This past week, I was asked to contribute to a CNBC article about the topic that seems to be on everyone’s mind these days: the strange and incomprehensible world of student loan debt. The article is titled, “How to ease the burden of student debt,” and in it, I’m quoted saying, “there’s almost always a way to make your situation work.” What a perfect quote to be featured — this statement is at the heart of my work! You can Continue reading
Category Archives: Student Loan Debt Help
← Older posts Newer posts →9 Ways Student Loans Impact your Credit Score
Many people are curious, and often worried, about the effect that student loans will have on their credit score. They wonder if taking out a student loan will help their credit, or hurt it, and to what degree will it influence overall creditworthiness. The way that your federal student loans impact your credit is actually quite similar to the way any loan does. Just like any loan or line of credit, they can help your credit score when you Continue reading
11 uniquely positive things about federal student loans
My most recent article, “11 uniquely positive things about federal student loans,” has just been published at the Deseret News national site. You can read it at this link. I especially liked writing this article because it put a positive spin on student loans — which is a much-needed perspective, in my opinion, considering all the negative media student debt invariably tends to get. Federal student loans really do have quite a few uniquely positive things about them. Like, Continue reading
All about Parent PLUS Loans
Recently, I was asked to contribute to U.S. News & Report’s article on Parent PLUS Loans titled, “4 Strategies for Repaying Federal Parent PLUS Loans.” The rules and regulations governing these loans are particularly complex, so I was glad to shed some much-needed light on them (in plain English). Since the article was published, I’ve had many people email me, asking me more questions about their Parent PLUS Loans. So here’s a Q & A format of some of Continue reading
10 reasons to give thanks (!) for student loans
As you may have noticed, in recent days, there have been numerous news stories highlighting the negative aspects of student loan debt. Student loans have consistently made national headlines, with stories that have highlighted their overwhelmingly complex nature, government attempts at reforming them and wildly complicated repayment terms. Although the student loan industry is in dire need of improvement, student loans actually have many characteristics that are quite positive – but they seem to have been overlooked on a national Continue reading
The latest in predatory lending news (Corinthian Colleges)
You might remember my blog about ITT Tech’s getting into hot water with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), when the latter sued ITT for using predatory lending practices on its students. That was back in February. Now here we are in September, and a similar story is in the news — only this time, it involves Corinthian Colleges. This past Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued Corinthian Colleges for using “strong arm” tactics to collect from its Continue reading
Why are student loans so complicated?
A common question I get from borrowers across the U.S. is this: Why are my student loans so complicated! Honestly, it’s because of many reasons. One of the main reasons is that there are many different types of loans, and many different lenders. Each lender has different rules for how it wants to be paid back, and each offers different types of repayment assistance. To boot, each lender is not so good at explaining precisely how they want to Continue reading
Wage Garnishment? Here’s What to Do
Fact: The U.S. Department of Education can garnish up to 15% of your wages, as a way to recover the money you owed on a defaulted student loan. Nobody wants to be in the position of having their wages garnished, but if you are, there is still plenty you can do to get your student loans (and credit) back in good shape. Steer Clear of Debt Relief Agencies For starters, avoid any debt relief agency that claims they Continue reading
The Truth about “Debt Relief” Agencies
Presently, there are countless borrowers across the U.S. seeking relief from their student loan debt. And, unfortunately, an entire industry has noticed their vulnerability, and wasted no time in taking advantage of their youthful inexperience, and their search for guidance and financial breathing room. This is the shady student loan “debt relief” industry, and they usually bring borrowers anything but relief! Working with a debt relief agency often wrecks financial havoc on a borrower’s finances, since debt relief agents Continue reading
How to Consolidate your Federal Loans: for FREE!
Most borrowers do not realize that they can consolidate their federal loans for free, and unethical debt relief agencies take have taken full advantage of this fact. They’ve been charging borrowers expensive closing costs + monthly fees, all while claiming that consolidating federal student loans is something that’s too difficult to attempt alone, and can only be done through their agency. Well, enough of that. Read on to see just how easy it is to consolidate your federal student loans (for free!): Federal Student Continue reading