New Repayment Break on Student Loans Begins July 1

It’s not an easy time to be graduating from college with student loans. With the unemployment rate soaring toward 10 percent and the average starting salary for college graduates down 2.2 percent this year, student loan borrowers — whose average debt from student loans tops ,000 — are now having an even tougher time affording their student loan payments.

The good news? Starting July 1, 2009, graduates with federal college loans may be able to qualify for a new government program that can reduce the monthly payments on their student loans based on their income.

Income-Based Repayment for Federal Student Loans

The income-based repayment program, created by Congress in 2007 as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, will cap a borrower’s monthly student loan payments at a percentage of her or his income, when the borrower’s income is at least 50 percent higher than the current federal poverty line for the borrower’s family size.

These income-based student loan payments will be calculated as 15 percent of the amount by which a borrower’s adjusted gross income exceeds 150 percent of the poverty line.

(For individuals, the 2009 poverty line is ,830 in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The complete federal poverty guidelines for 2009are available on the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

For example: 150 percent of the current individual poverty line of ,830 is ,245. If a borrower’s annual adjusted gross income is ,000, the monthly payments on her or his eligible student loans would be capped at 9.44 — 15 percent of the difference between ,000 and ,245, divided by 12 months. If a borrower’s annual adjusted gross income is ,000, the monthly payments on any eligible student loans would be capped at 6.94 (,000 – ,245, multiplied by 15 percent, divided by 12).

Income-based monthly payments will be adjusted annually, based on a borrower’s federal tax return from the previous year. As a borrower’s income rises, the income-based repayment cap will also go up. If the income-based repayment cap reaches a level higher than what a borrower’s monthly payment would be under a standard 10-year student loan repayment plan, the borrower will no longer qualify for income-based repayment for her or his student loans.

Borrowers whose adjusted gross income falls below 150 percent of the poverty threshold won’t be required to make any payments on those student loans that qualify for income-based repayment.

Even if no payments are due, however, interest will continue to accrue on those college loans. Unpaid interest will also accrue if a borrower’s income-based monthly payments aren’t sufficient to cover the full monthly interest on the qualifying college loans. Any accrued unpaid interest will be added to the student loan principal and capitalized when the borrower no longer qualifies for income-based repayment.

Subsidized Interest and Student Loan Forgiveness

For those borrowers who hold subsidized student loans or a federal consolidation loan that included subsidized Stafford loans or Perkins loans, the government will cover any unpaid interest on those subsidized loans (or on that portion of a student loan consolidation that’s comprised of subsidized loans) for the first three years that a borrower is in income-based repayment.

The longest that a borrower can remain on the income-based repayment plan is 25 years. After 25 years of income-based payments, the government will forgive any remaining principal and unpaid interest — although borrowers should note that under current tax law, this forgiven student loan debt would be taxable.

Borrowers who are employed full-time in qualifying jobs in the public service sector may have their remaining student loan debt forgiven after just 10 years in the income-based repayment program, and this forgiveness would be tax-free, thanks to a ruling from the U.S. Treasury last year.

Qualifying for Income-Based Repayment

To find out if you qualify for income-based repayment on your federal college loans, you’ll need to contact your lender and provide information about your financial situation — you’ll need to demonstrate “partial financial hardship,” as defined by federal regulations.

Only federal Stafford and Grad PLUS student loans in good standing, along with consolidations of these college loans, are eligible for income-based repayment. Federal Perkins loans are eligible only if they’ve been included in a federal student loan consolidation. Other college loans are ineligible:

Private student loans. The income-based repayment program applies only to federal student loans. If you’re having problems meeting the monthly payments on your private student loans, you should contact the lenders to see if they’re willing to work out more affordable repayment plans for you. Keep in mind, though, that private student loans typically have less flexible repayment options than federal student loans.
Federal PLUS loans. If your parents took out PLUS parent loans to help you pay for college, they won’t be able to take advantage of income-based repayment on their PLUS loans. Consolidation loans that included PLUS parent loans are also excluded from income-based repayment. Any Grad PLUS loans you took out as a graduate student, however, as well as consolidations of Grad PLUS loans, are eligible.
Defaulted student loans. Your student loans don’t have to be new to be eligible — even long-time graduates may be able to qualify for income-based repayment on college loans taken out years ago. But you can’t be in default on your loans. To qualify for an income-based repayment plan, any federal college loans you have in default will need to be rehabilitated first.

Question by Alex K.: Student loan?
I know I’ll need to get a student loan sometime during my university studies. I was just wondering how they work, what you need to get one and how long you have to pay it back. Any extra details would be much appricated.

P:S I am a planning on studying in the U.S but I live outside the U.S.

Best answer:

Answer by danetteed
Most student loans are limited to citizens or resident aliens of the US. You do not mention whether you are a US citizen living outside the US, or a citizen of another country.

If you are a US citizen, or resident alien (there are a couple of other types of non-citizens that are eligible…refugees for example) then you need to apply each year. The first step is the FAFSA and you can apply on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. After that, there is more to do, but it varies depending on the answers on your FAFSA.

Good luck.

What do you think? Answer below!

Five Ways Consolidating Student Loans Can Save You Money

Consolidating Student Loans Can Boost your Credit Score Most students take out numerous loans for college, each with its own interest rate and its own monthly amount. The plethora of different loan sources is a great benefit in terms of paying for college, but when it comes to credit rating, this long list of outstanding loans can put a serious damper on your overall score. By consolidating student loans, your credit report will show one combined loan, usually with a much lower overall payment, which equates to a more favorable credit rating. By consolidating student loans, you most likely also benefit from a much lower payment, thus lowering your debt to income ratio. Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Debt to Income Ratio and Increases Buying Power Having a low debt to income ratio, or the monthly amount owed compared to the amount earned, makes an incredible impact on the amount of money you’ll be able to borrow and afford for a first home or reliable transportation. The total amount of household debt in the US last year was more than 100% of disposable income. Rising education costs have created a vicious cycle for today’s graduating students. As your debt to income ratio rises, so do the interest rates of each new loan. Keeping this ratio low by reducing your monthly bills can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Dependence on Credit Cards Having lower bills in the years following college means less reliance on high interest credit cards and other loans. The average college student carries a whopping 6 credit cards with a total balance over 00. This means that the 0 credit card purchase for new work attire could cost more than 0 over the 12 months it takes to pay the full balance. Fortunately, smart financial planning, including consolidating education loans, can help students and young professionals live a life free of high interest debts. By Consolidating Student Loans, You are Locked into Today’s Low Fixed Rates Just because interest rates are low today doesn’t mean they will stay that way. In fact rates over the last several years are lower than they’ve ever been in recent history. It’s amazing how much a small percentage point can save or cost on a college education bill over the course of a loan repayment. The Federal Consolidation Loan allows you to lock into today’s low interest rates when consolidating student loans. Consolidation loans usually have a longer repayment period and a lower monthly payment than is available on the underlying education loans. By Consolidating Student Loans, you can Receive Additional Interest Rate Discounts Companies that specialize in consolidating student loans like ScholarPoint.com offer additional consolidation benefits such as auto payments, and consecutive payments.

Auto Payments: Receive a reduction in your interest rate for making your payments automatically from your bank account when you consolidate your student loans.
Consecutive Payments: Some student loan consolidation companies give you the opportunity to reduce your repayment interest rate up to one full percentage point by simply making payments on time.
No Interest Deferral: Take advantage of the flexibility of student loans by deferring loans during qualified times. While enrolled in graduate school, serving in the military, or volunteering with the Peace Corps, you can not only defer payments, but stop interest from accruing as well.
Grace Period: Consolidating during your grace period allows you to lock in a rate that is lower than the standard repayment rate.

More info at http://loan-news.info

Consolidating Student Loans Can Boost your Credit Score

Most students take out numerous loans for college, each with its own interest rate and its own monthly amount.  The plethora of different loan sources is a great benefit in terms of paying for college, but when it comes to credit rating, this long list of outstanding loans can put a serious damper on your overall score.  

By consolidating student loans, your credit report will show one combined loan, usually with a much lower overall payment, which equates to a more favorable credit rating.  By consolidating student loans, you most likely also benefit from a much lower payment, thus lowering your debt to income ratio.

Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Debt to Income Ratio and Increases Buying Power

Having a low debt to income ratio, or the monthly amount owed compared to the amount earned, makes an incredible impact on the amount of money you’ll be able to borrow and afford for a first home or reliable transportation.  

The total amount of household debt in the US last year was more than 100% of disposable income.  Rising education costs have created a vicious cycle for today’s graduating students.  As your debt to income ratio rises, so do the interest rates of each new loan.  Keeping this ratio low by reducing your monthly bills can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.  

Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Dependence on Credit Cards

Having lower bills in the years following college means less reliance on high interest credit cards and other loans.  The average college student carries a whopping 6 credit cards with a total balance over 00.  

This means that the 0 credit card purchase for new work attire could cost more than 0 over the 12 months it takes to pay the full balance.  Fortunately, smart financial planning, including consolidating education loans, can help students and young professionals live a life free of high interest debts.

By Consolidating Student Loans, You are Locked into Today’s Low Fixed Rates

Just because interest rates are low today doesn’t mean they will stay that way.  In fact rates over the last several years are lower than they’ve ever been in recent history.  It’s amazing how much a small percentage point can save or cost on a college education bill over the course of a loan repayment.

The Federal Consolidation Loan allows you to lock into today’s low interest rates when consolidating student loans.  Consolidation loans usually have a longer repayment period and a lower monthly payment than is available on the underlying education loans.  

By Consolidating Student Loans, you can Receive Additional Interest Rate Discounts

Companies that specialize in consolidating student loans like ScholarPoint.com offer additional consolidation benefits such as auto payments, and consecutive payments.

Auto Payments:  Receive a reduction in your interest rate for making your payments automatically from your bank account when you consolidate your student loans.

Consecutive Payments:  Some student loan consolidation companies give you the opportunity to reduce your repayment interest rate up to one full percentage point by simply making payments on time.

No Interest Deferral:  Take advantage of the flexibility of student loans by deferring loans during qualified times.  While enrolled in graduate school, serving in the military, or volunteering with the Peace Corps, you can not only defer payments, but stop interest from accruing as well.

Grace Period: Consolidating during your grace period allows you to lock in a rate that is lower than the standard repayment rate.

Online Student Loan Finance

Practically 99% of the students in the UK have got online student loan finance from DirectGov. 

They offer a maximum student tuition fee loan of £3,225 and a maximum student maintenance loan of about £3500.

Seems like the obvious way to go right? After the fiasco that happened this year, people aren’t so sure anymore.

If it is possible for you to get a grant through the government, through low income/disability etc, then stop reading and get to DirectGov! A free £2996 a year is worth maybe waiting a couple of extra months or so for!

Everyone else, carry on reading.

If it’s affordable and you are unsure about getting online student loan finance from the Government, you could always borrow the money off your parents. You wont have to worry about late student loan payments coming through each couple of months as well, either to pay off the university or your student accommodation. Also, most student accommodations give some sort of discount (e.g. 5%) for students that pay for the whole year instead of quarterly… That’s about £250 saved!

If you decide to go it alone for your first year, but then panic that you won’t be able to get student finance in the future if needed, don’t worry! Getting online student loan finance from the government is just as easy in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th year etc as it is in the 1st year.

Just as a heads up: After what has happened this year with the government student loans being delayed etc, I am pretty confident that the major UK banks will start offering online student loan finance for the next academic year soon..

Check back for a comprehensive guide here once all the major banks announce they are diversifying into online student loan finance! 

International Student Loans – Find Out About Multicultural Exchanges Possibilities

Two different types of students is ready to profit from international student loans. You may be a US resident and apply for a credit which supplies the mandatory revenue to learn abroad, or you may be a non-resident during United States and the American education system is the most acceptable opportunity for you to create up a thriving job abroad. Distant students who believe US school is his or her path to educational and professional achievement work out US education to be his or her most acceptable opportunity to a expert career.

Lots of overseas students select to live temporarily or even to settle in United States after graduation. International student loans programs experience been created by the non-public banking sector and the US Government with the purpose to encourage the multicultural exchanges in academic education.

Since scholarships are limited and are also available to very proficient students with an extraordinary learning backdrop, there also are cheap alternatives for school students who are also eager to learn abroad. So, they can select among diversified international loans. Students eager to “live the American dream” is in a position to test nowa advantages that can be purchased from applying to international student loans:

diverse selection fiscal assistance
During support of foreigners attracted in an US university education, international student loans encompass federal loans and private loans. The eligibility background for federal loans also are pretty demanding, particularly for Perkins loans. Federal fiscal support requirements are way more restrictive than international student loans and also are less beneficial thanks to the enormous interest rate nonetheless the not so frequent grace period. Private or federal, international students loans show the similar basic necessities (you have to be considered suitable by an accredited school or university throughout United Sates, and o co-signer, easier said co-pledger for your student loan have to sing the contract, also).

multicultural development
In case you actually are also interested during experiencing fresh multicultural adventures and you actually still you’d like to carry on your academic studies, don’t be scared to get involved during such projects. Your professional and educational chances are also raised through nowa financial aid plans because of their long-term contribution. An international academic knowledge has not benefits solely during the expert field. Nowa studies would bring you actually numerous travel possibilities that can also modify your view to the values of life.

worldwide and regional financial assistance
Multicultural exchanges on the academic level have produced forth tremendous benefits. This detail has been clearly understood by the public institutions and low-revenue organisations. To encourage students’ contribution authorities elaborated these national and worldwide plans.

They too experience data campaigns to be in a position to supply more lucid view on international student loans, overseas or US school students may also apply for. International student loans are the ideal option for students involved during an American academic program because they do grow to be far more convenient day by day.

Student Loans Consolidation

Student loans consolidation is when one loan is taken out to pay off many others.

You basically combine all your private student loans into one manageable loan. 

By getting student loans consolidation, you may save money in several ways. If your credit rating has improved while you have been at university, you may be able to find a better interest rate, or lower your monthly repayments by extending the repayment period.

Read my tips below on student loans consolidation to see if it’s the right thing for you to do.

Student Loans Consolidation tip #1

Figure out all the monthly repayments you are currently paying, as well as the interest rates and whether they are variable or fixed. If your interest rates are variable, I would recommend asking for a fixed interest rate when you consolidate your student loan, so the rates won’t rise if rates increase.

Student Loans Consolidation tip #2

Make sure your credit history is good by checking Experian. A free credit report can be requested once a year, and they do a 30 day free trial for new customers. If your credit rate is good, your interest rates should be a lot smaller! Easy!

Student Loans Consolidation tip #3

Contact local banks to see if your total private student loan debt is over the minimum they require to consolidate, and compare them against each other. If you are looking to lower your monthly repayments, see how many years could be added on when consolidating, as you could end up paying more overall if you have a poor credit rating (but you shouldn’t).

Student Loans Consolidation tip #4

Once your consolidated student loan is approved, you can save more money on interest by paying extra each month if it is possible. The additional amount will go directly toward your principal, decreasing the amount of interest that you’ll owe, and the number of years that you will have to repay your consolidated student loan for.

Decided that it’s the right thing for you to do?

Get out there and and get your student loans consolidation now!

Orginal article was published here.