Private Student Loans

Benefitd of Private Student Loan

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Private Student Loan

Private student loans have several advantages. Private student loans are not complicated, it dosent take long to finalize the process, and because of the extreme flexibility its pretty straightforward. Most lenders will qualify loans to students with no credit history. There are two main types of student loans for you to pick from those are federal student loans and private student loans. A good credit history is an important prerequisite for applying for a student loan. Private student loans are commonly given to those who are credit worthy, and typically you’ll need a co-sign.

If you are a student with a good credit history you should have no problem qualifying for a student loan. Whatever you do bear in mind that your credit is very important, and if you think you may ever want to apply for a private student loan, know that your good credit will insure that you qualify. Private student loans are not complex to obtain for students with a good credit report, or for those who are regular employees or if he is a permanent resident of United States. With private student loans there is no need to be concerned about application filling deadlines or the typical closing dates that you would otherwise need to worry about.

The amount of funds available to you through private student loans is much higher than the federal loans and scholarship funds. Private student loans are approved after checking the credit history of a student or his parents. Usually, a student loan with no credit history does not necessitate any income or a co-signer. But this is sanctioned only for a small credit limit. To get larger credit limit, the help of a co-signer is essential. Before taking student loans with no credit history, compare the interest rates and the fees from different lenders. You can get student loans applying online also. The lender will insist on records such as proof of your identity, and your place of employment.

The approval process for your private student loan doesn’t take much time at all, as a matter of fact that the funds can be credited to your account within five business working days.

Private student loans are often times used in combination with Federal student loans, particularly when the student doesn’t have the resources needed with their federal student loans to cover the full educational expenses. You can refinance your federal student loans at much lower interest rates than you can your private loans. Also, the private student loans carry a hefty interest rate when compared with government student loans.

Many private student loans can be consolidated. The best feature to me about private student loans is that with a private student loan you are likely to get offered and receive a higher loan amount. With a private student loans you can pay for the things you need too, like a laptop, supplies and other educational expenses at your own discretion. It is advisable to have a thorough check on the terms and conditions of a student loan before signing the deal

By: Vernosha Anderson

Vernosha has been involved with finance for many years! With an in-depth knowledge she enjoys to helping others get the best from all of their endeavers . Visit: www.Getit-Gotit-Good.com for more information.

Overcoming Student Loan Qualification?s Obstacles

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Qualifying for certain student loans is not an easy task. There are requirements that are not easily met by applicants not only for private student loans but also for federal student loans. However, once you understand the differences between these loans and the requirements to get approved for them, you can work to solve the obstacles and apply successfully for a student loan that suits your needs and situation.

You won’t be able to get approved for any loan type as some loan requirements are either met or not. But other requirements can be overcome like credit requirements and income requirements. So, knowing exactly what you need will aid you in the process of finding the right student loan for you.

Federal Loans And Subsidized Private Loans

Though these loans have little to no credit requirements, they have additional requirements for approval that cannot be easily bypassed. In order to get approved for these loans you need to meet exceptional non credit qualifications. Federal Student loans are awarded according to the needs of the applicant. Thus, only those going through underprivileged situations can qualify for these loans. If you have a good repayment capacity, chances are that you won’t be able to qualify for these loans.

Subsidized private loans are awarded by private non profit organizations and work with the same system. There are however, some loans provided to those who can show certain merit. These loans based on merit, are awarded to those that have shown an outstanding performance on their previous studying courses and thus deserve to be financially supported on their careers’ next steps.

Regular Student Loans

As opposed to the previous loan types that have requirements that you either meet or not, private student loans have regular credit and income requirements that can be overcome with certain means. In order to do so, you first need to know what these requirements are and whether you qualify for the loans or not and why.

Private student loans have credit requirements just like any other kind of loan. A good credit score is preferred in order to get approved for an unsecured private student loan. For secured private student loans, there are bad credit options but the interest rate charged is significantly higher. Though there are some unsecured private student loans for people with bad credit, the interest rate charged is too high. In these cases you should try to analyze, whether you can get approved for a subsidized loan.

There are also income requirements that need to be met and usually have to do with the repayment capacity of the loan’s installments. The lender needs to know for sure that your income will let you afford the monthly payments of your loan even if unexpected expenses modify your budget.

Both these requirements can be lowered and lessen by offering collateral. But if that’s not possible, you can always apply for a student loan with the aid of a co-signer. A co-signer with a better credit score and a good income can be a good enough guarantee for the lender. Thus, a co-signer can aid you overcome the obstacles on your student loan approval.

Melissa Kellett is an expert loan consultant who has worked for twenty years in the financial industry and helps people to repair their credit and get approved for home loans, unsecured personal loans, student loans, consolidation loans, car loans and many other types of loans and financial products. If you want to learn more about Free Debt Consolidation and Easy Credit Loans you can visit her site http://www.speedybadcreditloans.com/

Private Student Loans With Bad Credit – Chase – Sallie May – Citigroup

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Private student Loans is another alternative that comes into force rescuing students who have a bad credit history. I have heard of many cases where students apply for loans as a supplement with their Stafford or Perkins loans. In other cases, I have seen people applying for student loans with private organizations when their Stafford loan amount comes to an end.

There are many financial institutions that offer private student loans with bad credit. The only fuss in the deal is the requirements of the financial institutions. Most entities that I know of providing this service would require a Co-borrower or a Co-Signer. This means as a student you and your parents would need to sign on the loan agreement agreeing to repay the loan.

In certain cases where you have repaid some installments of a previous student loan independently, you would be given the authority of branching away the Co-borrower. This is known as Co-Borrower Release and by doing so, you ensure that the loan repayment is entirely yours. This also puts you in a position where you are not hit by the Credit History of your Co-Borrower. Both of you are separate entities speaking from the loan perspective and you would hence need to take charge of repaying your loan off.

Be careful applying for private loans with banks. If your bank requires a co-borrower to sign on the agreement before the loan is sanctioned, make sure that your co-borrower has a good enough credit history. Not having a good credit history could jeopardize your chances of getting the private student loan that you would have otherwise got stand alone.

It is an unsaid rule in the world of loans that one needs a co-signer to ensure that the student loan gets approved. That said, it does not mean that you would not get loans if you do not have a co-signer to sign on your agreement. There are some lenders in the market who would offer loans to you with you having to worry about the co-signer.

Start your research today and trust me, you will find one or the other lender who will be able to give you a loan without your co-borrower. Please note that having or not having a co-borrower for your loan is subject to the credit history of your co-borrower. If he has a good credit history, you would not mind getting him on-board for signing the loan agreement. Think twice if it is otherwise.

Bad credit shouldn’t get in your way to a higher education. Receiving private student loans with bad credit is possible too many aspiring students. Here at http://www.CollegeStudentLoans101.info, we provide you with answers to many questions about student loans.

From applying for student loans to student loan consolidation service, we have it covered.

Are There Bad Credit Student Loans? is Approval Feasible?

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Many inquiries made to financial advisors on our team have a common issue: bad credit and student loan approval: People who want to pursue a career to improve their life and financial situation but fear that they cannot get approved for financing due to their bad credit score and history. The availability of bad credit student loans is not widespread and thus people often wonder if they exist and if approval is feasible or there are extremely onerous requirements for approval.

Federal or Private Financing


There are federal student loans that are not based on the applicant’s credit score and history but on the merits or the needs. Therefore, those with bad credit can obtain federal funds if they meet the requirements for these loans. But the average applicant will not be able to get approved for federal funding and for federal subsidized private loans because these loans are based on credit assessment.


Private funding has similar issues: all private student loans are based on credit verifications and thus, there are limitations for those with bad credit. And even though there are private student loans provided to those going through underprivileged situations and for those that show special merits on certain fields of interest (loans provided by non profit institutions), the average applicant cannot access these loans.


But private funding always finds a way to provide a product when there is a need and thus, there are bad credit student loans available for those with bad credit, no credit and past bankruptcies. The drawback is obviously the interest rate charged for these loans and the lack of deferment that most of these loans have. There are very few private student loans for bad credit applicants with deferment till after graduation.

Bad Credit Private Student Loans


These loans are provided for those with bad credit who need to finance college studies. The amounts offered are not that high and can help you finance only a couple of years of college studies but unlike federal funding you can use the funds for any college costs including tuition, accommodation, transportation, studying material, laptop, etc. There are no limitations when it comes to the use of the funds as long as they are college related.


Another issue with bad credit private student loans is that only a few of them provide funds with deferment of the loan repayment till after graduation. Thus, the applicant needs to have a source of funds in order to afford the monthly installments. If the applicant has a limited income it is possible to apply with the aid of a co-signer in order to obtain approval and also to boost the chances of getting better terms on your student loans.

Where to Get Them?


Private student funding can be obtained through the student affairs departments of each institution and you can also obtain them by applying online. There are many online student loan lenders offering bad credit loans for financing college studies and there are also sites offering comparatives so you can choose the best option for you.

Lara Sawyer is a professional loan advisor used to solving bad credit problems and helping people secure home loans, car loans, personal loans, unsecured credit cards, home equity loans, refinance mortgage loans and plenty of other financial products. Whether you want to learn more about Unsecured Personal Loans and Government Grants or find information about other loan types, just visit: http://www.fastguaranteedloans.com/

Is Student Loan Consolidation on Private Loans Really An Option?

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Private student loans are credit-based and have more attractive repayment terms as well as interest rates. It can really help in saving money every month unlike the Federal student loans. Private student loan consolidation is simply the process of refinancing and combining private student loans into a single debt only. It may result to a lower monthly loan payments thus will also lessen your worries about your multiple loans.


The very main essence of a private student loan consolidation is to lessen the monthly payment of students who have multiple loans. By getting quotes from various lenders, a student can have knowledge about how to get the best deal with all the prevailing market rates present nowadays. Furthermore, private student loan consolidation can result to an extended loan payment. This gives the student borrowers enough time to pay their loans with fewer burdens. These beneficial advantages offered by the private student loan consolidation are not possible if students have several loans to handle.


There are various private student loan consolidation companies which offer more benefits. One of these is the interest rate reduction which can result to lower loan monthly payments to think of. The options for the loan repayment procedures depend upon the qualifications being required by a particular lending company. Thus, it is also the work of the lending company to choose the best private student loan consolidation program suitable for a particular student loaner.


Indeed, private student loan consolidation brings various benefits. However, one should still be aware of some situations like the drawbacks of having a private student loan consolidated.


Student loans are indeed a very big help for students who are deeply in need of some financial aids. However, all students who have decided to avail of a particular student loan should bear in mind the responsibility in repaying the borrowed amount of money. In fact, there are so many ways on how to pay off student loans.


The very first thing to do is to develop a plan on how to pay off student loans. Second is to look for a summer jobs or internships to be able to save a lot of money and not waste your valuable time. Part-time jobs will also do to help pay a loan.


Also, take into consideration to consolidate current student loans to have lower interest rates. Furthermore, one should perform volunteer works like teaching, medical works or even military works to reduce at least somehow a debt. It would also be good to apply for some grants and scholarships while in school to lessen the burden.


And lastly, take good care of the credits. Late payments should be avoided to have a good credit score.


It is important to pay off private student loans as quickly as possible. Sometimes, early paying off of the loan will lessen the burden along with a particular student loan. To make paying off easy, one can start paying off first the non-subsidized loans for it has an obligatory interest. Also, if one has several loans already, paying off first the smallest loan would be much better.


Just always remember to always do the best in paying off student loans. Be a responsible student loaner!


Failing to pay off student loans can stick with you for decades. You can’t go bankrupt on student loans so don’t count on that as saving you down the road!

The Student Loan Guru brings you this timely article on Private Student Loans. You can find more information on Student Loans and College resources at his student loan blog.

Difference Between Federal And Private Loans -

Monday, June 14th, 2010

It is tyically confusing to see the differences between private loans and federal loans. Actually, the same lenders are usualy involved, colleges sometimes put the name on the private loans, as well as lots of borrowers do not understand which they take until they start their loan repayment. Tips to help: 1. In case you are attempting to understand exactly what kind of loan you obtain after you have signed for this loan, it is recommended for you to go to the National Student Loan Data System to get necesary information. 2. Federal loan applications and promissory notes and show the name of the student federal loan program (like Stafford, Perkins, FFEL, PLUS, William D. Ford Direct Loan Program, and others) at the top of the monthly bill, as well as loan contract. Examples: Federal Loans: Federal Direct Consolidation Promissory Note and Loan Application or Federal Perkins Master Promissory Note and others. Compare to student private loans: Education Advancement Loan (Wells Fargo) or Career Loan Loan Application (Key Bank USA, CA.) 3. A majority of private student loans provide a disclosure statement that is similar to the info included on car loans and mortgage loans. This is because of the fact that most private student loans are covered by Truth in Lending Act when federal ones are not. Actually, there will be some new disclosures for the private student loans very soon. Federal Reserve Board has already issued the final rules. These rules are effectual since September 14, 2009, though creditor compliance is additional until February 14, 2010.

Aptem Lolov is a teacher with five years experience teaching history and literature who provides custom writing online help. Aptem is always ready to provide custom writing service and research paper services to students of all levels.

Nextstudent Private Loans Can Help Subsidize Educational Programs From Elementary to Graduate School

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Financing an education can be a challenging feat, especially when borrowers have exhausted their personal savings and their state and federal financial aid options and still have educational expenses left to cover. NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education company, can help. Whether you’re a higher education student or the parent of a K–12 student, you may be eligible for a NextStudent Private Loan, a credit-based loan that could help make financing an education a reality.

Are you a parent who dreams of sending your child to a college preparatory known for strong academics like Xavier or Brophy in Phoenix, Arizona? Or are you an undergraduate or graduate student who needs a little extra money to cover your education-related expenses? Or maybe you already have your degree but can’t afford the continuing education courses you need to maintain a certification. If any of these scenarios describes your needs, NextStudent Private Student Loans are designed to help borrowers like you achieve your academic goals.

Reap the Benefits

NextStudent offers credit-based private student loans that can help borrowers meet their education expenses while in school and pay for things like tuition and fees, school supplies and other education-related essentials. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at a participating school. Whether applying for one of our K–12, undergraduate, graduate or continuing education private student loans, qualified borrowers can benefit with:

Quick preliminary approval on most student loans
No application deadlines
No prepayment penalties
Generous borrowing limits
Deferred principal and interest payments on most student loans
Funds sent directly to the borrower, not the school
Interest that may be tax-deductible (please consult your tax advisor)

?

Qualifying is simple: Borrowers must provide proof of student enrollment at a participating school and proof of sufficient income (a recent pay stub, or for self-employed or retired borrowers, the most recent two years of tax returns with schedules or 1099s). In addition, borrowers must have at least 21 months of credit experience and a satisfactory credit history, and they must demonstrate two years of continuous employment (with the same employer or in the same field) and two years of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Don’t meet these requirements? That’s OK, a co-signer can help. NextStudent Private Student Loans feature the option of applying with a co-signer, whether you need a qualified co-applicant because you don’t quite meet the qualification requirements, or whether you’d like to have a co-applicant with a little more established credit history.

Apply Throughout the Year

?

Applying is fast and convenient. Some borrowers may receive a preliminary approval in minutes. In as little as five business days, parents and students could be approved and see their student loans disbursed, with funds sent directly to the borrower. Eligible higher education students or eligible parents of K–12 students who need additional financial assistance meeting their educational needs can apply for NextStudent Private Student Loans throughout the year. There are no deadlines or time constraints. That means students can receive the funding they need, no matter when they need it.

?

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and we are dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.

?

The lender for the NextStudent Loan Program is Charter One Bank, N.A., Member FDIC and Equal Opportunity Lender.

? 2007 NextStudent. All rights reserved.

Jeff Mictabor is an enthusiast on the topic of student loan issues in the news. He has been writing for the past 10 years for a variety of education publications. He now offers his writing services on a freelance basis.

Private Loan Consolidations Through Edfed

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

As a college student, you are constantly dishing out thousands of dollars towards various expenses, including tuition, books, fees, housing, food, cell phone bills, utilities, insurance and car payments. The list could go on forever. And, if you are like many students in America, part of your education is probably funded through private student loans.

There has never been a better time to consolidate your private student loans. Though the cost of schooling can cost thousands, EdFed is here to help you save thousands! This is because EdFed offers competitively, low interest rates and fees with our private student loan consolidations. Also, when you consolidate your private student loans through EdFed, you can save almost 50% off of your monthly bill!

Further Reduce Your Interest Rate

To save even more off of our already low interest rates, you can qualify to receive our borrower benefits. When you sign up to pay with our automated debit program you will receive an immediate 0.25% reduction off of your interest rate.

Three Flexible Repayment Options

When you consolidate your private student loans with EdFed, we offer you three repayment options to choose from, enabling you to choose the one that best meets your financial needs. Your interest rate stays the same, no matter which option you choose, and you have the freedom to change your repayment option at any time, should your situation change. Your payment options include:

* Equal Payments

This is the most common repayment option. In an equal payment repayment plan, both the interest and principal of the consolidation loan will be paid equally for the life of the loan. Your monthly payment will stay constant for the entire repayment period.

* Select 2/ Graduated Payments

The Select 2 repayment option enables you to make interest-only payments for the first two years of repayment. After two years, the payments will increase to include equal installments of both the interest and principal for the remaining term of the loan.

* Select 5/ Graduated Payments

The Select 5 payment option enables you to make interest-only payments for the first two years of repayment. During the third through fifth years of the loan, the payments will increase to include only a portion of the principal with the interest. When you enter the sixth year of your loan repayment, your payments will once again increase, this time to include both the principal and interest equally throughout the remainder of the loan.

EdFed Sets the Bar on Customer Service

EdFed’s customer service is second to none. When you call EdFed, an eager loan counselor will give you accurate, honest answers to all of your questions. We pride ourselves in our ability to provide the best support and service in the industry for you and your consolidation needs. Also, when you consolidate your private loans with us, we will assign a specific loan specialist to your consolidation. This will enable you to speak to the same specialist each time you call. This specialist will be familiar with you and your loan, so calling in will be more like talking to an old friend, rather than a stranger.

Easy Application Process

Applying for a consolidation loan through EdFed is a short and simple process. When you call to apply, one of our professional advocates will ask you a few simple questions and help you start your private consolidation application. It is that simple. We know how important your time is to you, so starting an application with us takes less than ten minutes.

Save Thousands!

When you consolidate through EdFed, you have the ability to save thousands of dollars to help you take the first step to financial freedom. From our low, reduced interest rates to our flexible repayment options, supported by the best customer service in the industry, EdFed is here for you.

Private Loan Consolidation

Federal Loans Vs. Private Loans

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

You are ready to go back to college or maybe you are fresh out of high school. If either applies, it is most likely that you have considered how you will pay for your tuition. During your consideration you probably have viewed numerous types of student loans, including both federal loans and private loans.

To give you an idea of the difference between the loans, lets look at what a private loan looks like.

Private Education Loans, also known as Alternative Education Loans, can be used to help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount the government allows you to borrow in.

Private loans are offered by private lenders, which means you don’t have to complete federal forms and eligibility often depends on your credit score.

Some turn to private education loans when the federal loans don’t provide enough money or when they need more flexible repayment options. For example, a parent might want to defer repayment until the student graduates, an option that is not available from the government parent loan program. (Many PLUS loan providers are starting to allow parents to defer payments on the PLUS loan while the student is in school using an administrative forbearance. Interest continues to accrue, however.)

Private education loans tend to cost more than the education loans offered by the federal government, but are less expensive than credit card debt. The federal education loans offer fixed interest rates that are lower than the variable rates offered by most private student loans. Federal education loans also offer better repayment and forgiveness options. Since federal education loans are less expensive than and offer better terms than private student loans, you should exhaust your eligibility for federal student loans before resorting to private student loans.

Private student loans typically have variable interest rates, with the interest rate pegged to an index, such as LIBOR or PRIME, plus a margin.

The interest rates and fees you pay on a private student loan are based on your credit score and the credit score of your cosigner, if any. Generally, if your credit score is less than 650 (FICO), you are unlikely to be approved for a private student loan. An increase of just 30 to 50 points in your credit score is often enough to get you better terms on your loan.

If you know somebody who can cosign your private loan, you could possibly get a lower interest rate, as such loans are not as risky for the lender. Moreover, the interest rates and fees are usually based on the higher of the two credit scores. So if your cosigner has a much better credit score than you, it could result in a much lower interest rate.

Private student loans may be used to pay for the family’s portion of college costs. While some lenders may offer private student loans in excess of the cost of attendance, any amount exceeding the difference between cost of attendance and financial aid is considered a resource. Like an outside scholarship, this will reduce need-based aid. (Some lenders offer non-school-certified private student loans to bypass this limitation by not informing the college about the loan. If the college becomes aware of the loan, federal regulations require the college to reduce need-based aid. Pending federal legislation would require lenders to tell colleges about all private student loans, eliminating this loophole.)

This cost-of-attendance limitation only applies to education loans, which are loans that make enrollment in college a condition of the loan. It does not matter where the loan proceeds are sent (e.g., direct to the borrower vs to the school) or how the loans are marketed. On the other hand, mixed-use loans, such as home equity loans and credit cards, are not considered education loans and as such are not limited by cost-of-attendance.

The pros of private loans is high, but with a little research you can find out what specifically meets your needs.

Kara Lilly, a Librarian for over 15 years in College Park, creates the Eduology for schoolwork.org, a leading provider of homework help, college directories with satellite maps and a comprehensive breakdown of student loans. For more information, please visit www.schoolwork.org.

How to Consolidate Student Loans – Federal Versus Private Loan Consolidation

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Student loan consolidation can be used by student or parent borrowers to combine their multiple education loans into one loan with one monthly payment. As any student can take either federal or private student loans, he or she can also take a federal or private consolidation loan to make the education debt more manageable.

Both federal and private student loans offer significant benefits, but federal loans offer borrowers many benefits that don’t come with private loans; for instance: low fixed interest rates, income-based repayment plans, loan forgiveness and deferment options. While some private lenders may offer them too, it usually is associated with some strings attached.

For those reasons, every borrower should always exhaust federal student loans options before considering a private loan. The same advice applies to consolidating student loans – always look at federal consolidation loan first and only if you don’t qualify for a federal loan of it is not the right choice for any reason, and then seek a private consolidation loan.

It is important to remember that a federal student consolidation loan can’t include any private loan. Moreover, if you consolidate your federal student loan into a private consolidation loan, you will lose your federal borrower benefits mentioned above (unless you private lender tries hard to get your business and includes them in the offer).

There are important differences between federal and private student loan consolidation.

First of all, with federal student loan consolidation, you will have a fixed interest rate, while private student loan consolidations are credit-based, which means that your consolidation loan rate will not be locked – it will be variable. So, while you will not have to go through credit check in order to apply for a federal consolidation loan, you will need it to secure a private consolidation loan.

Student loan consolidation rates are determined differently for federal and private consolidations. The interest rates for federal loans are set according to a formula established by federal statue. It’s a fixed rate, based on the weighted average of the interest rates on each of your loans at the time you consolidate, rounded up to the nearest 1/8th of a percent and capped at 8.25%.

As private student loans are not funded by the federal government, they are subject to the terms determined by each individual lender (bank, credit union, other financial institution) and the market competition. In private student consolidation loans a borrower’s credit is the primary factor in the variable interest rate offered to the borrower. As the base for setting the consolidation loan interest rate, the private lenders most often use the Prime rate or the 3-month LIBOR Rate, to which they add a margin. That margin varies from lender to lender and is applied according to the borrower’s credit rating.

With regards to the interest rate on the consolidation loan, it’s typical for both federal and private consolidation loan to include 0.25% rate reduction for automated debit payments.

Repayment of federal student consolidation loans begins within 60 days of the disbursement of the loan, with the payback term ranging from 10 to 30 years, depending on the amount of education debt being repaid and on other debts owned, as well as on the repayment option chosen by the borrower. Private student consolidation loans can also have repayment terms of up to 30 years, although they have fewer repayment options. Usually, repayment begins 30 days from the time your private student consolidation loan is funded.

While the most important factors looked at when deciding about how to consolidate student loans are the interest rates, borrower benefits and the terms of repayment, there are also other significant factors, such as: fees or cost to consolidate, prepayment penalties, loan amount limits, customer service, etc.

There are no fees or application costs whatsoever for processing and providing a federal student consolidation loan. It’s against the law to ask for advance (up-front) fees for arranging a federal education loan or consolidating federal education loans. However, some federal education loans (e.g. the Stafford and PLUS Loans) may require some fees, but they are always deducted from the disbursement check. On the other hand, private lenders may charge fees for application and processing private consolidation loans. Some private lenders charge fees as high as 4% of the principal you owe.

Federal consolidation loan programs don’t require a minimum balance to consolidate student loans; some private lenders require a minimum balance before they consider a borrower’s application for consolidation. That amount varies from lender to lender, but usually is between $5,000-$7,500 in US-issued private education loans.

With both federal private consolidations, there are no penalties for prepayment – all payments in excess of scheduled payments will go directly to principal and that will help to repay your consolidation loan faster.

The application process for consolidation of private student loans differs from the federal consolidation. Sometimes applications for private consolidation loans may be easier to complete (often done online or over the phone). However, it’s worth remembering that federal loans usually have lower interest rates, borrower benefits and better repayment terms than private student loans. Moreover, federal applications for both original loans and consolidation loans require FAFSA, so with the federal consolidation, your application is already partly completed.

Mary Cala is the Author and Leading Expert on how to consolidate student loans and she blogs about student loan consolidation. If you’d like to learn about how to consolidate student loans, go to Mary Cala’s blog – Consolidation Dept – where she provides tips on consolidating student loans and getting financial aid.


Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ';' in /home/vansibel/public_html/wp-content/themes/contender/footer.php on line 4