Student Debt Consolidation

ConfusedBoy asked:


Hi, I’m looking at consolidation loans that offer cash rebates. Right now I’m looking at $1,100 rebates on my student loans with MOHELA. However, I was hoping to pay off a $4500 credit card bill with either a rebate or by borrowing more than I owe. Are there any companies that allow you to borrow more than you owe (l did this to pay rent as an undergrad) or include CC debt in a consolidation loan? Thanks!

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Apurva Shree asked:


In today’s world of competition, education is getting costlier with every passing day. Many students taking multiple loans are trapped in the net of non-repayment. For them, student loan consolidation acts as a savior.

What is student debt consolidation or student loan consolidation?

Student loan consolidation is a system where the students are offered a student debt consolidation program for their education loans. This is system where the students and their parents/guardians are benefited. Not only does it make loan repayment easier in the form of a single payment every month, it also reduces what the students have to shell out every month if they had to pay each loan separately.

Federal Loan Consolidation is only for those loans that are approved by the U.S. Education Department. Such loans such as Federal Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans are called Federal loans. You cannot group non-federal loans and federal loans together. By non-federal loans, we mean those loans that have been taken from private banks, relatives, or friends. You need to look for a separate debt consolidation program for these loans.

Advantages

Student debt consolidation has two big advantages. One, the parents, or the students do not have to keep a track of all the installments and the due dates every month. They just need to remember one. Second, the monthly installment that the borrower has to pay is lesser than what he or she would have had to pay if they were paying for each loan individually. In some cases, the savings can go up to 45% per month. Therefore, the borrower is actually saving money from student loan debt consolidation.

Other than these advantages, there are some plus points that are in most cases not evident immediately. By opting for a student debt consolidation, a student, and his family is actually protecting themselves from a poor credit rating. Yes, since you do not have to remember numerous installment dates, you are more likely to repay your loan on time. Besides, with more money in hand, you are actually reducing the chances of bad debts in other areas of your life!

The Other Side of the Coin

However, things are easier said that done. Before opting for student loan consolidation, conduct an expensive market research on the debt consolidation companies. Look for the best debt consolidation program and the best debt consolidation quote. Just because, a company is offering a great interest rate, it does not mean that you are saving a lot in the end. Look at the loan tenure; it is also likely that the duration of the loan is longer than expected! Ok, if the student is confident that he can pay back before the tenure ends, he should keep an eye out for early repayment fines!

Now, just because a debt consolidation company is charging a high rate of interest or a low rate combined with longer tenure, it is not a fraud. The decision primarily lies on the borrower and the choice of student loan consolidation he makes.



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Apurva Shree asked:


Student debt consolidation can be a huge benefit to students who are struggling with the burden of unmanageable student debt. Those who have taken student loans to study often find themselves burdened with payments that may appear overwhelming, especially immediately after graduation. A good way to deal with this is to embark on a student debt consolidation program.

The trick to making student loans consolidation work for you is to understand that many of the benefits of debt consolidation are long term ones. For students looking for student loans consolidation options, it is a good idea to first do some research on what kind of benefits are being offered by different lenders and companies offering student debt relief programs.

What To Look For

Before starting a student debt consolidation program, make sure that you are clear about what you want to get out of it. Remember that these kinds of programs will offer reduced monthly payments, an overall debt reduction and an easier repayment plan. By shopping around and comparing different offers from different student loan consolidation companies offering student debt consolidation plans, you will be able to find the best student debt consolidation package for you.

Reduction Action

While student debts can look like an insurmountable obstacle at times, understanding how student debt consolidation works can drastically help in reducing your repayment and help you save money in the end. One of the key factors to look for is that the debt consolidation program should be able to reduce your monthly payments. By consolidating your student debts, you can avail offers that will reduce your monthly repayment amount by almost 60%. However, these kinds of programs usually translate into extended payment periods, thus raising the amount paid as interest.

Looking for low interest rate debt programs for college loans is another way to save big on student loans. Some student debt consolidation programs offer interest rates as low as 5.25%. Many lenders offer additional reductions if you meet other requirements as well. Another factor to keep in mind is that most lenders will not charge extra fees for consolidating debt. This means that you will not face extra charges for taking care of your debt earlier than expected. This is a huge advantage since you can free yourself of debt when you are ready and save a good deal of money on interest. Also bear in mind that interest on consolidated student debts are tax-deductible.

On graduation, most lenders offer extended benefits to students. This can include benefits like forbearances or further reductions in interest rates. While student debt accumulation can seem overwhelming at times, there are a number of ways to deal with student debt quickly and avail big savings in the long run. Understanding how student debt consolidation works is a smart first step in dealing with student debt.



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crushqueen0204 asked:


Here is what’s going on with me. I have about 30,000 dollars worth of student loans, however I have them through more than one place…I have one through Astrive, a couple of Direct Loans, and one through Wachovia. I also have a car that my mom took out in her name and is going to want off of her credit that’s around 13,000. So, it comes to around 50,000 total of debt. I would like a debt consolidation loan, not only to get the car off of my mom’s credit, but to make things easier for me, because making the minimum payment to everything is going to cost me more per month than just paying one place. Plus, a loan will build my credit. The thing is, I have bad credit because I was swamped with medical bills a couple of years ago. Does anyone know of any companies that will give out either personal or consolidation loans of the amount that I need and will work with people of bad credit?

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TooMuch asked:


I’ll be graduating this summer with about $17k in student loan debt. I’ve accumulated about $3k in savings so far, and I’m hoping to save another $3k for by the time I graduate (I work full time and still live at home).
My question is what’s the best way to approach the loan debt? First, none of my loans are consolidated yet. All but one $3500 loan is subsidized. Finally, I’d like to move out of mom’s basement sometime in the next six months.
Given that, should I look into consolidation? Should I dump a chunk of my savings into the loans to pay them down quickly? Should I jsut stick with the minimum monthly payments and save my pennies?

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