Top 7 Tips For Consolidating Your Student Loans
Federal student loan consolidation is a re-financing program that allows you to
combine all of your existing federal student loans into one new single loan.
There are no application fees, credit checks, or cosigners required for a
student loan consolidation. Benefits of consolidation include:
1. Lower monthly payments.
Student loan consolidation provides a longer repayment term, which in turn
lowers your monthly payment. This will free-up more money to use for other
expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, food and car expenses, utility
expenses, and credit card payments. Depending on your total balance, you
could reduce your monthly payments up to 53%. Because there are no penalties
for early or extra repayment, you can make larger payments when it becomes
affordable to.
2. Lock in a low fixed interest rate.
Currently, unconsolidated federal student
loans have a variable interest rate which changes each year on July 1st based
on the Treasury bill. By consolidating your student loans, you can lock in a fixed
interest rate for the life of your loan.
3. Customize a payment plan.
By consolidating your student loans, you’ll have the opportunity to choose a payment plan that best fits your current income level. Plans such as the Graduated Repayment Plan start out for the first
several years as a lower interest only payment, and then increase to a level repayment plan. This plan is helpful for those who need payment relief right out of school, while they look for a job and get established.
4. One payment per month.
By consolidating, you eliminate the need to make multiple monthly payments to each of your federal lenders. With all of your loans combined, you will only need to write one check each month. Plus, if you opt for automatic checking account withdrawal, not only will payment be simple, you’ll also save .25% on your interest rate.
5. Maintain your deferment and interest subsidy benefits.
Because federal student loan consolidation is simply a new federal loan, you will
not lose your loan deferment and forbearance benefits. Additionally, you will
maintain your interest subsidy benefits on any subsidized FFELP or subsidized Direct loans that you consolidate.
6. Help your credit.
Consolidation takes all of your existing federal student loans, pays them off in full, and combines them into one new loan. Instead of having multiple open loans with limited payment history, you will have just one loan. Your older student loans will be listed as paid in full. In a nutshell, consolidation helps eliminate
open lines of credit.
7. Borrower benefits.
Consolidation offers cash saving borrower benefits for timely, automatic payments. You can reduce your interest rate by an additional .25% just by having your payments deducted from your checking account, and an additional 1.00% reduction for certain loan balance sizes, after making 36 on-time payments.
When should you consolidate?
You can consolidate during your grace period or during loan repayment. Your grace period is a six month no-payment window after you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment, before your loans go into repayment. Consolidating during your grace period provides the added benefit of a .6% discount once your consolidation is complete. Because your interest rate is locked, the .6% discount remains for the entire term of repayment. Additionally, apply before July 1st, 2007 - interest rates are expected to increase, so take advantage of this year’s lower rates.
For more frequently asked questions, visit:
http://www.studentloanconsolidator.com/consolidation/faq.shtml
Federal Loans Eligible for Student Loan Consolidation
Here is a list of federal loans that are eligible for student loan consolidation:
1. Stafford Loans
2. Perkins Loans
3. Federal Direct Loans
4. Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
5. Federal Grad PLUS Loans
6. Federal Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
7. Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL)
8. National Direct Student Loans (NDSL)
9. Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
10. Auxiliary Loan to Assist Students (ALAS)
11. Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)
To apply online, visit www.studentloanconsolidator.com/apply
Christopher S. Penn is the producer and creator of the Financial Aid Podcast, a daily free Internet radio show about making college affordable, as well as Chief Technology Officer of the Student Loan Network. This organization offers federal student loans and student loan consolidation for college students, both undergraduate and graduate. His work has been featured in several books, newspapers, and conferences.
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Tags: financial aid, student loans