Student Loan Consolidation: Is it a Good Choice?

Hard times and an ailing economy have many people asking if consolidating their student loans is a good idea. You may wonder if it is going to look bad on your credit. Loan consolidation is simply a way to manage student loan debt and is not the same as defaulting or not paying. So, no, consolidation is not considered bad on your credit.

Most people that think it is a bad move for credit reasons think this because lately other "debt consolidation" advertisements have people inquiring about getting rid of some of their debt. These services do not only consolidate debt, but try to get debt "forgiven" by lenders, which does have a negative impact on your credit rating.

Student loan consolidation is different. You can even "consolidate" one student loan or private student loan. Consolidation generally refers to combining more than one debt into one new loan, but it basically student loan consolidation is just a new loan. You can consolidate one student loan into a new one, extending the term and lowering payments, getting the same benefits as if you had consolidated more than one student loan.

Consolidation can actually look good on your credit because it will show the loans that you consolidated as "paid". Paying off loans in full can be good for your credit score. Plus, when you consolidate, you no longer have multiple payments due throughout the month. You are left with only one payment. This payment is a set amount due on the same date each month. Because things are simplified, you are far less likely to make a late payment or miss a payment, which looks really bad on your credit. Because the payment is lower, you are more likely to be able to afford the payment, which also makes for a better credit score.

You may be able to take advantage of the bad economy right now. Consolidation loan interest rates have been being cut. You can get some great interest rates during the country’s financial time of need. Consolidation loans also generally have fewer rules attached than your original student loans or private student loans did. You could enjoy such benefits as no prepayment penalty, one payment per month, lower payments, lower interest rate and other freedoms not allowed by your student loans.

Some lenders are offering other enticements such as graduation bonuses, career choice incentives, military benefits and deferment terms. You can easily compare consolidation loan benefits from many different lenders on web sites that offer student loans from a variety of sources.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Student Loans: How Much to Borrow

Most parents expect that their children will need to borrow money to go to college. They are right. College costs are a lot higher than most parents can afford. This leaves parents and students in the position of figuring out how much to borrow when the time comes. The truth is, it can really pay off for you and your child to do the research before you borrow.

Most people just have not had the need to get a student loan before. Or if they did, a lot of things have changed since then and they may have a lot of questions. The first step is to work with the school of your choice or your high school counselor to figure out what scholarships and grants are available. Apply and try your hardest to get your hands on some of this money.

Figure out what you can afford on your own. The biggest mistake you can make when getting student loans or private student loans is to borrow too much money. Some people assume that they can just worry about it later and get a little extra cash to put aside for emergencies. But, most people that do this do not use the money for an emergency, or they end up paying a lot of interest on money that is sitting stagnant in an account.

After you determine what you or your child can afford to put towards college every month, figure out what the actual cost of college will be. It will be a lot more than tuition alone. You need to consider housing, food, bills, gas, car repairs, books and other fees that may pop up. Then do not borrow any more than that amount.
Some parents are tempted to tell their students that they will just have to work to make up the difference. Most students do work through college, but it is unlikely that they will have time to work very much if they are going to pass the classes that they are working to pay for. College students do not have the training or experience to get high paying jobs either. They are better off working with the school to get jobs or internships that get them some experience in their field. Time spent this way is far more beneficial to them in the long run, but do not expect them to make hardly any money doing it.

Once you determine the amount of money that you need to borrow, go to a web site that compares many different lenders and programs. Also work with your school, but do not let them be your only resource. Doing some legwork on your own could make a big difference when shopping for your student loans.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Are 529 Plans a Good Idea in this Market?

A 529 Plan is a way to save money for college that can give you some tax breaks. Many people have been worried about investing with the recent market fluctuations. If you already have a 529 plan, you may be worried about your balance dropping with the market. If you are in the process of saving, you may take this time to decide, under the advice of a financial advisor, if you are more comfortable investing in more stable entities or if you are okay with the fluctuations in the long run.
Some people may have been advised to invest in risky stocks because they had a long time to save for college. This is not necessarily bad advice, if you have a high risk tolerance. If it makes you squeamish to see your balance rise and drop dramatically, you may choose to invest in something a little more stable, such as a mutual fund invested in stocks and bonds. This is the area of investing that a lot of long-term investors end up in.
Not many people are willing to watch their investment plummet with the market. Some may have loved being more daring back before 2000, but maybe not so much now. With over 100% returns, many people were just throwing money into risky investments, with wide blind eyes. You have to look at long term results and understand that these results are achieved by fund managers over time. There may have been some major fluctuations up and down during the years that you are looking at. Mutual funds with stocks and bonds give you some risk so that there is potential for faster growth than a bond fund, but that does not necessarily mean that there will be more growth than a bond fund.
If you are getting closer to needing the money in the 529 plan, then you may want to go even more conservative and stick to mutual funds invested in bonds. Bonds can even be backed by the government. Since the government has taxing power, the chance of government bonds losing money is very slim. These types of funds can be fairly stable.
Bond funds offer dividend payments that can be reinvested into your plan. This may or may not be the best thing for you, depending on your tolerance and also your time frame. Generally speaking, if you have many years to save, then some risk can usually be afforded because you have time to wait out the market lows. The fluctuations can be worth it and sometimes really pay off if you have a stomach for your money constantly rising and falling.
Talk with a financial advisor about assessing your risk tolerance before you decide where to invest your money. The 529 plan is a great way to save money and get some tax breaks. You can even get tax breaks if your plan loses money, deducting the loss of principal from your income. These benefits combined with scholarships, grants, student loans and private student loans can help you get your child through college.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Investing for College Basics

Many people are really not very experienced when it comes to investing for college. It does not have to be hard or confusing if you just follow some simple guidelines.
The first rule of the stock market is that it is going to fluctuate up and down. Most ordinary investors stick to mutual funds, which helps them spread their money around over many investments at once, keeping the eggs out of one basket, so to speak. Mutual funds are a fairly easy place to start learning how to invest.
Saving for college is a good way to learn how to invest as well, especially if you start early. Let’s say that you have fifteen years to save for that first year of college. That gives you almost twenty years before the last year. This is a very long time to invest. You will likely see the stock market jump around wildly, reaching new highs and new lows along the way. Your balance will reflect the fluctuations.
Some people have been scared to put money into their college investments lately, since the market is at a very low point. People generally get excited when their balance goes way up and they throw more money in. This is really the opposite of what would be the most profitable, so you have to learn to keep your head on straight in times of high and low markets.
If the market is up really high and the returns are looking incredible, this is also when the investment is at its most expensive, getting you less shares for more money. When it is really low and scaring people off, that is when it is at its cheapest. You have to keep your eye on the prize.
The market fluctuates with emotions as well as the economy. Even savvy investors find it hard to buy low and sell high. They may see numbers rising and want to get in on the action, driving it even higher. When a lot of them do it at once, they can inflate the value of something beyond what it is really worth. Then they all sell, sell, sell and drive it back down. If it goes wildly high when people are excited, this does not necessarily mean that the stocks are really worth what people are paying, and eventually there should be a correction. If it is really low because of fear, then eventually it may correct back to what it is really worth. That is, if investors pulling out do not bankrupt the company.
With a general understanding of the market fluctuations, you will need to determine how much risk you are willing to take with your money. In general, the longer you have to save, the more risk you can afford to take. But, if you can’t sleep at night or it makes you sick to watch your balance plummet, then you may want to consider safer avenues that still have potential for growth. Mutual funds that have a balance between stocks and bonds can be a little more stable while still allowing growth. As you approach college, you may want to move into safer investments, such as all bond funds, getting you out of the fluctuation game all together.
Talk with a qualified financial advisor about the best way to put your children through college. Save as much as you can as often as you can. Keep your credit clean so that you can get the best terms and rates on student loans if they become necessary. Take the time to plan out college savings and it could really pay off.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Private Student Loans: Cosigners

If you are considering funding school or school expenses with private student loans, then you may be asked to get a cosigner for loan approval. Even if you are not asked, it may be a good idea to add a cosigner if possible.
Private student loan providers will look at your ability to repay the loan before they will approve you for it. This means that they will look at your income, how long you have held your job, and of course, your credit history. Your credit score may not be the only thing that they consider by looking at your credit report.
Lenders want to see how much debt you already have. They will most likely look for a debt to income ratio to help them determine if you can afford the loan payments without a lot of difficulty. They will also look at the history of loans and credit cards that you have had. They want to know if you have ever made late payments on loans or credit cards before.
If you do have a high amount of debt for your income, or if you have some questionable activity in your credit history, such as loan defaults or late payments, then you may not be approved for the loan. If you are approved, then you may be given strict guidelines and high interest rates or fees. This can make the loan more expensive and harder to manage, and can sometimes get you into even more credit trouble.
This is where a cosigner comes in. A lot of college students end up needing a cosigner because of their lack of income. Most college students work part-time while going to school, or they just do not make very much money yet. Another problem is credit history. Some have not learned their lesson yet, and have some recent bad activity on their credit report. Or they simply have not yet established credit. A short or non-existent credit history can bar you from being approved for a private student loan on your own.
Getting a cosigner, someone like a parent, can help you get approved for the loan. Not only that, it can help you get better rates and terms on the loan, making it cheaper and easier to pay off. Choose a cosigner that has good credit and high income if possible. This person will be responsible for your loan payments if you default or are unable to pay, so make sure that they are aware of that before they sign. If you do not make your payments, then you can ruin their credit as well as your own. Be careful with the amount that you accept, and do not take any more than you need or are able to pay back. Be responsible with your private student loans and you can build your own credit in the process.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.