Whether you’ve only been out of college a few months and are still looking for a job, or you’ve just lost a job you had for the past five years, you may not always be fully financially equipped to handle your student loan debt. When unexpected expenses or hardships hit, even the most responsible borrowers can find themselves struggling to make their student loan payments.

But the good news is that your federal student loans come with repayment plans and deferment and forbearance benefits that could help you when you’re having trouble making your monthly payments.

To help you avoid getting caught in financial trouble with missed payments and defaulted student loans, NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company, offers this quick guide to your deferment and forbearance benefits.

Postponing or Reducing Your Monthly Student Loan Payments

If you’re having trouble affording your monthly payments, don’t just ignore your monthly bills; always communicate with your lender about your financial situation and ask about your deferment and forbearance options. Deferments and forbearances allow you to temporarily postpone or reduce your monthly student loan payments while keeping your credit score intact.

Deferments and discretionary forbearances (granted in cases of financial hardship) aren’t automatic. You need to contact your lender to request a deferment or forbearance. You may be required to complete a deferment or forbearance request form and to submit supporting documentation.

Most federal student loans (including Perkins loans, Stafford loans, PLUS loans, Grad PLUS loans, and consolidation loans) come with deferment and forbearance benefits. Some private student loans may also offer deferment or forbearance periods—you’ll need to contact your private student loan lender.

Deferment

Deferment allows you to temporarily stop making payments on your student loans.

You may be able to request a deferment on your federal student loans if you are:



Enrolled in school at least half time

Unemployed

Experiencing economic hardship

In the military and have been deployed



When you’re in deferment, you’ll only be charged interest on your unsubsidized student loans. The interest on your deferred subsidized student loans will be paid by the government.

You can choose to make interest payments on your unsubsidized student loans during deferment in order to avoid having any accrued unpaid interest added to your principal student loan balance.

For your private student loans, contact your lender to see if they offer deferment periods under certain enrollment, military service, or financial circumstances.

Forbearance

Forbearance allows you to temporarily reduce or postpone payments on your student loans. You may request a discretionary forbearance in cases of unemployment or financial hardship. Generally, your lender can grant a forbearance for up to a year at a time.

When you’re in forbearance, you’re responsible for all interest that accrues, whether the student loans in forbearance are subsidized or unsubsidized. You can choose to make interest payments during forbearance in order to avoid having any accrued unpaid interest added to your principal loan balance.

Avoiding Default

Just like making on-time car or credit card payments, timely student loan repayment can be a way for you to build credit or improve your credit score. At the same time, every student loan payment you miss can bring down your credit score. Miss enough payments, and your student loans could go into default, which can cause damage to your credit that takes years to repair.

The key to avoiding default is communicating with your lenders about your financial situation and requesting a deferment or forbearance if you need one. More likely than not, your lenders are going to be willing to work with you to help keep you from defaulting by keeping your student loan repayment affordable, even when you’re facing tough financial circumstances.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and we’re dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.

By: Jeff Mictabor

Unless you plan on being a student the rest of your life, student loan repayment is inevitable, and the ins and outs of student loan repayment can be confusing and overwhelming. The financial advisors at NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company, would like to help clear the murky waters by defining terminology and laying out your student loan repayment options.�

Understanding Your Student Loan Repayment Options

A grace period is a pre-determined amount of time allotted to student borrowers after they leave school or drop below half-time enrollment before they must begin repayment of their federal student loans. Grace periods vary in length based on the type of student loan: Stafford loans have a grace period of six months; Perkins loans have a grace period of nine months. PLUS, Grad Plus and Federal Student Loan Consolidation loans have no grace period.

Deferment allows you to temporarily postpone your student loan payments (in most cases, up to a total of three years over the life of the student loan) if you’re unemployed or experiencing economic hardship. You can also request in-school deferments on your federal student loans while you’re enrolled at least half time.

While you’re in a grace period or in deferment, the interest on your Perkins and subsidized Stafford loans will be paid by the government. But you’ll be responsible for the interest on your PLUS, Grad PLUS and unsubsidized Stafford loans—any unpaid interest that accrues on these student loans during grace and deferment periods will be added to your principal loan balance for you to repay once repayment starts or resumes. If you want to avoid interest being added to your principal loan balance while you’re in a grace period or in deferment, you can choose to make interest-only payments during that time.�

Forbearance also allows you to temporarily postpone your student loan payments. When you’re in a forbearance period, you’ll have to pay any interest that accrues, even on Perkins or subsidized Stafford loans.��

Repayment Plans

Perkins, Stafford, PLUS and Grad PLUS loans have a standard repayment period of 10 years. If your standard monthly payment amount is higher than you’d like, you have three other repayment plans you can choose from that may make your monthly payments more affordable:

Extended Repayment is available to you if your federal student loans total more than $30,000 and if you received your first federal student loan on or after October 7, 1998. Depending on your student loan amount, you could extend your repayment period up to a 25-year term.

Graduated Repayment allows you to make lower payments at the beginning of your repayment term and gradually increases your monthly payment amount over time.

Income-Sensitive Repayment bases your monthly payment amount on your monthly income. You have to submit documentation of your income to qualify, and you have to requalify each year.

Student Loan Consolidation

If you’ve taken out any federal student loans, you’re eligible to apply for a Federal Student Loan Consolidation from NextStudent, which might give you more time to repay your student loans and could substantially reduce your monthly student loan payment.

The repayment term on a student loan consolidation will range from 10 to 30 years, depending on your total outstanding student loan amount. Student loan consolidation loans generally have the standard federal deferment and forbearance benefits.

When your student loan consolidation is in deferment, the government will pay the interest on that portion of your student loan consolidation loan that was originally a Perkins loan or subsidized Stafford loan. During deferment, you’ll only be responsible for paying the interest on that portion of your student loan consolidation loan that was originally a PLUS, Grad PLUS or unsubsidized Stafford loan. When your student loan consolidation loan is in forbearance, you’ll be responsible for paying all interest that accrues.

You can consolidate one or more qualifying federal student loans and take advantage of one easy-to-manage loan with a single monthly payment. Our online applications are fast and easy, and there are no fees to apply for a student loan consolidation.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and we’re dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.

By: Jeff Mictabor

There are a number of different types of student loans. They are all created to help students and parents discover the right choice for their respective situation. The overall cost of both private and public colleges are steadily increasing and students need to find the means for funding their education. Deciding which student loan, whether a private or federal student loan, is a very important decision. You will eventually be responsible for paying it back, so research all of your options. &nbsp

What is a Student Loan?

If you are a student who is preparing to borrow money as part of a student loan, prepare to learn all that you can about what a student loan is and why you need it. It is meant to help you as you pursue your collegiate education. Because the cost of education is continually rising, student loans give you more opportunity to go to the school of your choice. Be prepared to begin repaying of the loan a short time after you have finished your education. &nbsp

Types of Student Loans

There are three primary types of student loans available, a federal student loan, a private student loan or a parent loan. Two of the most common federal loans used by students are Stafford loans and Perkins loans. What is beneficial behind a federal student loan is that federal laws regulate the interest rates charged for these programs. A lender has to offer a federal loan at the specified interest rate, which is usually lower than the national interest rate. A federal student loan can also be consolidated after the student graduates, allowing the student loan repayment plan to fall under one large umbrella.

Private student loans are different from federal loans, and students applying for these don’t have to fill out federal forms. Private lenders offer these loans, making them cost more because there is no legal requirement to stay within a certain interest rate. Private loans also require a student to submit their credit history, and the interest and fees paid on the student loans are based upon the student’s credit score. Parents may be required to co-sign for a private student loan, making them responsible if the student has to defer payments at any time.

A parent loan, or the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), is a type of student loan parents apply for to encompass any additional cost their child’s financial aid or student loans won’t cover. PLUS loans, like other federal loans, come with a fixed interest rate. These loans can also be consolidated, like the Stafford and Perkins loans, and parents are fully responsible for repaying PLUS loans to the lender after they are distributed.

Finding student loans that are right for you doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It just takes a little time and research before making a final decision. Talking with your college’s financial advisor can help you go down the right path when choosing a loan. It is important to go over all the student loan repayment options when choosing a loan program from a lender because you will be financially responsible after graduation. Deciding upon the right loan can help you achieve your dreams of higher education.

By: Samantha Ellis