College expenses are high; there is little argument over that. Students and parents of students often need financial help in order to get into and subsequently get through the years of education that leads to an advanced degree. Thankfully, there is a somewhat new student loan program available that help out with these costs.
The Federal Parent PLUS Loans can help those parents with good credit histories to borrow money. This money can be used to help pay the education expenses of their children. Each student-child must be a dependent undergraduate student enrolled in an approved university or college, for at least half time in order to qualify for the loan.
The most useful benefit of the PLUS Loan is that parents can borrow federally guaranteed, low-interest student loans in order to pay for the child's college education. Unlike many other loans, the PLUS Loan program lets parents borrow the total cost of undergraduate education to include tuition, supplies, room and board, books, lab expenses, and even some travel costs.
Also, unlike many other student loans that are based on "need", these loans are non-need based. Eligibility is dependent on a regular credit check that determines whether the parent has an adverse credit history.
An adverse credit history is defined as being more than 90 days late on any debt or having any Title IV debt (including a debt due to grant overpayment) within the past five years subjected to default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off.
The college of choice may require additional loan applications. For this reason, parents should check with your school's financial aid office. As of July 1, 2006, the interest rate on the PLUS Loan was set at 8.5 percent. The PLUS loans do not require any collateral to be placed by the parents. In addition, the interest that is paid on the loan may be tax deductible. It should be noted that the interest rate on these loans can and will vary over time, so parents should investigate the latest news concerning interest rates before assuming any posted rate is correct.
There are some restrictions on the PLUS loans. For instance, the annual limit on a PLUS Loan is equal to your cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid that is received from other programs. For example, if the annual cost of attendance to a school is $8,000 and the student will receive $5,000 in other financial aid, the parents of the student would be able to borrow up to, but no more than, $3,000.
There are also certain restrictions and requirements concerning the way the funds are to be disbursed. Much of the disbursement rules that apply to a particular loan will be directed by the particular school. In order to get the most recent issues concerning how the money will be sent and to whom it will be sent, parents and students should visit with the financial aid office of the intended university.
Students and parents who wish to learn more about this loan program can visit the PLUS loan website where more detailed information is located.
Students and parents of students often need financial help in order to get into and subsequently get through the years of education that leads to an advanced degree. can help the parents of the students who can't afford higher educational expenses. The Parent PLUS loans are borrowed by a parent on behalf of a child to help pay for tuition and school related expenses at an eligible college or university, or by a graduate student for graduate school. There are many advantages of parent plus loans which reduces some burden from the parent's shoulders. The main advantage of parent plus loan is that a parent can borrow a federally guaranteed low interest loan to help pay for their child's education. Another advantage is that it allows a parent to borrow the total cost of undergraduate education including tuition, room and board, and any other eligible school expenses, minus any aid the child is receiving in their name. The PLUS loans do not require any collateral to be placed by the parents. In addition, the interest that is paid on the loan may be tax deductible. The student must be enrolled at least half time, and the parent or graduate student must pass a credit check in order to receive this loan. Usually, either the U.S. Department of Education or your parents' lender sends the loan funds to your school. The funds are firstly applied to your tuition, fees, room and board, and other school charges. If any loan funds remain, the parents will receive the amount as a check or in cash, unless they authorize the amount to be released to you or to be put into your school account. Any remaining loan funds must be used for your education expenses. There are also certain restrictions and requirements concerning the way the funds are to be disbursed. Be sure to get yourself informed before you decide to apply for these loans. Education is a precious asset that parents gain for their child's bright future. But today, education is ranging higher and higher in terms of cost which also varies with different courses. Thus, student loans have got prime importance. Federal student loans are offered by the US government, which can be availed directly through banks, student loan lenders, school, or from Federal Family Education Loan program otherwise known as FFELP. A person can find out if they qualify for a federal student loan by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. These loans are offered with very low interest rates, longer repayment periods, and various kinds of repayment options with easy credit requirements than the private loans. However, there are options available under federal loans, which are categorized as Perkins loan, Stafford loan, Plus loan option etc.
This loan can be availed by needy undergraduates and graduates, which is availed by them at a fixed lower interest rate of five percent. Stafford loans offer fixed interest rates and are in the form of subsidized and unsubsidized federal student loans. When the student avails the subsidized federal student loan, the government pays the interest when the student is studying. Plus loans are known as parent loans as they are meant for undergraduate students. This loan option requires the applicant to be free from any adverse credit experiences like the bankruptcy, default etc on their credit record. These loans are offered at a fixed interest rate that is higher than the Stafford loan rate and also the repayment starts when the student is studying in the school. Nowadays, there are various information sources available online which will give you all the related information about these loans. But, before filling up the FAFSA form, the student has to be very organized and should have gathered all the necessary information to fill the form. It is very important to apply much earlier than the closing date for the application, to avoid any last minute trouble or avalanche.
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