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Trouble With Student Loans (Also Includes Default, Discharge & Bankruptcy)
Pay Off Your Student Loan Debt Years
Faster With Tricks That Anyone Can Do (Consumer-SOS)
Cut your loan repayment period by years even if you're dead broke and making
just the minimum payments. Skip this link if you're not making payments.
Student Loan Covid-19 Assistance (Within the last month)
New rights for
those with federal loans. May also have help for those with private loans.
Special Interest Groups To Pass
Pro Student Loan Laws (Consumer-SOS)
Get an advocate to lobby for you and others swimming
in student loan debt. These groups make national headlines as they lobby
for loan forgiveness, college tuition caps and other means of reducing the
student loan debt crisis. Currently there is an effort to provide tax free loan
forgiveness to students who have their loans discharged under the
IBR and
ICR programs.
Can't Repay Your
Student Loans? (FFEL & Direct Loan Repayment Plans For Those With Financial
Hardship)
Are you on the wrong payment plan? If so, you may be able to change to a better
one. Learn the pros and cons of "Pay As You Earn" and "Income Based Repayment
Plans". Both programs may require you pay
taxes on any loan amounts eventually forgiven.
Help With Private Student Loans: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's
Student Loan Complaint System
The federal CFPB was created in 2010 to protect borrowers from abusive lenders. Lenders
know that unresolved complaints could mean new laws very unfavorable to them; so
they have good reason to cooperate at least to some extent.
Help With Federal Loans: The Department
of Education's Federal Student Aid Ombudsman
The Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group is
where individuals can turn after trying other ways to resolve a federal
student aid dispute. Assistance request are generated from phone calls, letters
and e-mails, and are classified as either general assistance or research problem
assistance.
Student Loan Help For Military Service Members
Whether it's loan forgiveness, deferments, 0% interest
caps or special repayment options, the
SCRA and and other laws can help those in military service.
Delay or
Postpone Your Student Loan Repayment If You're Pregnant, Unemployed, Etc.
There are good and bad deferments
that can stop your loan payments: In a good deferment, the government pays all the
accruing interest, so if you stop paying for 6 months, your debt is the same as
when the deferment began. (For example, with federal subsidized Stafford
Loans, the federal government pays your interest while you defer.) In a bad deferment,
your loan payments stop as well, but you're still responsible for all
the accruing interest, which is then tacked on to the rest of your student loan.
These deferments should be avoided because
this "quick fix" could get you into thousands of dollars of more debt.
Please look for better options with the
numerous student loan help groups listed here or elsewhere!
Common Situations Where You May Qualify For Some Kind of Deferment
Just
Who Owns My Loans And What Types Do I Have-Federal or Private?
800-433-3243
If you don't know who your lender is or aren’t sure what kind of loans you
have, visit the
National Student Loan Database System for Students and select “Financial
Aid Review” Click each individual loan to see who the servicer is for that loan
(this is the company that collects payments from you). It’s very important to
know your servicer. This might be a different company from the original
lender. If you can't find this info on line, call their helpline and ask for
the name and # for your Lender or
Guarantor.
Then contact your lender directly for more guidance.
When Your Social Security Benefits Are Taken to Pay Back
Money to the Federal Government
What type of benefits can be taken and how much. Applies only to federal
agencies and the IRS may be able to take more than other agencies can.
Loan Discharge After 25 Years On
Income Contingent Plan (Google)
Only For Certain Loans.
When You Can't Pay: Cancellation, Deferment and Forbearance
(Nolo.com)
How to postpone payments--and when you can cancel your loans altogether.
Student Debt Alert
Student Debt Alert is a national campaign led by and for students. Our two main
goals: to educate the public about the growing necessity of student loans to pay
for college; and to directly address young people's concerns about the burdens
of student debt.
Paying
Back Your Student Loan
Describes the deferments and cancellations for teaching in low-income schools or
shortage areas and connects you to the Direct Loan Program, where you can
consolidate your existing loans. If your loan is in default, our Guide to
Defaulted Student Loans can tell you how to get out of default.
Consolidating Your Defaulted Loans (Direct Student Loans)
Guide To
Loan Disputes (US
Dept. Of Education)
Loan
Cancellation & Discharge (US Dept. Of Education)
Discharging
Student Loans In Bankruptcy (Google results in past year only)
Other Problems
Student Loan Collections
(Nolo.com)
What might happen if you fall behind on your payments.
Getting Out of Default
(Nolo.com)
How to rehabilitate your loans and get back on your feet. (Federal Loans)
Guide To
Loan Disputes (US
Dept. Of Education)
Avoiding Late Payments (Consumer-SOS)
Back To Top
Financial
Aid Resources And Where To Go For Loan Trouble
Georgia Student Finance
Commission (800)776-6878 or (770)414-3000
Call for information about Hope scholarships and other sources of financial aid
or scholarships.
Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (Private Student Loans)
The CFPB was created in 2010 to protect borrowers from abusive lenders.
Special Interest Groups To Pass Pro
Student Loan Laws (Consumer-SOS)
Get an advocate to lobby for you and others swimming
in student loan debt. These groups make national headlines as they lobby
for loan forgiveness, college tuition caps and other means of reducing the
student loan debt crisis. Currently there is an effort to provide tax free loan
forgiveness to students who have their loans discharged under the
IBR and
ICR programs.
Student Loan Help Agencies When You're In Trouble
Lists legal help orgs,
where to get assistance from guarantors and lenders and even how to get in touch
with your legislators.
The
Federal Student Aid Information Center (800) 433-3243
Provides financial aid applications and helps you fill them out. This
agency can refer you to other public and private agencies for aid and
scholarships. Upon request, they
will also give out copies of the formula that determines your expected family
contribution. Your expected
contribution is the amount you must come up with to meet the gap in your award.
Make sure to ask for a free copy of their "Student Guide" which
describes in detail available student grant and loan programs.
Note, that not all schools
qualify for federal loans and grants. Call this organization to find out which
schools qualify for federal aid and which do not. They will also tell you what colleges can and cannot do in
regards to loans, grants and work-study programs. You can even get the applicable regulation so you can quote
it to your advisor or financial aid office.
For example, did you know that you are entitled to a copy of your
expected award before the financial aid disburses your money?
Such is extremely important if you need to challenge your award or file
an appeal.
Contact their consolidation
department to find out how to best consolidate your loans.
They even have a borrower tracking service that can locate who is
currently serving your loans and whether such are in default.
The Hope Scholarship Program Information Line (800) 546-4673
Georgia scholarships for college
and technical schools.
Nellie Mae Student Loan Financing Service (800) 988-4846
(800) 634-9308
Call them to order their free book "Be Wise Borrower or booklets
such as "An Early Planning Guide For Parents," "Steps to Success:
A Comprehensive Guide to Preparing And Paying For College," and "Take
The Right Road" (how to manage your student loans).
U.S. Department Of Education
(800) USA-LEARN
This federal agency offers a lot of information about college planning.
The "Think College Early" program encourages students and
parents to plan early, with information for middle and high school students.
is sponsored by the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators.
It contains information on scholarships and grants, as well as warnings
about fraudulent search firms.
The
College Board
Web site contains a database of scholarship sources called Expan Scholarship
Search. A similar database is
available in many libraries and guidance counselors' offices through a software
program called Fund Finder, also from the College Board.
The
Student Loan Marketing Association home page offers information on
scholarships, grants and student loans.
SRN
Express is a free web version of the database of the Scholarship Resource
Network, a search firm. It focuses on private-sector aid, like academic scholarships.
See also http://204.243.72. 15:/srn
The College & Career Center
has sections on selecting a college, finding loans, careers, and a look at what
campus life is at various schools. The
site also has a loan center where you can learn how to qualify for financial aid
and get application forms and booklets.
The
National Association Of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Has extensive information on federal, state and private forms of financial aid.
http://www.petersons.com/
Search here to find the best schools and graduate programs for you as well
as information about financial aid. You can also apply to over 1200 schools
online using the CollegeQuest eApply feature.
Direct Loans (Lots of
Links)
Guidestar
(800) 421-8656
Guidestar gathers and disseminates information on over six
hundred thousand 501(C)(3) organizations. Their goal is to change
the culture of philanthropy by showing the public
who they can give to. Guidestar's
extensive database classifies each organization by subject and can find donor organizations
willing to assist you.
Sallie Mae Student Loan Financing
Service (800) 239-4269
Call their College Answer Program
Hotline toll-free for information about college costs and financial aid
programs.
They can direct you to funds
specifically earmarked for higher education.
The Council On Foundations
(202)466-6512
Provides contact numbers for local foundations.
Americorps
(800) 942-2677
Established under the Clinton
Administration, this agency allows students to repay their loans through
community service.
College Answer SM
(Sponsored By Sallie Mae) (800) 891-4599
This organization offers advice
on filling out financial aid applications and information of federal college
loan programs.
Toll-Free Directory
1-800-555-1212
Use this free directory service
to see if your help agency has a toll-free number.
How To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt and Pay It Off Years Faster
Lower Your Interest Rates Through Automatic Direct Withdrawals and Ask For Other Discounts
Just
Who Owns My Loans And What Types Do I Have-Federal or Private?
800-433-3243
If you aren’t sure what kind of loans you have, visit the
National Student Loan Database System for Students and select “Financial
Aid Review” for a list of all federal loans made to you.) Click each individual loan to see who the servicer is for that loan
(this is the company that collects payments from you). It’s very important to
know your servicer. This might be a different company from the original
lender. If you can't find this info on line, call their helpline and ask for
the name and # for your Lender or
Guarantor.
Then contact your lender directly for more guidance.
Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (Private Student Loans)
The federal CFPB was created in 2010 to protect borrowers from abusive lenders.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Pay Half The Monthly Amount
Every Two Weeks
Shave off years of payments. This works for two reasons.
1. By paying early, you're paying off on the principal, which then reduces the
accruing
interest.
2. You wind up making 26 bi weekly payments instead of 24. (If you get an
extra paycheck during the months with 5 weeks, apply such to your student loans)
Paying Off Your Debt Faster Through Bi Weekly Payments And Other Low Cost
Tricks
Pay off your loans months or years faster at almost no extra cost. Also has
other tips and a chart on the difference it will make.
Prepayments
Explained-Why It Reduces Interest And What To Tell Lender
Has charts with the interest
you'll save and how it reduces the over all length of your loan repayment
period-when you make extra
monthly payments periodically for various loans.
Is It OK If Lender
Simply Pushes Back The Date For My Next Loan Payment, or Should I Tell Them
Something?
Discusses what to
do if you make a prepayment. For example: you don't need to tell the
lender anything if you are making these prepayments on your own without the
lender prompting you to. (The lender still applies the payment toward your
principal), But it's different if you have the lender direct debit the monthly
payments from a bank account at prescheduled monthly intervals. In that case, delaying the next due date might
mean that you don't end up accelerating repayment of the debt. So it is best to
include a note requesting that the extra payment be applied directly to
principal and not treated as early payment of a future installment.
See Code of Federal Regulations at 34
CFR 682.209(b) and
34 CFR 685.211(a).
34 CFR 682.209(b)
(b)Payment application and prepayment.
(1) Except in the case of payments made under an income-based repayment plan,
the lender may credit the entire payment amount first to any
late charges accrued or collection costs and then to any outstanding interest
and then to outstanding principal. (2)(i) The borrower may prepay the
whole or any part of a loan at any time without penalty.
(ii) If the prepayment amount equals or exceeds the
monthly payment
amount under the repayment schedule established for the loan, the lender
shall apply the prepayment to future installments by advancing the next
payment due date, unless the borrower requests otherwise. The
lender must either
inform the borrower in advance using a prominent statement in the
borrower’s coupon book or billing statement that any additional full pay-
ment amounts submitted without instructions to the lender as to their
handling will be applied to future scheduled payments with the bor-
rower’s next scheduled payment due date advanced consistent with the
number of additional payments received, or provide a notification to the
borrower after the payments are received informing the borrower that the
payments have been so applied and the date of the borrower’s next scheduled
payment due date. Information related to next scheduled payment due date
need not be provided to borrower’s making such prepayments while in an
in-school, grace, deferment, or forbearance period when payments are not
due.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan
Debt!
Direct Your Extra Payments To Student Loans With The Highest Interest Rates-How
to Make Sure The Lender Is Doing So (For Consolidated Loans)
Providing Instructions To Your Lender When You Have Consolidated Your Loans
If you direct any extra money to your highest interest rate loan first, you may
save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in extra interest payments. Don't
assume your lender is doing this automatically. In fact, your loan servicer
could be spreading your payments out across all of the loans on
your account. The lender is fine with this because it means your high interest
loans get no more money than your low interest loans (i.e. they make more money
in interest).
Sample Letter to Your Loan Servicer (Consumer-Finance Protection Bureau)
This form letter directs your lender to apply extra payments to the loan with
the highest interest rate first.
Just
Who Owns My Loans And What Types Do I Have-Federal or Private?
800-433-3243
If you don't know who your lender is or aren’t sure what kind of loans you
have, visit the
National Student Loan Database System for Students and select “Financial
Aid Review” for a list of all federal loans made to you. Note you may need to
get a
FSA ID. Click each individual loan to see who the servicer is for that loan
(this is the company that collects payments from you). It’s very important to
know your servicer. This might be a different company from the original
lender. If you can't find this info on line, call their helpline above and ask for
the name and # for your Lender or
Guarantor.
Then contact your lender directly for more guidance.
Student Loan
Complaint Form (US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Here's where to complain if your student loan payment is not allocated properly.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Making Slightly Higher Payments
The rate in which a student loan can be paid off more quickly varies depending
on the additional amount paid and when it is applied to the account. The earlier
a larger extra payment is applied to the loan, the faster it cuts down the
principal and saves you thousands of dollars from the compound interest that
would otherwise accrue throughout the life of the loan.
Use the loan calculators below to see the real difference it makes to increase your payments early on. Then plan how you can creatively free up your money to make it happen. For example: Put your Federal Loans on the IBR program for three years (during this time you pay very low monthly installments and the Government pays off all the accruing interest) and use the extra money you just freed up to pay down your private loans that don't qualify for IBR. Because of reverse compound interest, even if you do this for just three years, it could shorten your loan by 6 years!
Prepayment
Calculator-The Difference Extra Payments Can Make Over Lifetime of Student Loan
To see just how much it will shorten the life of your loan, fiddle with interest rates and extra payments
for how your loan will be affected by the frequency of your extra payments. (you
can choose between extra annual, extra monthly, extra quarterly, and extra
semi annual payments) .
Tips From People with 6 Figure Student Loan Debt
Yes it's depressing, but they offer valuable tips from real people dealing with
real debt. Take any small steps you
can to free up money and Do Not
Despair.
How I'm Paying off 120K in Student Loans (Huffington Post Blog)
Smart tips on how to save extra and knock off student loans.
15 Ways
To Pay Back Student Loans Faster
Includes IBR and getting help from your employer and public service programs.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Budget Better And Save Money-Learn Simple Tips To Free Up More $ For Student Loan Debt
Free Student Loan Counseling Session (Clear Point Credit Counseling )
Tips From People with 6 Figure Student Loan Debt
Yes it's depressing, but they offer valuable tips from real people dealing with
real debt. Take any small steps you
can to free up money and Do Not
Despair.
How I'm Paying off 120K in Student Loans (Huffington Post Blog)
Smart tips on how to save extra and knock off student loans.
15 Ways
To Pay Back Student Loans Faster
Includes IBR and getting help from your employer and public service programs.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Program
You may be eligible for loan forgiveness if you are:
Public Service Guide To Loan Forgiveness (Consumer Finance Protection Gov
Website)
Allows certain federal student loans to be forgiven after 10 years of on
time, qualifying monthly payments. To
benefit, you need to have a qualifying loan and sign up for a qualifying
repayment plan.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Help Tool
You can use the PSLF Help Tool to search for a qualifying employer, learn what
actions you may need to take to be eligible for PSLF or TEPSLF, and generate the
form you need.
Which Loan
Forgiveness Is Not Taxable?
Generally, student loan forgiveness is excluded from income if the forgiveness
is contingent upon the student working for a specific number of years in certain
professions.
Loan discharges for closed schools, false certification, unpaid refunds, and
death and disability are considered taxable income.
The forgiveness of the remaining balance under income-contingent repayment and
income-based repayment after 25 years in repayment is considered taxable income.
Loan Forgiveness For Teachers
Explains who is a teacher, how long you must teach and how to apply.
Jobs
That Help You Pay Back Student Loans
(Google)
Here are several
occupations that may help you get some of your debt forgiven:
What Types of Public Service Jobs Will Qualify a Borrower for
Loan Forgiveness
under the PSLF
Program? (From studentaid.gov)
You must be employed full time (in any position) by a public service
organization, or must be serving in a full time AmeriCorps or Peace Corps position. Organizations that meet
the definition of “public service organization” for
purposes of the PSLF Program are listed below.
A government organization (including a federal, state, local, or tribal
organization, agency, or entity; a public
child or family service agency; or a tribal college or university).A not for
profit, tax exempt organization under section
50\(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, A private, not for profit organization
(that is not a labor union or a partisan political organization) that provides
one or more of the following public services:
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Back To The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program And Similar Programs.
Law Grads: Find Out About Loan Forgiveness Programs and How To
Qualify
Treat it like a research project and get creative. The links below include not
only law school programs, but also tap into foundations and not for profit
databases where you can search for grants to help attorneys with student loan
debt. For example,
Guidestar.org lists over 5 million non profits, and you can search for who
they give grants to. Once you have the non profit's name, Google it for more
info.
Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (Google)
LRAPs provide financial aid (i.e. loan forgiveness) to law school graduates working in
the public interest sector, government or other low-paying legal fields. Use
this list to find your law school or other law schools that offer loan repayment
assistance programs. Even if your law school is not listed, Call and ASK
them if they have a program. Do not despair. Move forward and at
least ASK.
Law School Public Interest Programs-Loan Forgiveness For Public Interest
Lawyers (American Bar Association Links To School Programs)
Loan repayment assistance programs ("LRAPs") provide financial aid to law school
graduates working in the public interest sector, government, or other
lower-paying legal fields. In most cases, this aid is given to graduates in the
form of a forgivable loan to help them repay their annual educational debt. Upon
completion of the required service obligation, the LRAP administrator will
forgive or cancel these loans to program participants. Most LRAPs contain limits
on the amount of income a recipient can earn while participating in such a
program. There are various types of LRAPs, administered by law schools, state
bar foundations and federal and state governments, providing debt relief to some
law graduates.
Loan Forgiveness Programs (Includes Law School Debt)
Google Searches Worth Looking Into (Includes Guidestar and Foundation Center)
Grants For Lawyers, Public Service, Student Loans (Google)
Foundation Grants For Lawyers-Public Interest (Google)
Foundations, Grants For Lawyers Student Loans (Google)
URL Search Within "Foundation Center" For Grants To Lawyers With Student Loan Debt (Google)
URL Search Within "Guidestar.org" For Grants To Lawyers With Student Loan Debt
(Google)
Supposedly searches within their database of over 5 million non profits to see
if there are grants for lawyers with student loan debt. Visit Guidestar.org
directly and do a search within their website as well.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Get Your Loan Forgiven in 25 Years
Through IBR, ICR and Pay As You Earn Affordable Payment Programs
You may still have to pay the taxes on any loan that's forgiven. To keep track
of new legislation or lobbying efforts, See
Student Loan Special Interest Groups.
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!
Student Loan
Special Interest Groups
The groups below, are active in lobbying for loan forgiveness, college tuition
caps and other means of reducing the student loan debt crisis. Currently there
is an effort to provide tax free loan forgiveness to students who have their
loans discharged under the
IBR and
ICR programs.
Other ways to reduce costs could include
making higher education more subject to market forces like other businesses, so
it's more affordable. This could
mean emphasizing community college for the first two years (require
Universities and 4 year colleges that accept federal aid, to also accept x
percent credit from cheaper community colleges. It could also include a freeze on
federal aid for universities that have excessive yearly tuition costs beyond
that of their region. (Universities could not use federal loans to subsidize their
price increase and would either have to lower their tuition, or assist students
with
grants and private unsubsidized loans.)
How to Write a Letter to Congress About Student Loan Issues
Includes a
sample letter plus tips and links to your representatives. Good to speak with
and refer to special interest groups below so your letter carries more weight.
Equal Justice
The high cost of education and the burden of
student debt prevents many from pursuing and remaining in public interest
careers. Their Educational Debt Relief program is devoted to advocating for
student debt relief and spreading the word to make sure those who need relief
are taking the right steps to qualify. Resources are available to help
prospective students, current students and graduates; school advisors and
administrators; and employers. Even has Free Student Debt Webinars!
Student Debt Alert
Student Debt Alert is a national campaign led by and for students. Our two main
goals: to educate the public about the growing necessity of student loans to pay
for college; and to directly address young people's concerns about the burdens
of student debt.
American Student Assistance
(Information & Advocacy)
Search their website for advice, legislation, tips to cut down debt. See also
Project Student Debt for
statistics and advocacy.
The Project on Predatory Student Lending at Harvard University (617)
390-2669
Free legal help from Harvard if your debt was from a for profit
college! They represent thousands of former students across the country and
litigate landmark cases against the predatory for-profit college industry.
Institute for College Access and
Success (TICAS)
Works
to make higher education more available and affordable for people of all
backgrounds by conducting and supporting nonpartisan research, analysis, and
advocacy
Student Loan Advocacy Groups Active Within The Last Year (Google Advance Search)
Student Loan Complaint Form (US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Back To Kill Off Your Student Loan Debt!