RSS

Learn How To Finally Pay Off Those Loans From College


By Michael Fleischner

Now that you've graduated college, you're probably focused on finding that first job. With many jobs hard to find, paying off your college debt is probably at the bottom of your priority list. However, for those who take paying off their college debt seriously, the burden of being in debt is significantly reduced, building credit and allowing you to stay ahead of the financial curve.

There are a number of pays to pay off your college debt. Fortunately for those who have taken Federal loans, grace periods and deferments can help you until you find a full time job that allows you to begin making payments against your loan. Regardless of your employment situation, the responsibility of loan repayment is yours and yours alone.

When you evaluate all of your loans, you may be thinking how on earth you are going to afford your payments. Depending on your loan type, you may have a number of options for restructuring your debt and altering your payments. Whether you leverage the benefits of student loan consolidation or simply work with your lender to stretch out payments for a lower monthly amount, there is a good deal of flexibility to be had.

Some individuals who consolidate see longer repayment periods. However, a little known method of reducing your payment period is by making one extra payment towards the principle of the loan each and every year. For longer repayment periods, this reduces the amount owed and the life of the loan significantly.

Before sending your lender any extra money, begin with an open dialog. Do they penalize those who attempt to pay off their loan prior to expiration? In the past this was a common issue. Today, because of increasing defaults and the difficult economy, most lenders are happy to get their money back. If the bank accepts early payment, then do your best to stick to an additional payment each year.

What difference can an extra payment make? As I've already explained, it is significant. So make sure that when you send in the extra payment, you explicitly indicate that the payment is go towards principle, not your regularly scheduled payments. If it doesn't go towards the base amount, you've done nothing other than prepay next month's bill.

Once you get things rolling, try to save enough to make a full month's payment each December. In the grand scheme of things, it's not a lot of money but it will have a significant impact on your repayment schedule and amount. One suggestion is to speak to a representative at your lender to see what types of accelerated repayment programs they offer. Even though this is a great option, it's not one that is widely publicized.

When thinking about your debt remember that you want to only focus on the monthly payments with an eye towards finishing early. Don't let a large amount of debt prevent you from restructuring today. Student loan consolidation is one option, extra principle payments are another. You can pay off your debt and lenders are willing to work with you. Take advantage of available resources and make repayment a habit.

About the Author:

0 comments

Posted in