As a soon-to-be college student (or the proud parent of one), the prospect of taking out student loans can be intimidating. Grants and scholarships are great if you can get them, but they don’t always cover the full cost of tuition and books. Before you sign on the line, carefully consider your options and know what to expect.
It is important for you to keep track of all of the pertinent loan information. The name of the lender, the full amount of the loan and the repayment schedule should become second nature to you. This will help keep you organized and prompt with all of the payments you make.
Don’t panic if you have a slight hiccup when paying back your loans. Unemployment or health emergencies will inevitably happen. There are options such as deferments and forbearance that are available with most loans. It’s important to note that the interest amount will keep compounding in many instances, so it’s a good idea to at least pay the interest so that the balance itself does not rise further.
Never ignore your student loans because that will not make them go away. If you are having a hard time paying the money back, call and speak to your lender about it. If your loan becomes past due for too long, the lender can have your wages garnished and/or have your tax refunds seized.
Consider using your field of work as a means of having your loans forgiven. A number of nonprofit professions have the federal benefit of student loan forgiveness after a certain number of years served in the field. Many states also have more local programs. The pay might be less in these fields, but the freedom from student loan payments makes up for that in many cases.
Keep good records on all of your student loans and stay on top of the status of each one. One easy way to do this is to log onto nslds.ed.gov. This is a website that keep s track of all student loans and can display all of your pertinent information to you. If you have some private loans, they will not be displayed. Regardless of how you keep track of your loans, do be sure to keep all of your original paperwork in a safe place.
You should shop around before deciding on a student loan company because it can end up saving you a lot of money in the end. The school you attend may try to sway you to choose a particular one. It is best to do your research to make sure that they are giving you the best advice.
Pay extra on your student loan payments to lower your principle balance. Your payments will be applied first to late fees, then to interest, then to principle. Clearly, you should avoid late fees by paying on time and chip away at your principle by paying extra. This will reduce your overall interest paid.
Squeeze in as many possible credit hours as you can to maximize your student loans. Full-time is considered 9 to 12 hours per semester, take a few more to finish school sooner. This will help lower your loan totals.
When you begin repayment of your student loans, do everything within your power to pay more than the minimum amount each month. While it is true that student loan debt is not viewed as negatively as other sorts of debt, getting rid of it as early as possible should be your objective. Reducing your obligation as quickly as you can will make it easier to buy a home and support a family.
Never sign any loan documents without reading them first. This is a big financial step and you do not want to bite off more than you can chew. You need to make sure that you understand the amount of the loan you are going to receive, the repayment options and the rate of interest.
Do not think that defaulting will relieve you from your student loan debts. The government has multiples ways to collect on debt. The federal government can take your Social Security payments or take your tax refunds if money is owed. In addition, they can garnish your wages and take a significant portion of your take home pay. Many times you will put yourself in an even worse situation.
Make sure that you pick the right payment option that is suitable for your needs. If you extend the payment 10 years, this means that you will pay less monthly, but the interest will grow significantly over time. Use your current job situation to determine how you would like to pay this back.
Make sure that you understand the serious implications with taking a student loan. This means that you should not miss too many payments, as it could lead to delinquency and default. This can greatly impact your credit score and could prevent you from getting more loans that you need in the future.
Initially try to pay off the most expensive loans that you can. This is important, as you do not want to face a high interest payment, which will be affected the most by the largest loan. When you pay off the largest loan, focus on the next highest for the best results.
Many people, especially when returning to school later, end up having student loans with multiple companies. When you consolidate your student loans, you can lump them all together at a much lower interest rate. And, you can often get your payment lowered as well in the process. It makes things much easier.
The better your understanding of student loans, the more confident you can be in your decision. Paying for college is a necessary evil, but the benefits of an education are undeniable. Use everything you’ve learned here to make smart, responsible decisions about student loans. The faster you can get out of debt, the sooner you can earn a return on your investment.
