These programs will combine multiple loans into one loan which not only will save you money but it cuts out the hassle of multiple payment to multiple lenders.
Consolidation Backed By Federal Government
Federal student loan consolidation is backed by the federal government and allows you to extend your repayment terms.
If you have Stafford loans, you have a variable interest rate that adjusts annually. When you opt to consolidate, you get the choice to lock in at a low rate and there are many offers out there that will charge you no fees.
They want your business and you should shop around. There are many competing financial institutions that are competing for your money and that puts you in the drivers seat. You want to insist on the best possible deal on the market.
Consolidation Loans Federal Providers
Sallie Mae is a government institution that offers a 'Best Rate Promise.' They guarantee you that they will give you the 'lowest official student loan rates available to you' when you consolidate. If you have just graduated and your loans carry a variable rate you want to consolidate before your six month grace period ends.
If you consolidate your loans before the end of the six month grace period ends, many of you can lock in 6.625% or 6.75% interest rates.
If you put it off until after the grace period your rate will be more like 7.125% to 7.25%.These rates vary, so check them out carefully before you buy.
Consolidated Federal Loan Downsides
Federal student loan consolidation does have a downside. When you consolidate your loans, it lowers your payment by extending the amount of time you have to pay off the loan. With federal student loan consolidation you get to choose if you want a standard repayment in which your monthly payment for the life of the loan is fixed.
If you opt for graduated repayment your payments start low and increase at intervals specified by the lender.
There is also an income sensitive repayment in which your payment is determined by your income. This type of consolidation will increase as your income increases.
Watch Out For Minimum Payment Schedules
No matter what type of loan you choose the federal rules governing student loans set a minimum payment of fifty dollars. These rules are relaxed for the income sensitive repayment option. The most popular choice is the standard repayment. The payment always stays the same.
If you choose any loan beside the standard repayment, it does not mean you are locked in. You do have the option of changing your mind and applying for one of the other types of loans. The option may still be open but it depends on the terms of your loan.
You can always contact your lender for a full review of your options.
The big plus of all federal student loans, is the promise of an in-school interest subsidy. That means that the federal government pays the interest on the loan while the student is still in school. The government also pays that interest during the first six months after the loan recipient is out of school.
The Types of Federal Student Loans
Students should understand that there are number of different federal student loans. Some students get a Perkins Loan. When a student is awarded a Perkins Loan, then his or her chosen school gets the loan money. The school then transfers that money to the student's account in the form of a credit. Perkins loans have an interest rate of 5%.
Some students are awarded a Stafford Loan. This is a subsidized loan. The Stafford Loan comes (at the time of writing), with an interest rate of 6.8%. The student awarded a Stafford Loan can choose the bank that will be lending the money for that loan. The lender then sends that money to the student's school. Again the school transfers that money to the student's account in the form of a credit.
Direct Student Loans and Loan Information
Some federal loans are direct loans. When a student gets a direct loan, then the government is the lender of the loan money.
These loans can be given to citizens or to permanent residents. At one time, some of the students awarded federal loans still lacked a full understanding of the loan process in the U.S. And at that time, about 25 years ago, students of course could not look to the Internet for information on federal student loans.
Without easy access to information, some students lacked an understanding of the loan provisions, and failed to get the best loan to suit them.
Interest Reduction on Federal Student Loans
Some students who have benefited from these loans have had the opportunity to get an interest reduction. That reduction is given to loan recipients who have chosen to use a direct debit to make payments on the loan. The extent of that reduction depends on the level of education attained by the student.
Federal student loans for undergraduates typically offer a 1% interest rate reduction for agreement to direct debit and for graduate students they usually provide a 1.5% rate reduction to any such loan recipient who is willing to make payments by direct debit.
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