A student should always, once through college, initiate steps to consolidate their student loans. This article details the benefits available to graduates, parents or students who take those steps.

The Consolidation of Student Loans Brings Reduced Payments

When a student gets all his or her loans under the same Social Security number, then the government will agree to consolidate those student loans. The student’s individual loans are paid off, giving the student one large loan.

Moreover, when the government takes steps to consolidate student loans, it also takes two other important steps: It extends the loan and it lowers the loan rate.

There is not set way by which a loan provider can bring down the rate on a consolidated loan. A reputable loan provider carefully examines all the possible ways that a student’s rate might be made lower.

The loan provider then establishes that low rate as the rate for a consolidated and extended loan.

The government’s willingness to both extend the loan and to lower the rate can save students considerable money. Although the payment schedule has been extended, the person with the consolidated loan can feel free to pay the loan off ahead of schedule.

In other words, there is no prepayment penalty levied on those who make an early pay-off after choosing to consolidate student loans.

Two More Reasons to Consolidate Student Loans

It was mentioned above that the rate on a consolidated loan is lower than the rate on each of the original loans. Besides being lower, that rate is also fixed. The rate on a Stafford or Perkins Loan is variable.

The rate on a consolidated loan does not change during the course of the loan.

A student with a consolidated loan does not need to spend time keeping track of the payment schedule for two, three or more loans. That student loan recipient can just make a single monthly payment.

Often the student elects to make that single payment through an automatic debit. That can decrease the loan rate by another 0.25%.

Still Other Reasons to Consolidate Student Loans

Gradate students who consolidate student loans can learn then about fellowships and graduate school loans. Parents who consolidate their loans can search for free money or private loans. Those benefits come on top of the loan’s lower interest rate.

When you consolidate student loans, you provide yourself with a chance to improve your credit score. No graduate wants to face credit problems that have been caused by his or her need to take out loans in order to cover college expenses.

In light of all the above benefits, students should ask this question:

Who Can Qualify for the Program to Consolidate Student Loans?

Before allowing a student to consolidate student loans, the government looks to see if the student or graduate owes $10,500 or more.

The government also checks to see if the loan recipient has any loans in default.

By: Martin Haworth

Such loans can fill a funding “gap.” Often such a “gap” is created when a student is awarded a Stafford or Perkins loan, and then realizes that the amount in the loan does not fully cover all of the student’s expenses.

The Lenders of Alternative Student Loans

Most lenders have put their loan applications online. Those applications are for secured loans. The lenders thus seek some “security” when providing a student with loan money.

Students can easily download an application for one of the many loans available. Once downloaded, the application can be filled out and sent to the prospective lender. One word of warning: Students should study the details of any loans before submitting any application.

The lenders of the private, alternative student loans hope to profit from their ability and their willingness to loan money to college students. As a result, they often attach stiff fees to the loan.

Those fees are sometimes paid at the time of the loan application. In other instances, lenders have added those fees to the interest rate for the student loan.

Comparing Different Alternative Student Loans

Students who want to compare the offering of the various lenders might feel like they are comparing “apples and oranges.”

Students might wonder how a high fee and lower interest compares to a low fee and a higher interest rate. Students should remember this: a 3% fee is equal to a 1% rise in the interest rate. When keeping those facts in mind, students can better compare the various types of student loan.

Students might also consider how quickly they can obtain the loan. The Act private loans are fast, and they do no require the completion of a FAFSA. Still, students should take note of the fact that awarding of the Act private loans is based on the applicant’s credit.

Different lenders have different repayment options. The student in need of a loan should study those options. An ideal lender is willing to defer payment until after the student has graduated.

Some lenders, such as Astrive, give student loan recipients an opportunity to refinance any of their loans.

The Best Time to Go After Alternative Student Loans

Unlike a lot of student financing, the money for the alternative student loans is sent directly to the student, not the institution that he or she is attending.

Students are not encouraged to look at an alternative student loan as a “first choice,” when searching for a way to pay for a college education.

Not infrequently, a student with a Stafford Loan will “max out” on that loan while still in school. If he or she hopes to continue and finish his or her education, then that student needs to look at the alternative to the loan they first thought of.

The same student might also want to consider getting a PLUS loan.

By: Martin Haworth

The source of funds for a college loan does not alter the expectations of the student who is awarded that loan. Every lender of a college student loan has certain obligations.

Every lender of such a loan needs to supply the borrower with certain information. For example, anyone who receives one of the college based student loans should receive a detailed repayment schedule.

Yet a borrower looks for more than just a repayment schedule. A borrower needs to know the loan rates and the loan fees.

A person who is awarded one of these student loans should also be provided with information about the balance owing on the loan and the payment options. Once the borrower has paid the loan in full, then he or she should get written confirmation of that fact.

Rights of Students Awarded One of the College Student Loans

A student who struggles to make payments on a student loan has a right to defer payments for a defined period.

A student who feels unable to fully repay a loan might qualify for forbearance on that loan. College student loans give qualified students the right to request such forbearance.

A student provided with money through a college student loan should look into the possibility of getting a graduated payment schedule. An income-based payment schedule might also be an option.

Some private lenders of college student loans (and all sources of government loans) allow for early repayment of that loan, without charging a prepayment penalty.

Obligations of Students Receiving One of the College Student Loans

While any student can request deferment on a loan, or forbearance on a loan, the student making that request cannot assume that it is granted.

The student must continue making payments on his or her college loan. Moreover, the student must keep the lender informed of any changes to his or her vital information.

Suppose, for example, that someone getting one of the student loans available from colleges, changes his or her address. The lender must then be provided with the new address. Suppose a student awarded a college loan changes his or her job.

A name change for a loan recipient should not be hidden from the eyes of a loan lender. By the same token, a student awarded one of the college student loans needs to keep the lender apprised of any change in his or her phone number or Social Security number.

A student can maintain a respectable credit score if he or she fulfills all the above-mentioned obligations. Such a student has clearly shown a willingness to act “in good faith” towards the lender of the loan money.

By: Martin Haworth