Friday, March 27, 2009

Student Loans Help To Fill The Educational Gap

Student loans are actually a good deal. Interest rates are below market, there's no collateral and repayment usually begins only after graduation. For 2001, federal tax law permits deduction up to $2,500 in student loans interest payments.

Joint filers with adjusted gross income of $60,000-$75,000 or less and single of $40,000-$55,000 or less can avail this deduction. The deduction on interest is restricted to the first 60 months consecutive. As long as it is student loans, it doesn't matter whether it's the student, parent or spouse. The person responsible for the student loans gets the deduction. A dependent student has no claim to the deduction if another taxpayer has claimed him as a dependent the same taxable year. For a taxpayer getting married toward the end of the taxable year, joint filing is required for the deduction.

The federal government is the largest among providers of student loans. Educaid.com and FinAid.org are worth visiting for the more typical student loans programs. Financial need will determine interest rates under Perkins student loans or delayed repayment schedule under Stafford student loans. Standards are similar to student aid.

In the Perkins student loans program, severe financial need is required for graduates and undergraduates. It is directly administered through the college, the real lender. Eligibility is identical to student aid. Free Application for federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms are available in financial aid offices.

Perkins student loans offers maximum benefits among student loans, including 5% interest rates, no origination fees, payments after nine months following graduation, and 10-year period. Serving in Vista or Peace Corps will result in cancellation of student loans. The maximum annual amount for Perkins student loans is $4,000 for undergraduates and $ 6,000 for graduates, with $20,000 and $40,000 being lifetime maximum. However attending a college with good payback rating can increase the maximum student loans. In making a choice of a college, always ask admissions office about past payment rates. Mention your eligibility for Perkins and the institution's overall record may help in the size of your student loans.

Stafford student loans differ from the Perkins student loans as they are available to all students. More than half of all student-student loans programs are included. If the need is justified, payments can be put off till six months after leaving school without any interest during that time. For unsubsidized student loans interest applies soon after distribution of funds. Applying is similar to financial aid, with a FAFSA form filed directly with the college. The online Federal Student Aid Information Center is run by the government. On unsubsidized Stafford payments can start six months after school but interest accumulates throughout schooling. Stafford rates vary with adjustment every July, capping at 8.25%. Apart from interest, an origination fee of 4% of the total student loans amortizes over the life of student loans.

Limits are $2,625 on student loans for the first year of undergraduate school and increases to $8,500 for graduate and professional school. A lifetime cap of $23,000 for undergrads rises to $65,500 inclusive of postgraduate education.

Before getting Stafford student loans participation in a student loans counseling session is required to understand the need for debt management. A BankAmerica-sponsored website offers online sessions with the results directly sent to participating schools. If your school is excluded as a participant, the site can be used for practice. After getting the student loans, the US Department of Education makes payments to you through school, usually in two installments a year.

Private Stafford student loans are an option from banks, credit unions and private lenders if your school is not included in the Federal Direct student loans program. However options for repaying may not be many. But timely bill payments may lead the student loans consolidation group, Sallie Mae to buy your student loans from the private lender. Having bought your student loans with timely payments for the first four years a lowering of interest rate by 2 percentage points on the remaining student loans balance is possible. Authorizing automatic deductions from your bank account can save an extra 0.25%.

Two years of timely payments can earn forgiveness from Sallie Mae for the origination fees of over $250. This saves you $386 on a $5,000 student loans and up to $7,095 on $60,000 student loans.

Almost every state has state-guaranteed student loans with interest rates around 8% for undergraduates and $5,000 for graduates. Apply to banks administering state programs. The individual college financial aid officer has the final say.

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