan burdens. Through consolidation students are able to save up to 60 percent, adding up to thousands. Consolidation bundles all of a student's federal loans together into one easy monthly payment, and repayment can be stretched out over a longer period of time. By consolidating before the July 1 deadline, students can receive a low interest rate that is set during the entire life of the loan. However, it is important to beat the deadline, as student loan consolidation rates will increase and the rules will change.

Consolidation is available to students currently in college or for graduates. The program helps graduates at a time when saving money is important. Graduates find themselves searching for their dream job, paying rent and other bills. Any money saved through consolidation easily can be put toward other important bills or used for other expenses.

Students need not wait until the last minute. It is important to apply now for consolidation to make sure to get the best interest rate and lock in a low rate. Students will be able to breathe easier and get on with the other important aspects of their college or post-college lives.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding as easy as possible. Learn more about Student Loans at =>http://www.nextstudent.com

Todays Tip! If you are going to be living in student housing on campus, you need to determine how much dorm fees and charges will be for each of the two upcoming semesters. For the most part, there are situations in which you can include on campus living charges within your overall request for student loans.

Jeff Mictabor is an enthusiast on the topic of student loan issues in the news. He has been writing for the past 10 years for a variety of education publications. He now offers his writing services on a freelance basis.

http://www.nextstudent.com