College students go off to college with a head full of dreams for their future. They are often offered many types of student loans that are all too easy to get. So they sign up without thinking if the future consequences. But keep the advice from this article in mind to avoid making a costly college disaster.
Know what kind of grace periods your loans offer. This is generally the period after graduation when the payments are due. Knowing this allows you to make sure your payments are made on time so you can avoid penalties.
Always know the pertinent details of your loans. You must pay close attention to how much you owe, what the terms are and the name of your lending institution. These facts will determine your loan repayment and forgiveness options. This information is necessary to plan your budget accordingly.
Be sure you know about the grace period of your loan. Each loan has a different grace period. It is impossible to know when you need to make your first payment without looking over your paperwork or speaking with your lender. Be sure to be aware of this information so you do not miss a payment.
Think carefully when choosing your repayment terms. Most public loans might automatically assume a decade of repayments, but you might have an option of going longer. Refinancing over longer periods of time can mean lower monthly payments but a larger total spent over time due to interest. Weigh your monthly cash flow against your long-term financial picture.
Paying your student loans helps you build a good credit rating. Conversely, not paying them can destroy your credit rating. Not only that, if you don’t pay for nine months, you will ow the entire balance. When this happens the government can keep your tax refunds and/or garnish your wages in an effort to collect. Avoid all this trouble by making timely payments.
When calculating how much you can afford to pay on your loans each month, consider your annual income. If your starting salary exceeds your total student loan debt at graduation, aim to repay your loans within 10 years. If your loan debt is greater than your salary, consider an extended repayment option of 10 to 20 years.
It is best to get federal student loans because they offer better interest rates. Additionally, the interest rates are fixed regardless of your credit rating or other considerations. Additionally, federal student loans have guaranteed protections built in. This is helpful in the event you become unemployed or encounter other difficulties after you graduate from college.
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.
To ensure that your student loan funds come to the correct account, make sure that you fill out all paperwork thoroughly and completely, giving all of your identifying information. That way the funds go to your account instead of ending up lost in administrative confusion. This can mean the difference between starting a semester on time and having to miss half a year.
If you are in a position to do so, sign up for automated student loan payments. Certain lenders offer a small discount for payments made the same time each month from your checking or saving account. This option is recommended only if you have a steady, stable income. Otherwise, you run the risk of incurring hefty overdraft fees.
If you are having a hard time paying back your student loan, you should check to see if you are eligible for loan forgiveness. This is a courtesy that is given to people that work in certain professions. You will have to do plenty of research to see if you qualify, but it is worth the time to check.
Don’t get greedy when it comes to excess funds. Loans are often approved for thousands of dollars above the expected cost of tuition and books. The excess funds are then disbursed to the student. It’s nice to have that extra buffer, but the added interest payments aren’t quite so nice. If you accept additional funds, take only what you need.
If unable to keep up with payments, let the lender know right away. You are much more likely to have the financial institution work to help you if you show good faith. You may even be able to get your loans deferred or lowered.
To get the most value out of your student loan funds, make the most out of your full-time student status. While many universities consider you a full-time student if you take as few as nine hours, signing up for 15 or even 18 hours can help you graduate in fewer semesters, making your borrowing expenses smaller.
Set a goal to fund your education with a combination of student loans and scholarships, which do not need to be repaid. The Web is filled with contests and opportunities to earn money for school based on any number of factors unrelated to financial need. These include scholarships for single parents, individuals with disabilities, non-traditional students and others.
In an effort to keep the amount of student loans you take out to a minimum, consider getting a part time job during college. Whether you seek out employment on your own or take advantage of your college’s work-study program, you can reduce the amount of money you need to borrow to attend college.
Avoiding a student loan disaster can be achieved by borrowing wisely. That may mean that you might not be able to afford your dream college or that you may have to adjust your expectations of college life. But those decisions will pay off in the future when you get your degree and don’t have to spend half of your life paying back student loans.
