Anyone who has ever taken out a student loan knows how serious the implications of such debt can be. Unfortunately, there are far to many borrowers who realize too late that they have unwisely entered into obligations that they will be unable to meet. Read the information below to make sure your experience is a positive one.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about federal loans. Not many people understand what these types of loans can offer or what their regulations and rules are. If you have any questions about these loans, contact your student loan adviser. Funds are limited, so talk to them before the application deadline.
Know what you’re signing when it comes to student loans. Work with your student loan adviser. Ask them about the important items before signing. These include how much the loans are, what kind of interest rates they will have, and if you those rates can be lowered. You also need to know your monthly payments, their due dates, and any additional fees.
If you are thinking about paying off any of your student loans ahead of schedule, you should focus on the ones that have the highest interest. If your payment is based on what loans are the highest or lowest, there’s a chance you’ll be owing more at the end.
Reduce the principal by paying the largest loans first. As your principal declines, so will your interest. Try to pay off the loans that are large first. After the largest loan is paid, apply the amount of payments to the second largest one. When you make an effort to pay off your largest loans with the largest payments possible and pay the minimum on smaller loans, you’ll find that it is much easier to eliminate your debt.
If at all possible, sock away extra money toward the principal amount. The key is to notify your lender that the additional money must be applied toward the principal. Otherwise, the money will be applied to your future interest payments. Over time, paying down the principal will lower your interest payments.
To keep the principal on your student loans as low as possible, get your books as cheaply as possible. This means buying them used or looking for online versions. In situations where professors make you buy course reading books or their own texts, look on campus message boards for available books.
You should consider paying some of the interest on your student loans while you are still in school. This will dramatically reduce the amount of money you will owe once you graduate. You will end up paying off your loan much sooner since you will not have as much of a financial burden on you.
If you want to see your student loan dollars go farther, cook your meals at home with your roommates and friends instead of going out. You’ll spend less on the food, and a lot less on the alcohol or soft drinks that you buy at the store instead of ordering from a server.
Remain in contact with whoever is providing the money. This will keep you informed about the loan and aware of any stipulations to your payment plan. You should also ask the lender if they have any advice that will help you to pay off your loan more quickly.
Be realistic about the cost of your college education. Remember that there is more to it than just tuition and books. You will need to plan for housing, food, health care, transportation, clothing and all of your other daily expenses. Before you apply for student loans prepare a complete and thorough budget. In this way, you will know how much money you need.
Don’t pass up the opportunity to score a tax interest deduction for your student loans. This deduction is good for up to $2,500 of interest paid on your student loans. You can even claim this deduction if you do not submit a fully itemized tax return form. This is especially useful if your loans carry a higher interest rate.
Look for a part-time job. You will be able to offset expenses and get more money to keep.
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.
Choose a loan that gives you options on repayment. private student loans are generally less forgiving and less likely to offer options. Federal loans usually have options based on your income. You can usually change the repayment plan if your circumstances change but it helps to know your options before you need to make a choice.
To keep your student loan debts lower, think about spending your first two years at a community college. This allows you to spend much less on tuition for the first two years before transferring to a four-year institution. You end up with a degree bearing the name of the four-year university when you graduate either way!
In order to limit the amount of money you have to borrow in student loans, get as much credit in high school as you can. This means taking concurrent credit classes as well as passing Advanced Placement exams, so that you knock out college credits before you even get that high school diploma.
Look into all the different options you have open to you as it pertains to making payments on your loans when they come due. Making timely payments is critical in preserving your credit score and preventing the possibility of garnished wages. If you’re finding it difficult to make monthly payments, you might find a consolidation plan helpful.
