Student Loan Consolidation

A federal student loan consolidation program is a federally regulated loan that allows you to combine all of the existing federal loans you received for your education into one new single loan. When you do a student loan consolidation, the new lender will arrange to have all your existing loans fully paid off and issue you one new loan. Generally there are no application fees or credit checks required for consolidation loans and by consolidating your loans you can benefit in the following ways:

• Lower monthly payments. By consolidating your federal student loans, you can take advantage of lowering your monthly payments which will give you more money to use for other expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, food and car expenses, utility expenses, and credit card payments. Depending on your balances, you might be able to reduce your monthly payments up to 45%.

• One payment per month. If you currently have loans with multiple lenders, you know the hassle of having to write several checks per month, each for a different amount and to a different lender. By consolidating, you eliminate the need to make multiple monthly payments. You will only have to write one check or make one payment each month!

• Lock in a low fixed interest rate. Currently, unconsolidated federal student loans have a variable interest rate which changes each year. By consolidating, you can lock in a fixed interest rate which remains constant through the life of the loan.

• Customize a Payment Plan. By consolidating your student loans, you have the opportunity choose a payment plan and payment term that fits best with your current income. In some cases you can take up to 30 years to repay and you can change the plan annually without any penalties. In addition, if you decide you would like to repay your loans early, there are no prepayment penalties.

• Maintain your deferment and interest subsidy benefits. By consolidating your loans, you do not give up your deferment options or interest subsidy benefits on any subsidized FFELP or subsidized Direct loans that you consolidate.

When Should I Consolidate

You can do a student loan consolidation during your grace period or during repayment. You might even get to do a consolidation before you graduate. The timing depends on a variety of factors.

• Consolidating during the grace period may get you a lower rate
• You don’t want to consolidate too soon after graduation. If you do, you might lose out on some interest subsidies
• If you think interest rates are low, you might lock in the rate
• If you want a lower monthly payment today, you might try to get an extended repayment plan

Federal Loans Eligible for Student Loan Consolidation

Many federal student loans already have a low interest rate. However, you may be able to achieve a lower payment by consolidating these student loans. Here is a list of federal loans that are normally eligible for student loan consolidation:

•Federal Stafford Loans
•Federal Direct Loans
•Federal Perkins Loans
•Federal Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
•Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL)
•National Direct Student Loans (NDSL)
•Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
•Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
•Auxiliary Loan to Assist Students (ALAS)
•Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)

Student loan consolidation could benefit you, but evaluate the amount and types of student loans that you are carrying, and then see if you can consolidate and cut your payments and debts. Read More..

Student Loan Program

A student loan debt consolidation simplifies the process of repayment by combining all student loans into one easy payment. Student loans consolidation also gives students the opportunity to lock in their interest rate for the entire length of the loan. Because of these benefits, more students every year are considering the option, and it could be an alternative to multiple loan management worth pursuing.

Students in the United States will find their student loans are consolidated differently than other types of debt, such as credit card debt. Loans that come from the government, or federal loans, are 100% guaranteed by the U.S. A federal loan is consolidated when a company that handles loan consolidation buys existing loans. The interest rate used for the consolidation is then determined by the year's student loan rate as of May of the current calendar year.

Those who look into student loans consolidation will discover a wide range of potential interest rates. These rates can be as low as 4.7% or as high as 8.25%. Keep an eye on the rise and fall of interest rates, and then act accordingly to strike when the rates are low. You will benefit by having an affordable rate in place during the entire length of repayment of your school loans.

Loan debt consolidation is not an endless road of opportunity. You are allowed to consolidate once with a private lender, and then once more with the Department of Education. You have one chance to get it right, so do your homework. Be sure that you have researched all of the consolidation companies. Make it a priority to find the most reputable companies and the ones that offer the lowest rates.

People often refer to federal student loans consolidation as refinancing, but this is not entirely correct. With this form of loan debt consolidation, your loan rate will not change, regardless of how different your previous loans were. It will merely be set at a fixed rate. Keep in mind that all of your previous loans will be weighed to find an interest rate that is appropriate in light of the current rate. As with all aspects of financial matters, there are a number of elements that will affect the rate at which your interest is compiled.

For the many students struggling with school loans, student loans consolidation remains an appealing option. It is important, however, that students do their financial research, and be aware of the pros and cons of loan debt consolidation. It has its drawbacks: Monthly payments, although combined into one, will be extended over a greater period of time than if the student had not consolidated the loans to begin with. In spite of this, student loans consolidation can be invaluable for students struggling with payments, and its benefits lure more students every year. Read More..