School Loan Consolidation

Consolidating Student Loans -- Federal Loan Vs Private Loan

2008-11-04T04:16:00.002-06:00

Student loan consolidation can be used by student or parent borrowers to combine their multiple education loans into one loan with one monthly payment. As any student can take either federal or private student loans, he or she can also take a federal or private consolidation loan to make the education debt more manageable.

Both federal and private student loans offer significant benefits, but federal loans offer borrowers many benefits that don't come with private loans; for instance: low fixed interest rates, income-based repayment plans, loan forgiveness and deferment options. While some private lenders may offer them too, it usually is associated with some strings attached.

For those reasons, every borrower should always exhaust federal student loans options before considering a private loan. The same advice applies to consolidating student loans - always look at federal consolidation loan first and only if you don't qualify for a federal loan of it is not the right choice for any reason, and then seek a private consolidation loan.

It is important to remember that a federal student consolidation loan can't include any private loan. Moreover, if you consolidate your federal student loan into a private consolidation loan, you will lose your federal borrower benefits mentioned above (unless you private lender tries hard to get your business and includes them in the offer).

There are important differences between federal and private student loan consolidation.

First of all, with federal student loan consolidation, you will have a fixed interest rate, while private student loan consolidations are credit-based, which means that your consolidation loan rate will not be locked - it will be variable. So, while you will not have to go through credit check in order to apply for a federal consolidation loan, you will need it to secure a private consolidation loan.

Student loan consolidation rates are determined differently for federal and private consolidations. The interest rates for federal loans are set according to a formula established by federal statue. It's a fixed rate, based on the weighted average of the interest rates on each of your loans at the time you consolidate, rounded up to the nearest 1/8th of a percent and capped at 8.25%.

As private student loans are not funded by the federal government, they are subject to the terms determined by each individual lender (bank, credit union, other financial institution) and the market competition. In private student consolidation loans a borrower's credit is the primary factor in the variable interest rate offered to the borrower. As the base for setting the consolidation loan interest rate, the private lenders most often use the Prime rate or the 3-month LIBOR Rate, to which they add a margin. That margin varies from lender to lender and is applied according to the borrower's credit rating.

With regards to the interest rate on the consolidation loan, it's typical for both federal and private consolidation loan to include 0.25% rate reduction for automated debit payments.

Repayment of federal student consolidation loans begins within 60 days of the disbursement of the loan, with the payback term ranging from 10 to 30 years, depending on the amount of education debt being repaid and on other debts owned, as well as on the repayment option chosen by the borrower. Private student consolidation loans can also have repayment terms of up to 30 years, although they have fewer repayment options. Usually, repayment begins 30 days from the time your private student consolidation loan is funded.

While the most important factors looked at when deciding about how to consolidate student loans are the interest rates, borrower benefits and the terms of repayment, there are also other significant factors, such as: fees or cost to consolidate, prepayment penalties, loan amount limits, customer service, etc.

There are no fees or application costs whatsoever for processing and providing a federal student consolidation loan. It's against the law to ask for advance (up-front) fees for arranging a federal education loan or consolidating federal education loans. However, some federal education loans (e.g. the Stafford and PLUS Loans) may require some fees, but they are always deducted from the disbursement check. On the other hand, private lenders may charge fees for application and processing private consolidation loans. Some private lenders charge fees as high as 4% of the principal you owe.

Federal consolidation loan programs don't require a minimum balance to consolidate student loans; some private lenders require a minimum balance before they consider a borrower's application for consolidation. That amount varies from lender to lender, but usually is between $5,000-$7,500 in US-issued private education loans.

With both federal private consolidations, there are no penalties for prepayment - all payments in excess of scheduled payments will go directly to principal and that will help to repay your consolidation loan faster.

The application process for consolidation of private student loans differs from the federal consolidation. Sometimes application for private consolidation loans may be easier to complete (often done online or over the phone). However, it's worth remembering that federal loans usually have lower interest rates, borrower benefits and better repayment terms than private student loans. Moreover, federal applications for both original loans and consolidation loans require FAFSA, so with the federal consolidation, your application is already partly completed.

Mary Cala is the Author and Leading Expert on how to consolidate student loans and she blogs about student loan consolidation. If you'd like to learn about how to consolidate student loans, go to Mary Cala's blog - Consolidation Dept - where she provides tips on consolidating student loans and getting financial aid.

How to Qualify for a Private Student Loan

2008-11-04T04:07:00.000-06:00

Your alternative to Federal Student Loan Consolidation is Private Loan Consolidation. Most of the private student loan consolidation plans are sort of refinancing for getting out of the unsecured loan problems. Though all loan consolidations are regulated by the Federal as well as the concerned State Laws the interest rates, terms and conditions of the private student loan consolidation vary from firm to firm.

While interest rates with some of the agencies are higher in comparison to others, other benefits they provide may suitably counter balance the deficiencies in their plans. Therefore it is essential for you to get well acquainted with the details of the offers made by any private company because as you decide to go for the private loan consolidation many companies with come forward with offers. While some of them might look very interesting on the face they may be lacking in intrinsic values.

Private Student Loan Consolidation Interest rates

Some of the companies offer their beneficiaries the benefits of the introductory rate for the first year that could be as low as 7.9%. Such interest rates are derived basing on the three month LIBOR added with 5% to 8.5% interests. LIBOR means the London Inter Bank Offered Rates.

Unlike the Federal Loan consolidation you will have to pay fees in the range of 1% to 5% on both your personal credit and co-signer credit. They will however not be due immediately and will only be charged on the closure of the loans. Since they are added to the loans it increases your loan volume but the advantage is that it prevents any further out of pocket expenses that could accrue.

Private Student loan consolidation for undergraduates

In most of the private student loan consolidation plan the interest rates charged for undergraduates are identical. The primary rate is LIBOR added with 5 to 8.5 percent interests. Overall it may come in the range of 7.9% to 11.93%. There will be fees of around 1% to 5% depending on the type of consolidation you have opted for. The maximum term that is permissible is 25 years and the maximum balance for which such consolidation is permitted is $1, 50,000.

For example, if you have a principal of $50,000 and LIBOR rate at around 2.8%, your interest rate could be in the range of 7.9% to 8.1% for 25 years period. The prerequisites would be fees of 1% and your good credit rating which means you must not be defaulter against any loan as on date.

Get private student consolidation online

With the Internet and World Wide Web there to help you out getting the private student loan consolidation is easy. You can get them online. Numerous traders are providing such loan consolidation facilities and the only task for you would be to find out the best consolidation loan rate student. You can obtain the free information package provided by the providers on line or visit their FAQ section. Some of the providers also have a group of experts to enlighten you on various aspects of best student loan consolidation.

Daisy Wilson is one of the well known experts who provide aid and advice on best student loan consolidation. Presently she is the professor of economics in a leading American University and has been writing articles on best student loan consolidation rates periodically in various magazines and publications.

Benefits of Student Loan Consolidation While Economic Recession..

2008-11-04T04:04:00.002-06:00

Most students are excited when it comes to college graduation as a new life and new promises await them. It's a new beginning and opportunity to chase their dream careers. However, many who have student loans also start to get worried about repayments.

According to National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), the average college debt among student borrowers is in excess of $17,000; coupled with the current bad economy and recession, repaying these debts are becoming more difficult for many graduates. With the interest rates in all student loan programs are now at record lows; you should consider student loan consolidation.

When you do a student loan consolidation, what you're doing is essentially paying off the loans that you have and consolidate them with one loan where you only have one monthly payment.

There are many reasons why you should consider consolidating your student loans; some of the benefits are decreased monthly payments, money saving payment incentives, fixed interest rates, and renewed deferments.

Since most student loans are assigned with different variable interest rates; the amount of debt you have accumulated over time may have increased. By consolidating your loans, it is possible that you can take advantage and lock your interest at today's low rates and save some money over the long terms. It's a good strategy and now is the right time to do so.

Management of your loans also become easier; instead of having to deal with several lenders, you only need to deal with one and only remember one payment.

Another benefit of student loan consolidation is that it helps to improve your credit score over time. I think you agree that an improved credit score is an important factor when you're starting a new life after school. It could help you to get the best rates on home loans, personal loans, car loans, and even credit cards.

Student loan consolidation

2008-11-04T03:56:00.003-06:00

Student loans? Who needs them? Take charge of your money for the rest of your life.

1.Grants in place of student loans - no repayments
2. Part time earning decreases student loans
3. Economising (builds life skills) avoids some student loans

1. Grants - Supreme way to avoid student loans

A grant is a gift of money that you don't have to repay. Isn't a $50000 grant better than taking out student loans every year for four or five years?

There is a club that keeps its members abreast of grants that they might use. You can avoid student loans. These grants aren't confined to education so you aren't confined to avoiding student loans. If you get a grant, save actively to build a nest egg and the right mindset.

2. Part Time Earning

There are lots of ways for you to work your way through college. What I like is that they encourage an aggressive "go and get it" mindset. Student loans encourage the "wait for it to come to me" mindset.

I have details of how a teenage girl made a profitable website. She'll never need student loans!

One girl runs dogs. That's right, she runs for half an hour with 4 dogs that need lots of exercise, then picks up the next 4 dogs.

3. Economising

A dollar saved is four dollars earned. You pay back about twice as much as you borrow, with money from which the IRS has stolen 50%. So each dollar you save avoids earning four.

You can economise on these and have better health.

1. Food
2. Lodgings
3. Health
4. Transport
5. Social life

1. Food.

Learn to cook. You're at the mercy of food suppliers until you can cook. One student got into the news because student loans only covered tinned dog-food for him to eat. That's too expensive! I'm cooking my own food and eating well on about$17 per week.

2.Lodgings

I can only suggest that you shop around. Remember that $20 saved per week is $1000 saved from your student loans each year even without interest payments.

3. Health

The damage you do to your body adds up over your lifetime, so it's a good idea to stay healthy. What has that to do with student loans?

It turns out that fast food is bad for your health, and so are most processed foods, and cooking your own food means that you can avoid trans-fatty acids, sugar, and all the other things that cause obesity. Curry, broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, brazil nuts, and cabbage among other things fight cancer. And they all make less demands on student loans.

4.Transport

Make enquiries. How much would you save from your student loans by buying a bike instead of a car? Would public transport be better? Would walking or running for exercise be even better? How much would it cramp your style for dating?

Remember, buying a car with a student loan involves not only repayments, but fuel and oil, repairs, licensing, and depreciation. I travelled 2 hrs/day on my pushbike getting exercise and no college loans.

5. Social Life

Look for free pastimes. If your friends aren't interested in ways to avoid college loans perhaps you have the wrong friends.

If you finish study at 25 and work till 60 that gives you a working life of 35 years. So a 25 year student loan takes a big chunk out of your life, even if you are never unemployed.

And that's before you take out a mortgage!

Remember a dollar saved is four dollars in student loans that you won't have to pay back.

School Loan Consolidation - Save More and Spend More..

2008-11-04T03:45:00.000-06:00

Save Money, Pay Less, Spend More on What You Want? Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, if you'll spend a few minutes learning about student loan consolidation, you'll soon be armed with enough information to make some really good decisions and help you achieve all of the above, and more.

Student loans are available to students (and parents) in need of help
with living costs while studying and working on a degree program. For many students, student loans are their largest source of cash and income (in some cases, their only source). What often happens, is students acquire multiple student loans, then begin to have cash flow problems, which leads to charges on one or more credit cards. These credit cards are typically issued with very high interest rates, often 20% or higher. This is a severely problematic financial trap, and a very tough way to get started in life for a young person who is still in school or just about to graduate.

So, how does student loan consolidation work anyway? Well, unfortunately, too many students leave college with debt that weighs them down heavily, burdening their lives with debt that will haunt them for many years to come. More often than not, students accumulate multiple loans from various lenders. This leads to multiple payments each month, and often several loans with unfavorably high interest rates.

Loan consolidation allows students to combine multipleloans into a single instrument, one loan from a single lender. In effect, this is like refinancing a mortgage or credit card or other debt consolidation - multiple debts reduced to one. The balances of the multiple loans are paid off by the loan consolidation lender, and voila' - a single loan payment at a more favorable interest rate. Translation: lower monthly payments, less overhead costs for the borrowed money, and more immediate cash flow to spend on more important items today.

A student should seriously evaluate consolidating loans if the consolidated loan would result in a lower interest rate that the current student loans, especially if the student is struggling to make multiple student loan repayments.

Often times, the merged loan includes a more flexible set of repayment options, plus no charges, fees or prepay penalty. In some cases, there may even be no pesky credit checks, loan collaterals or cosigners involved.

Student loan consolidation can reduce payments up to 60 percent (actual amount saved will depend upon the existing loan interest rates). The other factor is the term of the loans. Typical loans are for a 10 year term. When consolidating student loans, its possible to refinance for up to 30 years (like a home mortgage). It's important that there be no prepayment penalties, since the student will likely want to pay these loans off much sooner, once their earning power is improved after graduating and progressing in a career that pays reasonably well. Of course, the longer the loan period, the higher the interest rate, and lower the initial payments, which frees up precious cash flow when it's needed most - while the student is in school.

So, if a student has multiple loans, typically in excess of $7,500 total, there are many benefits of looking seriously at a student consolidation loan. It's a great way to free up cash flow, pay less each month, and save money while in school.

Neglecting Your Student Loans....

2007-11-04T23:56:00.000-06:00

Student Loan Consolidation Explained With Play...

2007-11-04T23:54:00.002-06:00