Own Your Loan, Don't Let Your Loan Own You

It is often said that the most effective debt management strategy is to be debt-free. But, in order to pay for your college education, you may need to take out student loans. The hope is your student loans can greatly assist in furthering your education. but there are some instances that getting student loans has lead people to be buried deep in debt.

Now, planning for successful repayment involves a certain amount of planning. The planning should start before you place your pen on your first promissory note. Just as you are making a commitment to your career by way of investing time and money in higher education, you should also make a commitment to your financial future by way of effectively managing your student loans from the beginning.

Here are some recommended tips and tactics that may help you handle your student debt effectively and repay the loans successfully.

Tip #1: Do Your Research: Always note that not all loans are the same. Some of them, such as the ones provided by the Indiana Secondary Market for instance, offer benefits during school as well as after graduation in the form of repayment incentives, while other do not.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Mail: Typically, every borrower receives important information regarding the student loan he or she took out.

Tip #3: Be Organized: When taking out student loan from a particular institution, it is always best to save all of your student loan documents and correspondences. This makes you aware of what exactly you've agreed, what is expected from you as a student loan borrower, and how much you have borrowed. Also, when setting up your record-keeping system, make sure you will find easy to maintain over the life of the loan.

Tip #4: Be present at All Required Entrance and Exit Sessions: When you take out student loan, you will be required to complete student loan counselling sessions. This is often considered when you first obtain the loan and upon graduation.

Tip #5: Learn to Manage Money like an Expert: It has been said that if you live like a professional while you are in school, you will live like a student once you've finished your degree. In other words, it is important that you know very well how to handle your money while you are attending school. This will help you lessen the total amount you end up borrowing, and in turn, the amount you will responsible for repaying.

Tip #6: Maintain at least Half-Time Enrolment: Considering a half-time enrolment is highly necessary in order for you to qualify for an in-school deferment. The half-time enrolment normally takes six credit hours. Regarding your school's requirements for half-time status, see your financial aid officer.

Tip #7: Take Advantage of Tax Savings: Some of the student who takes out student loans qualifies for tax credits. To see your own status, check with your tax advisor. The credits are actually based on your qualified tuition payments, and they can help reduce the amount of Federal tax you pay.

Tip #8: Start Repayment on Time: As you enter the repayment period, note that being aware of your student loan obligations is very crucial. This is where the student loan default usually happens. It occurs when you fail to pay back the loan as agreed or meet the other terms of your promissory note.

If you need further information regarding your student loans, always remember that the financial aid staff at your school is probably your most important resource. There are also some publications from federal and state governments, lenders and scholarship granting organizations, and financial ad guidebooks that are available from your local book-store.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Check Out Credit Cards For College Students

Beginning college at some far-off university can be a tad intimidating to say the least. Okay, let's be honest; it's down right scary. Suddenly you're on your own, without mom and dad there to bail you out. Bills start to stack up. While rent and food can get pricey, try not to forget about other expenses such as gas/public transportation, the cost of classes, text books and cash for any fun you intend to have on the weekends. Naturally these expenses can get overwhelming for many, but it's crucial to remember one thing. You don't have to do it completely on your own. Sure, you may already have a job and student loans or grants, but don't dismiss the obvious. I'm talking about credit cards for college students. There is a reason why these can come in handy.

The moment you hear the words credit card, you probably assume debt, debt and oodles more debt. This is not exactly the case for college students. Ah ha, there really are some advantages to being a student. While credit cards are notorious for having utterly awful APRs, which are annual percentage rates; many credit cards for college students lack this burden. Yes, you can actually apply for a student credit card that doesn't instruct you to fork out 18 percent every month. It's common for credit cards for college students to have a 0% APR as long as they keep the charged balance below a certain figure. So if you're only aloud to spend 400 dollars or you get hit with an APR of 10-20 percent, you'd better keep the balance below 400 dollars.

Modern credit cards for college students are actually a great asset. You can literally spend money you don't have and simply pay it back down the road, without having to grapple with interest rates. Enjoy this perk while it lasts, because it fails to exist in the adult world. Some sites you may benefit from checking out for student credit cards are creditcards.com, llegeboard.com and chase.com. Just be certain you read through all the fine print before applying for a specific credit card for college students. Sometimes credit card companies attempt to mask additional fees.

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