Debt from student loans can be crushing to recent college graduates and get in the way of achieving other life goals. Fortunately, there is a way to reduce the strain on your finances and even improve your credit score. Many graduates are turning to loan consolidating to help manage their loan repayments. The procedure and requirements differ from federal and private loans.

Consolidating Federal Loans

Stafford loans and Federal Perkins loans are examples of federal loans. These loans are given to you by the government and may or may have accrued interest while you were attending school. Consolidating your federal student loans provides a fixed-rate refinancing program that takes all of your existing federal loans and combines them into one new loan. Your monthly student loan repayment could be cut by as much as 50% as well as reduce your interest rate by .6% if you consolidate during your grace period. One monthly payment will help you simplify your finances.

Payment relief

By creating one consolidated loan you can receive payment relief, a lengthening of your repayment term from the standard 10 years to up to 30 years. This frees up your disposable income to spend on other expenses like car payments, housing, and work-related necessities. There are no penalties for overpayment, so when the funds become available you can make larger payments and minimize your repayment term.

Consolidating Private loans

Like federal loans, consolidating private loans means lumping everything into one new loan. To consolidate your private loans from undergraduate school you will have to apply with a qualified co-signer in order to be approved. If you have a graduate degree you do not have to apply with a co-signer.

Some of the benefits include reduced interest rates, rate reductions, deferment, and no prepayment penalties. Loan holders may lower your interest rates if your credit has improved. Applying with a co-signer who has good credit could help you get a lower APR loan. There is a grace period for medical/dental residents as well as military personnel if their private student loans are consolidated. As with federal student loan consolidation, you can also have your repayment period extended allowing you to pay the lowest monthly payment possible.

By: Joseph Devine

Student Loans

Student loans are often necessary for students who do not have strong financial background and in need of financial assistance.

As the student types vary, so varies the student loans available to the students. There are graduate loans, undergraduate loans, medical loans, private loans, federal consolidation loans and so on. These loans may be provided to the student or to his/her parents. Depending on the nature of your study, you can choose one.

Who offer these loans?

Both Federal and private lenders offer a student loan. See which are available to the students

Federal Student Loans

Federal governments provide these federal student loans. These loans are offered to the student or to the parents.

You can simply file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for this type of loan. This single form will be enough to apply for various such federal loans for students. The advantage is that the loan does not depend on your credit. They come as loans or grants. Read the rest of this entry