-
Some Employers Assist With Student Debt Payments
Tweet Share on Facebook November 28, 2012 CommentMany different voices have expressed their thoughts on whether and how to address the ever-rising student debt levels.
The Student Loan Ranger could go on about why we need relief and which solution(s) are best, but we like to keep it real here, so we'll try to stay focused on some tangible help out there for student loan borrowers.
-
Examine Student Aid's Fiscal Cliff
Tweet Share on Facebook November 21, 2012 CommentMuch of the federal government's spending on student aid is highly visible and hotly debated. It comes in forms like grant aid, including the vital but always funding-challenged Pell grants, and federal work study.
Student loans are sometimes also referred to as federal student aid because provisions like fixed interest rates and in-school interest subsidies help keep down the costs of borrowing for college.
-
Some Colleges Help Students Avoid, Handle Debt
Tweet Share on Facebook November 14, 2012 CommentNow that President Obama has earned reelection, the Student Loan Ranger is anxious to see if he'll be able to fulfill his promises to address colleges' soaring tuition and skyrocketing student debt balance.
For example, you may remember a promise to hold schools accountable for costs. And the Student Loan Ranger hopes the administration will require schools to adopt initiatives like the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet and College Scorecard.
-
New Student Loan Repayment Option Could Help Recent Graduates
Tweet Share on Facebook November 7, 2012 CommentNovember is an anxious time for many recent graduates as grace periods end and payments come due on student loans. And last Thursday, as the month began, the Department of Education issued final rules for the new Pay As You Earn plan, giving many federal loan borrowers a new income-driven repayment option.
Income-driven repayment plans can help you avoid default by basing your payment amounts on your income. In addition to the new Pay As You Earn option, current plans for federal loans include Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Income-Based Repayment (IBR), and Income-Sensitive Repayment. (Options for private loans will vary depending on your lender, so be sure to ask what's available.)
