Preparing for the future with student loan consolidation

Preparing for the future with student loan consolidation

by Groshan Fabiola

Student loan debt from multiple lenders is a burden that many students graduate with. The good news is that student loan consolidation is available for both federal and private student loan programs. It is not a good idea, however, to consolidate student loan debt from both federal and private lenders; they should be consolidated separately. refinancing student loans

Federal student loan consolidation has some benefits over private student loan consolidation for a few reasons. There are three main reasons for federal loan consolidation, which are to lock in an interest rate, simplify finances and lower monthly payments. After consolidating student loan accounts, borrowers only need to make a single student loan payment each month. It is much easier to remember to make payments on time without having to balance multiple payments. refinancing student loans

Borrowers can also spread out federal student loan repayment over as much as 30 years, and the interest rate on these student loans is generally very low. Federal student loan consolidation results in a single fixed interest rate guaranteed for the life of the loan, so there's no need to worry about their rate fluctuating with the market. The interest rate on federal loan consolidation is determined by the weighted rates of the student loans that are being consolidated. The government has set a rate cap of 8.25 percent on federal student loan consolidation. refinancing student loans

All federal student loans are eligible for consolidation, but the best interest rates are available while they are in their grace periods rather than in repayment. There is no minimum balance, employment history or cosigner needed for to qualify for federal student loan consolidation. Applying for federal loan consolidation is free, and borrowers do not have to go through credit checks. refinancing student loans

It takes one or two months for a federal student loan consolidation to go into effect, at which time student loan repayment will begin. There are four student loan repayment options, which are standard, graduated, income-contingent and extended. Graduated repayment is where payments increase gradually, income-contingent repayment is where payments are based on annual income, and extended repayment is where payments stretch over a longer period. There is also no prepayment penalty on federal loan consolidation. refinancing student loans

It is a bit more different to consolidate private student loan debt, but the main benefit is the same. It is much easier to make a single student loan payment each month than to pay off several different loans separately. It's also possible to obtain a fixed interest rate and improve one's credit score by having fewer accounts open. Private loan consolidation is a bit more difficult to obtain than federal loan consolidation, though. In order to be eligible, one must be a U.S. citizen, pass a credit check and often pay a small application fee. refinancing student loans

The terms and conditions vary much more with private student loan consolidation than with federal student loan consolidation. There are several things that everyone interested in private loan consolidation should consider, though, including forfeiture of the individual benefits of the separate loan accounts. Some lenders may also extend a variable interest rate rather than a fixed one. Borrowers can also only consolidate private student loan debt once, and can never "un-consolidate" their student loans. refinancing student loans

When students and graduates do their homework, they can make the most of their student loan debt through a consolidation loan. There are several differences between federal and private student loans, including the ways they are consolidated. Any student who is nearing graduation or who has recently graduated should definitely look into their student loan consolidation options; it may be the best way to ensure a solid financial future. refinancing student loans

Federal Loan Consolidation for Medical Students

Federal Loan Consolidation for Medical Students

by Matthew Kelly

By the time you graduate you will most likely have at least $200,000.00 in student loan debt. After interest is added you could be paying a total of over $500,000.00, so it is extremely important to make sure you are getting the best deal possible with your loan consolidation. You will probably have both federal and private loans but for this article we will be dealing with only your federal loans.

Loan forgiveness - refinancing student loans

The first thing to look into is if you will be eligible for any loan forgiveness, you don't want to lose your eligibility by not knowing what is required. In general you have to practice in a facility that serves low income people for a number of years but the conditions do vary by state. Check with your state's department of education for the specific rules. http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html With Stafford loans it doesn't matter if you've consolidated the loans or not, they can be forgiven either way. With Perkins loans you lose any chance of forgiveness if you consolidate them so you should check into it before deciding to add them to a consolidation. The National Health Service Corps offers loan forgiveness programs for physicians who agree to serve a certain number of years in areas that lack adequate medical care. Many hospitals and private care facilities offer loan repayment as an employment incentive for medical personnel.

Deferral and forbearance - refinancing student loans

When you graduate and go into your residency or fellowship your loans will be switched to repayment status and you will have to make payment arrangements. Since most students in residency or fellowships do not make that much money they want put off making their payments. All federal loans come with the benefit of three years of forbearance and three years of deferral. In deferral the government pays the interest on the subsidized portion of your loans, in forbearance you are responsible for all of the interest. You must qualify for deferral, some fellowships qualify but since residency is considered employment the only option there is if you can show an economic hardship. In general your loan payments must exceed 20% of your disposable income to qualify for economic hardship. One of the benefits to consolidation is your deferral and forbearance time is renewed. This can be important to a medical student looking at a long residency, in that case you would want to wait to consolidate until you have used all of your deferral time so you can have three more years of it. It is important to remember that you are gathering interest during this time on all but the subsidized portion of any loans in deferral, the costs can really add up. Most lenders will allow you to make payments as you can during deferral and forbearance, if you think you will be able to offset your costs by paying anything during this time make sure your lender will accept payments when you are considering a consolidation company. refinancing student loans

Capitalizing interest - refinancing student loans

When choosing a consolidation company ask how often they capitalize interest during your deferral or forbearance period. A company that capitalizes quarterly will cost you more in the long run than a company that capitalizes yearly.

A student loan consolidation can save you thousands of dollars in interest but you must choose your company wisely. Ask questions before you decide who to consolidate with. Know how much you will be paying in total. refinancing student loans