Student Loan Consolidations – Finding a Program That Works for You
Posted by admin in student loan consolidation, tags: college, consolidation, Debt, loan, loans, Private, Student, video
Student loan consolidation help is a good solution to students who are in debt because of all of the loans that they needed in order to pay for school.
Student loan consolidation is basically the combining of two or more student loans. The point behind this is to allow the student to pay only one low monthly payment, based on what they can afford. This allows people who are in a bad financial situation to live a little easier.
If you just take a look around you can find hundreds of options for student loan consolidations, as well as other consolidations for other types of debt.
Looking at student loan consolidations, you will find that there are two major types of student loan consolidations. They are the federal student loan consolidation and private student loan consolidations. Though you are able to combine federal loans with private loans it is a bad idea. When you combine the two different types, you lose all of the benefits that you are offered with federal student loans but can’t get from using private loans.
First and foremost, with federal student loan consolidation the interest rates you pay can be tax deductable. That is a good benefit that you would have no chance at getting if you were to consolidate them with private loans, or if all you had were private loans.
Next comes the possibility of being forgiven for certain federal loans when you go to consolidate them. Again, if you were to combine them with private loans, or if all you had were private loans, you would not have a chance at this.
And finally, for some who might need this, there is a possibility for you to defer your payments if you need to go back to school. You again can’t take advantage of this benefit if you have just private student consolidations, nor if you mix private with federal student loans.
If at all possible, you want to use only federal student loans. Remember that when you go to get student loans consolidated, you need to be sure to keep federal loans separate from private loans.
When you decide on a student loan consolidation, you need to pay close attention to the interest rates they charge. If all of your rates are the same, then it will be slightly higher, but you will have no extra fees, and you will have a monthly price set based on what you can afford. If the rates are different then they will calculate an interest rate that will land somewhere between your highest rate and your lowest rate. When they tell you that your interest rate will be lower, it isn’t really true. It will just be lower than your current higher rate.
If you come across a place that asks for an up-front fee then you should be wary. These are scams. That’s not to say that everything that has a fee is a scam, just the ones that ask for the fees in the very beginning.
Watch the video related to student loan consolidation
school-loans-consolidation.net If you have a knowledge about what is student loan consolidation, what different kinds of loan are available and when is good to consolidate your loan you would be in much better position to understand and appreciate the importance of student loan consolidation….
Help answer the question about student loan consolidation
how does student loan consolidation work?I am wondering how student loan consolidation works,,, once i consloidate my loans do i get a sum of cash? i know i have gotten offers that say up to $2000 now if you consolidate. does that mean i get $2000 for myself, or do they take that off the ammount of the loan.
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School loan consolidation doesn’t have to be a major headache. By doing research on the Internet and using free student loan debt consolidation resources you’ll be able to find a program that will save you money and headaches!
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The federal consolidation loan has a fixed interest rate, based on the weighted average of the interest rates of the student loans being consolidated, excluding Health Education Assistance Loans (HEALs), rounded up to the nearest 0.125% or 8.25%, whichever is less.
The weighted-average interest rate calculation is based on the official interest rates for the student loans being consolidated, exclusive of any borrower benefit or other special rate discounts.
By law, all lenders are required to use the same interest rate formula for federal consolidation loans. Instead, you should consider customer service, flexible repayment options, online account access and applications, reputation and industry experience when selecting a lender.
Wells Fargo might be the only one worthwhile these days. Look for ones that have little or no origination fees and have reductions if the money you owe is periodically auto-deposited.
All of my student loans were through Citibank initially, and last year I consolidated through them. They gave me a 5% interest rate which I think is very reasonable. They have also been very helpful on the phone when I had questions and they have never adjusted my interest rates without informing me first. Their website is http://www.studentloan.com and I would recommend them highly.
Your chances are prob pretty good to consolidate federal student loans. Don't consolidate federal student loans in any non-student loan consolidation loans, your interest rate will likely be higher and the interest you pay would no longer be tax deduct able.
Since these loans are not backed by the government, most private consolidation loans will be credit based, meaning the interest rate will be set based on your credit history, just like the private loans you have now. If you want a lower rate, spend some time getting your credit score as high as possible and/or find a cosigner with good credit. Both can help lower your rate.
Usually there are not incentives beyond the amount of money you'll end up saving. Before you graduate you should have to undergo an "exit interview" for your loans, and they give you a lot of information there. If you don't want to wait that long, sometimes the financial institutions that you are borrowing from will have information, so try asking them directly.
The government also offers advice and services here:
http://www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov/
Generally, a consolidation loan lumps all your student loans into a new loan, with up to 30 years to pay back and a fixed interest rate. It really makes it easy if you have student loans scattered across different lenders/servicers.
The key word in your statement is 'up to $2000', if you have a lower balance, you probably will not get that much as a credit. Yes, you would get a credit, not cash back.
And if you do get 'up to $2000', believe me, you will pay for it eventually. There's no such thing as a free lunch (imo).
Private student consolidation loans are not guaranteed by the gov't – so they're a much higher risk to the lender. Therefore, they're typically based on the credit history of the borrower. It's unlikely you'd get a significantly different interest rate if you shop around to different lenders.
What you can do is get your credit in as good shape as possible before you consolidate, and/or find a cosigner with good credit. This can help bring the interest rate down. The rates may *seem* high, but they're probably lower than a typical credit card or car loan rate, plus the interest on them may be deductible on your taxes.
i dont know if any i have listed will help or not, but i'll post it anyway.
i think the first answer was a good post.
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try to aim for grants/scholarships more… they are not to be paid back. its confusing sometimes, but just keep applying. Scholarships usually have a 1 or 2 page application, and require an essay. Take your time with the essay, so yours stands out.
every big (and small) company you see (manufacturer, orgs, corps and groups also) all have grants and scholarships they hand out like candy. Walmart, Kmart, Target, Coke, computer companies etc etc etc
here are some links with a HUGE list of what is available. some you will need to copy and paste into a new window. also, fastweb (take the time to fill it in) will search databases and get back to you with a list of scholarships you qualify for.
Also contact all mens, womens associations in your state, they almost always have grants & scholarships. What ever field you are going into, contact the orgs, associations etc for them; Also check with professional organizations related to your career interests, such as the American Bar Association or the American Medical Association. they also always have scholarships. Research and dig, call then write. Its all worth it.
OVER apply; it doesnt hurt to have too many, and the extra funds can help with housing.
YOU WILL NEED ADOBE READER:
(yes, its free)
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
LIST
http://www.lifebridge.org/gran-list-alph.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/njcomputerchick/school.html
http://www.chrome.org/scholarshiplist.html
MORE & INFO:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-jobs.htm
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/other.phtml
http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/
http://www.back2college.com/library/scholarships.htm
http://www.collegeconfidential.com/
http://college-scholarships.com/
http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/grants/grants.asp
http://www.gmsp.org
http://www.gmsp.org/gmsp_web/(nb5ctd55gavpfi55bb3a3j45)/scholarships.aspx
http://www.sfa.ufl.edu:16080/scholarshipcafe/
http://www.edsf.org/scholarshipAwards.cfm
http://www.fafsaonline.com/
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
http://www.feea.org/
http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html
http://www.salliemae.com/
http://www.ed.gov/finaid/landing.jhtml
http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/
http://www.educationplanner.com/ss/code/Profile1.asp?level=u®ion=s&mode=EDIT&sponsor=2859&volume=SS&e&h
http://www.studentawards.com/
http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/Detailed/Scholarships/Meta_indexes_and_other_scholarship_directories/Women_s_and_Non-traditional_students_scholarships_meta-directory_126.php
NURSING / CNA
http://www.scholarships-ar-us.org/grants/nursing.htm
http://www.dar.org/natsociety/edout_scholar.cfm
http://nursingworld.org/nursecareer/edfund.htm
http://www.medi-smart.com/finaid.htm
http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-scholarship-search
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/DSA/nsl.htm
http://www.nsna.org/foundation/
http://www.4cnas.com
http://www.choosenursing.com/
http://www.minoritynurse.com/
http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subptyschol.inc
http://www.straightforwardmedia.com/nursing/
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/
http://www.akaeaf.org/programsandinitiatives/
http://www.schoolsoup.com/
http://www.blackexcel.org/link4.htm
http://www.jackierobinson.org/
http://www.wilsonfund.org/scholarships/scholarships.shtml
http://www.siemens-foundation.org/TeacherScholarship/
http://www.childcareservices.org/ps/teach.html
http://www.act.org/goldwater/yybull.html
http://www.uncf.org/
http://www.socxfbi.org/login.asp?reason=denied_empty&script_name=/cgi-alumni/adir2.dll&path_info=/search&sitename=FBI&scroll=10&p=1&S=scholarships&x=0&y=0
http://www.finaid.org/
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
http://www.actstudent.org/finaid/scholarshipscams.html
http://www.act.org/recognition/clients.html
http://www.act.org/kfcscholars/index.html
http://www.kfcscholars.org/
http://www.rhodesscholar.org/
http://www.collegedata.com/
http://www.fastweb.com/
http://www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pageID=139
http://www.policylink.org/EDTK/AH101/Financing.html#4
http://www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfm
BECOMING A TEACHER
http://www.aft.org/teachers/jft/becoming.htm
http://www.fseog.com/
CHILDREN OF MILITARY
http://www.militaryscholar.org/about/about.shtml
http://www.mcsf.com/site/c.ivKVLaMTIuG/b.1677655/k.BEA8/Home.htm
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm <-do search for ‘scholarships’
http://www.milspouse.org/Educ/Fund/MilFScholar/
http://www.aerhq.org/education_dependentchildren.asp
INTERNSHIPS,
http://www.fasttrackinternships.com/
http://www.internprograms.com/
http://www.brillstreet.com/
http://ceri.msu.edu/
DEPENDENCY or NOT
http://www.salliemae.com/get_student_loan/apply_student_loan/understanding/financial_aid/dependency/
LOAN FORGIVENESS
http://www.pheaa.org/loanforgiveness/healthier_futures.shtml
http://www.aft.org/teachers/jft/loanforgiveness.htm
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/cancelstaff.jsp?tab=repaying
http://www.finaid.org/loans/forgiveness.phtml
http://www.aessuccess.org/manage/cant_make_payment/Federal_Teacher_Loan_Forgiveness.shtml
http://www.staffordloan.com/repayment/forgiveness.shtml
http://www.educationplanner.com/ss/code/Profile1.asp?level=u®ion=s&mode=EDIT&sponsor=2859&volume=SS&e&h
STATUS OF LOAN OR AID
http://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/
IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR PIN yet (for your loan / aid status) apply for one:
http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp
ESSAY HELP
http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/
http://www.gradesaver.com/resources/scholarship.html
http://www.collegeadmissionsessays.com/
http://www.nataviguides.com/broke_essay.html
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/apply/articles/process/essayjump.asp
http://www.scholarshipessay.us/
http://www.freschinfo.com/tips-brainstorming.php
http://www.freschinfo.com/tips-topic.php
http://essayedge.com/
http://www.korepetycje.com/Essays_Articles/scholarshipessay.html
GRANT SCHOLARSHIP SCAM LIST
(if you find a scam report it here too)
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer/media_psas_classads.html
LOANS
http://www.acteducationloans.com/
http://www.finaid.org/loans/educationlenders.phtml
http://www.financialaid.com/plus/index.cfm?id=plusloans
http://www.alternativestudentloan.com/
http://www.parentplusloan.com/
http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/about/
http://www.myspace.com/financialaidpodcast
http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com
GRAD LOANS & SCHOLARSHIP
http://www.gradloans.com/graduate-plus-loan/
http://www.gfoa.org/services/scholarships.shtml
DEFAULTED STUDENT LOANS
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DCS/index.html
CONSOLIDATE LOANS
http://www.plusloanconsolidator.com/
http://www.salliemae.com/after_graduation/manage_your_loans/consolidate_student_loans/student_loan_consolidation.htm
http://www.salliemae.com/content/privateconsolidation/index.html
http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/
RATE MY PROFESSORS
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/index.jsp
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
http://www.iefa.org/
http://www.iefa.org/resources/
http://educationusa.state.gov/
http://college-scholarships.com/
http://www.studyabroad.com/forum/financial_aid.html
http://www.internationalstudent.com/
http://www.internationalscholarships.com/
http://www.internationalstudentloan.com/
http://www.globalslc.com/
http://www.edupass.org/finaid/loans.phtml
http://www.abroadplanet.com/student-loans/the-global-student-loan-corporation/
http://www.salliemae.com/international/
HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIPS
http://www.hsf.net/
http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/
http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/grants/hispanic.asp
http://www.hsfi.org/
http://scholarships.hispanicfund.org/applications/
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/scholarship/scholarship.htm