Student Loan Debt Consolidation
The type of job you can get and the lifestyle
that you can make for yourself is very often influenced by the type of education
you have received. Unfortunately, however, a good education does not come cheaply,
and many students take out student loans to help cover the cost of their expenses.
Once school gets out, recent graduates are faced not only with the overwhelming
stress of making it in their new chosen career field, but also the stress of figuring
out how to repay their debts. Student loan debt consolidation may help in
some cases.
Start by taking a look at what is required to qualify.
If you do not meet eligibility requirements, it is a waste of time to apply for
student loan debt consolidation. To qualify to consolidate federal student
loans you can no longer be enrolled in school (which is generally defined as being
enrolled in school less than half time), you have to be in the “grace period”
of the loan or actively repaying it, and meet the minimum loan requirement of
the consolidation company, which typically is $10,000.
The rules
for private loans are different than federal loans, as federal loans have some
advantages. The interest on federal loans is tax deductible, the loan can sometimes
be forgiven, and payments can be deferred if you go back to school. You
would lose the federal benefits if you combine the federal loans with private
ones during your consolidation process, so take care to keep them separate.
Approximately
50% of college graduates take out student loans, on average in the amount of $10,000.
Since rates on the loans are around 3-4% a lot of money can be saved when taking
advantage of student loan debt consolidation at a lower rate. Plus, just
like any other debt, having a large amount of these loans can influence your credit
and future purchasing abilities, so it is important to get the debt paid off as
soon as you can. If your debt exceeds 8% of your income, it can have a negative
effect on your credit report, which in turn will make it more difficult to qualify
for future loans. This can make it difficult to buy a home, get a loan on a car,
or take out any large loan amount once out of school. It may even cause
you to have higher interest rates on your everyday credit cards.
You should
take the time to understand everything before you start to fill out the applications,
especially if this is your first time applying for a student loan and/or you have
questions about the process. In order to compare loans accurately, you will
need to understand interest rates, fees, and the repayment schedules. Online
sites may offer you advantages by having online applications, no application fees,
or waive credit checks.
The process will definitely become easier as you
understand how student loan debt consolidation works and how they affect your
credit. These loans will stay on your credit report for years after graduation,
so it will be easier to get other forms of credit later on if you make good financial
decisions now. Plus, learning the tricks to having good credit early on
will make all the difference in how your credit score affects you in the future.