Student Loans

There are numerous options available for financing your education. The problem is that with so many different types of student loans, containing different terms and conditions it can be difficult to choose the right financing.

The Stafford loan is a popular choice. There are many benefits to this loan which draws many students to consider it as a good option.

The Stafford loan has no pre-payment penalty – you can pay off any remaining balance any time. There’s no credit check performed, so almost everyone will qualify. There are no payments required while the student is taking courses, provided they maintain at least a half-time status. And, after leaving school there’s a six-month grace period during which no payments are required.

There are a few drawbacks to this type of loan. The interest rates appear to be low when compared to other loans, however at times the loan fees can be costly. For example, a Federal default fee of 1% or an origination fee of 2% may be added. Also, there is a cap on the amount they will lend you during the course of a year.

Further, there are plans in which the repayment is made over a 10-year period. That may sound attractive given the relatively low monthly payment it typically entails ($116 per month in the following example). But the amount of interest accumulated on a 7% loan of $10,000 (and most students borrow more) over 10 years is: $3,933. That’s over 39% of the original amount paid in interest. Definitely, not cheap money.

Though it may involve beginning repayment immediately, many parents attempting to help finance their son or daughter’s education will find it worthwhile to investigate other alternatives. Even students should make an effort to look for other routes, including a combination of grants, scholarships, and conventional loans repaid with money earned from part-time work.

Savings plans, of course, are one of the best options to investigate and the sooner they’re started in the child’s life the better. The risk with all such plans is that inflation, financial crises, and other unpredictable elements can cause that investment to be worth very little by the time it is needed.

With a little research you may be able to counteract that risk. It is wise to check into inflation-adjusted hedge funds or tax-free municipal bounds.

Regrettably, there is no easy way to finance today’s high cost of education. But doing the necessary homework to investigate all options will save all concerned time and headache in the long run.