While included in the term "financial aid" higher education loans differ from scholarships and grants in that they must be paid back. They come in several varieties in the United States:
• Federal student loans made to students directly: No payments while enrolled in at least half time status. If a student drops below half time status, the account will go into its 6 month grace period. If the student re-enrolls in at least half time status, the loans will be deferred, but when they drop below half time again they will no longer have their grace period. Amounts are quite limited as well.
• Federal student loans made to parents: Much higher limit, but payments start immediately
• Private student loans made to students or parents: Higher limits and no payments until after graduation, although interest will start to accrue immediately. Private loans may be used for any education related expenses such as tuition, room and board, books, computers, and past due balances. Private loans can also be used to supplement federal student loans, when federal loans, grants and other forms of financial aid are not sufficient to cover the full cost of higher education.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Federal loans to students
See Federal Perkins Loan, Stafford loan, Federal Family Education Loans, Ford Direct Student Loans, and Federal student loan consolidation
Federal student loans in the United States are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act as amended.
The first type are loans made directly to the student. These loans are available to college and university students and are used to supplement personal and family resources, scholarships, grants, and work-study. They may be subsidized by the U.S. Government or may be unsubsidized depending on the student's financial need.
Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education either directly or through guarantee agencies. Nearly all students are eligible to receive them (regardless of credit score or other financial issues). Both types offer a grace period of six months, which means that no payments are due until six months after graduation or three months after the borrower becomes a less-than-full-time student without graduating. Both types have a fairly modest annual limit. The limit in January 2007 is $2,625 per year for freshman undergraduate students, $3,500 for sophomore undergraduates, and $5,500 per year for junior and senior undergraduate students. Starting in July 2007, the limits will be raised to $3,500 for freshman undergraduate students and $4,500 for sophomore undergraduates. Junior and senior undergraduate student limits will remain the same at $5,500 per year.
Subsidized federal student loans are offered to students with a demonstrated financial need: generally requiring a low family income. For these loans, the federal government makes interest payments while the student is in college. For example, those who borrow $10,000 during college will owe $10,000 upon graduation.
Unsubsidized federal student loans are also guaranteed by the U.S. Government, but the government does not pay interest for the student, rather the interest accrues during college. Those who borrow $10,000 during college will owe $10,000 plus interest upon graduation. For example, those who have borrowed $10,000 and had $2,000 accrue in interest will owe $12,000. Interest will begin accruing on the $12,000. The accrued interest will be "capitalized" into the loan amount, and the borrower will begin making payments on the accumulated total. Students can choose to pay the interest while still in college.
Federal student loans for students of medicine have higher limits: $8,500 for subsidized Stafford and $30,000 maximum for unsubsidized Stafford. Many students also take advantage of the unsubsidized Perkins Loan. For graduate students the limit for Perkins is $6,000 per year.
Federal student loans in the United States are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act as amended.
The first type are loans made directly to the student. These loans are available to college and university students and are used to supplement personal and family resources, scholarships, grants, and work-study. They may be subsidized by the U.S. Government or may be unsubsidized depending on the student's financial need.
Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education either directly or through guarantee agencies. Nearly all students are eligible to receive them (regardless of credit score or other financial issues). Both types offer a grace period of six months, which means that no payments are due until six months after graduation or three months after the borrower becomes a less-than-full-time student without graduating. Both types have a fairly modest annual limit. The limit in January 2007 is $2,625 per year for freshman undergraduate students, $3,500 for sophomore undergraduates, and $5,500 per year for junior and senior undergraduate students. Starting in July 2007, the limits will be raised to $3,500 for freshman undergraduate students and $4,500 for sophomore undergraduates. Junior and senior undergraduate student limits will remain the same at $5,500 per year.
Subsidized federal student loans are offered to students with a demonstrated financial need: generally requiring a low family income. For these loans, the federal government makes interest payments while the student is in college. For example, those who borrow $10,000 during college will owe $10,000 upon graduation.
Unsubsidized federal student loans are also guaranteed by the U.S. Government, but the government does not pay interest for the student, rather the interest accrues during college. Those who borrow $10,000 during college will owe $10,000 plus interest upon graduation. For example, those who have borrowed $10,000 and had $2,000 accrue in interest will owe $12,000. Interest will begin accruing on the $12,000. The accrued interest will be "capitalized" into the loan amount, and the borrower will begin making payments on the accumulated total. Students can choose to pay the interest while still in college.
Federal student loans for students of medicine have higher limits: $8,500 for subsidized Stafford and $30,000 maximum for unsubsidized Stafford. Many students also take advantage of the unsubsidized Perkins Loan. For graduate students the limit for Perkins is $6,000 per year.
Federal student loans to parents
See PLUS loan
Usually these are PLUS loans (formerly standing for "Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students"). Unlike loans made to students, parents can borrow much more — usually enough to cover any gap in the cost of education. However, there is no grace period: Payments start immediately.
Parents should be aware that THEY are responsible for repayment on these loans, not the student. This is not a 'cosigner' loan with the student having equal accountability. The parents have signed the master promissory note to pay and, if they do not do so, it is their credit rating that suffers. Also, parents are advised to consider "year 4" payments, rather than "year 1" payments. What sounds like a "manageable" debt load of $200 a month in freshman year can mushroom to a much more daunting $800 a month by the time four years have been funded through loans. The combination of immediate repayment and the ability to borrow substantial sums can be expensive.
Under new legislation, graduate students are eligible to receive PLUS loans in their own names for. These Graduate PLUS loans have the same interest rates and terms of Parent PLUS loans.
Parents should also be aware that legislation raised the interest rate on these loans significantly — to 8.5% on July 1, 2006.
Usually these are PLUS loans (formerly standing for "Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students"). Unlike loans made to students, parents can borrow much more — usually enough to cover any gap in the cost of education. However, there is no grace period: Payments start immediately.
Parents should be aware that THEY are responsible for repayment on these loans, not the student. This is not a 'cosigner' loan with the student having equal accountability. The parents have signed the master promissory note to pay and, if they do not do so, it is their credit rating that suffers. Also, parents are advised to consider "year 4" payments, rather than "year 1" payments. What sounds like a "manageable" debt load of $200 a month in freshman year can mushroom to a much more daunting $800 a month by the time four years have been funded through loans. The combination of immediate repayment and the ability to borrow substantial sums can be expensive.
Under new legislation, graduate students are eligible to receive PLUS loans in their own names for. These Graduate PLUS loans have the same interest rates and terms of Parent PLUS loans.
Parents should also be aware that legislation raised the interest rate on these loans significantly — to 8.5% on July 1, 2006.
Disbursement: How the money gets to student or school
There are two distribution channels for federal student loans. The channels are identified by their names: Federal Direct Student Loans and Federal Family Education Loans. Federal Direct Student Loans, also known as Direct Loans or FDLP loans, are funded from public capital originating with the U.S. Treasury. FDLP loans are distributed through a channel that begins with the U.S. Treasury Department and from there passes through the U.S. Department of Education, then to the college or university and then to the student. Federal Family Education Loan Program loans, also known as FFEL loans or FFELP loans, are funded with private capital provided by banking institutions (i.e., banks, savings and loans, and credit unions). Because the FFELP loans use private capital as their source, students who use FFELP loans are able to take advantage of payment options that are similar to those available to customers who take out a home loan or a consumer loan. For example, some institutions will allow a discount for automatic payments or a series of on-time payments. In 2005, approximately two-thirds of all federally subsidized student loans were FFELP.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 6,000 colleges, universities, and technical schools participate in FFELP, which represents about 80% of all schools. FFELP lending represents 75% of all federal student loan volume.
The maximum amount that any student can borrow is adjusted from time to time as federal policies change. A study published in the winter 1996 edition of the Journal of Student Financial Aid, “How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?” suggested that the monthly student debt payment for the average undergraduate should not exceed 8% of total monthly income after graduation. Some financial aid advisers have referred to the 8% level as “the 8% rule.” Circumstances vary for individuals, so the 8% level is an indicator, not a rule set in stone. A research report about the 8% level is available on the internet at [1] Follow links to --> Reports and presentations --> How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?
According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 6,000 colleges, universities, and technical schools participate in FFELP, which represents about 80% of all schools. FFELP lending represents 75% of all federal student loan volume.
The maximum amount that any student can borrow is adjusted from time to time as federal policies change. A study published in the winter 1996 edition of the Journal of Student Financial Aid, “How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?” suggested that the monthly student debt payment for the average undergraduate should not exceed 8% of total monthly income after graduation. Some financial aid advisers have referred to the 8% level as “the 8% rule.” Circumstances vary for individuals, so the 8% level is an indicator, not a rule set in stone. A research report about the 8% level is available on the internet at [1] Follow links to --> Reports and presentations --> How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?
PRIVATE STUDENT LOANS
These are loans that are not guaranteed by a government agency and are made to students by banks or finance companies. Advocates of private student loans suggest that they combine the best elements of the different government loans into one: They generally offer higher loan limits than direct-to-student federal loans, ensuring the student is not left with a budget gap. But unlike to-the-parent government loans, they generally offer a grace period with no payments due until after graduation. This grace period ranges as high as 12 months after graduation, though most private lenders offer six months.
Private student loan types
Private loans generally come in two types: school-channel and direct-to-consumer.
School-channel loans offer borrowers lower interest rates but generally take longer to process. School-channel loans are 'certified' by the school, which means the school signs off on the borrowing amount, and the funds for school-channel loans are disbursed directly to the school.
Direct-to-consumer private loans are not certified by the school; schools don't interact with a direct-to-consumer private loan at all. The student simply supplies enrollment verification to the lender, and the loan proceeds are disbursed directly to the student. While direct-to-consumer loans generally carry higher interest rates than school-channel loans, they do allow families to get access to funds very quickly — in some cases, in a matter of days. Some argue that this convenience is offset by the risk of student over-borrowing and/or use of funds for inappropriate purposes, since there is no third-party certification that the amount of the loan is appropriate for the education finance needs of the student in question.
Direct-to-consumer private loans are the fastest growing segment of education finance and, as such, a number of providers are introducing products. Loan providers range from large education finance companies to specialty companies that focus exclusively on this niche. Such loans will often be distinguished by the indication that "no FAFSA is required" or "Funds disbursed directly to you."
School-channel loans offer borrowers lower interest rates but generally take longer to process. School-channel loans are 'certified' by the school, which means the school signs off on the borrowing amount, and the funds for school-channel loans are disbursed directly to the school.
Direct-to-consumer private loans are not certified by the school; schools don't interact with a direct-to-consumer private loan at all. The student simply supplies enrollment verification to the lender, and the loan proceeds are disbursed directly to the student. While direct-to-consumer loans generally carry higher interest rates than school-channel loans, they do allow families to get access to funds very quickly — in some cases, in a matter of days. Some argue that this convenience is offset by the risk of student over-borrowing and/or use of funds for inappropriate purposes, since there is no third-party certification that the amount of the loan is appropriate for the education finance needs of the student in question.
Direct-to-consumer private loans are the fastest growing segment of education finance and, as such, a number of providers are introducing products. Loan providers range from large education finance companies to specialty companies that focus exclusively on this niche. Such loans will often be distinguished by the indication that "no FAFSA is required" or "Funds disbursed directly to you."
Accidental Loss
The event that constitutes the trigger of a claim should be fortuitous, or at least outside the control of the beneficiary of the insurance. The loss should be ‘pure,’ in the sense that it results from an event for which there is only the opportunity for cost. Events that contain speculative elements, such as ordinary business risks, are generally not considered insurable.Large Loss. The size of the loss must be meaningful from the perspective of the insured. Insurance premiums need to cover both the expected cost of losses, plus the cost of issuing and administering the policy, adjusting losses, and supplying the capital needed to reasonably assure that the insurer will be able to pay claims. For small losses these latter costs may be several times the size of the expected cost of losses. There is little point in paying such costs unless the protection offered has real value to a buyer.Affordable Premium. If the likelihood of an insured event is so high, or the cost of the event so large, that the resulting premium is large relative to the amount of protection offered, it is not likely that anyone will buy insurance, even if on offer. Further, as the accounting profession formally recognizes in financial accounting standards (See FAS 113 for example), the premium cannot be so large that there is not a reasonable chance of a significant loss to the insurer. If there is no such chance of loss, the transaction may have the form of insurance, but not the substance.Calculable Loss. There are two elements that must be at least estimatable, if not formally calculable: the probability of loss, and the attendant cost. Probability of loss is generally an empirical exercise, while cost has more to do with the ability of a reasonable person in possession of a copy of the insurance policy and a proof of loss associated with a claim presented under that policy to make a reasonably definite and objective evaluation of the amount of the loss recoverable as a result of the claim.Limited risk of catastrophically large losses. The essential risk is often aggregation. If the same event can cause losses to numerous policyholders of the same insurer, the ability of that insurer to issue policies becomes constrained, not by factors surrounding the individual characteristics of a given policyholder, but by the factors surrounding the sum of all policyholders so exposed. Typically, insurers prefer to limit their exposure to a loss from a single event to some small portion of their capital base, on the order of 5%. Where the loss can be aggregated, or an individual policy could produce exceptionally large claims, the capital constraint will restrict an insurers appetite for additional policyholders. The classic example is earthquake insurance, where the ability of an underwriter to issue a new policy depends on the number and size of the policies that it has already underwritten. Wind insurance in hurricane zones, particularly along coast lines, is another example of this phenomenon. In extreme cases, the aggregation can effect the entire industry, since the combined capital of insurers and reinsurers can be small compared to the needs of potential policyholders in areas exposed to aggregation risk. In commercial fire insurance it is possible to find single properties whose total exposed value is well in excess of any individual insurer’s capital constraint. Such properties are generally shared among several insurers, or are insured by a single insurer who syndicates the risk into the reinsurance market.Regulation of insurance agenciesThe origins of insurance policies in general differs through various countries, limited policies (particularly against damage to homes) can be traced to the 17th and 18th centuries, though establishment of newer policies (such as health insurance and car insurance) did not come until the 20th century. However, regulation on the insurance industry via law began in the 1940s in the United States, through several supreme court rulings. The first ruling on insurance had taken place in 1868 (in the Paul v. Virginia ruling), with the supreme court ruling that insurance policy contracts were not in themselves commercial contracts. This stance did not change until 1944 (in the United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Association ruling), when the Supreme court upheld a ruling stating that policies were commercial, and thus were regulatable as other similar contracts were.Nowadays, many countries - and states in the United States - regulate insurance companies through laws, guidelines and independent commisions and regulatory bodies. These laws and statutes ensure that the policy holder is protected against bad faith claims on the insurers part, that premiums are not unduly high (or fixed), and that contracts and policies issued meet a minimum standard.A bad faith action may constitute several possibilities; the insurer denies a claim which is seemingly valid in the contract or policy, the insurer refuses to pay out for an unreasonable amount of time, the insurer lays the burden of proof on the insured - often in the case where the claim is unprovable. Other issues of insurance law may arise when price fixing occurs between insurers, creating an unfair competitive environment for consumers. A notable example of this is where Zurich Financial Services - along with several other insurers - inflated policy prices in an anti-competitive fashion. If an insurer is found to be guilty of fraud or deception, they can be fined either by regulatory bodies, or in a lawsuit by the insured or surrounding party. In more severe cases, or if the party has had a series of complaints or rulings, the insurers license may be revoked or suspended.In the case that an insurer declares bankruptcy, many countries operate independent services and regulation to ensure as little financial hardship is incurred as possible (National Association of Insurance Commissioners operates such a service in the United States).
Friday, July 13, 2007
STUDENT LOAN NEWS
A lot of students need to get student loans in order to complete their education. However, student loans can be a huge financial burden to most people, with high interest rates. Here's where a student loan consolidation can help.Essentially, a student loan consolidation gives you a longer period of time (as long as 30 years) to repay your student loans. Usually the interest rates are much lower since a student loan consolidation takes into average all the student loans you are currently paying.The interest rate for a student loan consolidation is usually fixed and according to federal law, cannot be higher than 8.25 percent.Though there are many benefits to having a student loan consolidation, many students are confused since there are such a wide variety of consolidation loans available from the government or private sectors.Before applying for any student loan consolidation, a student has to do some research in determining which student consolidation loan is suitable for him/her.Here are some pointers which you can take into consideration before taking out a student loan consolidation:1. Credit RatingIt is important to know your credit score since it is a major factor in determining whether you get the student consolidation loan. If your rating is over 660, then you should not have any problems getting a loan. If however your credit rating is less than 600, you might want to evaluate ways to improve your credit score first.Your credit rating will also determine the interest rate you have to pay for your consolidation loan. The higher the credit score, the lower the interest rate.2. Interest RateEven though you can get lower interest rate with a student consolidation loan, the repayment period is usually longer. In the long run, you actually pay more for your loans. My advise would be to research for lenders who can allow you to upgrade your payment when you can afford it. For example, you may not be able to repay much when you are still a student, but once you have a job and have a regular income, it will be best to clear the loan as soon as possible.3. Income minus ExpensesYou need to evaluate your current income minus your expenses to determine your net income surplus each month. Analysis your expenses to see if you can reduce or eliminate any.Make sure to do your research before taking out a student loan consolidation since you got only one chance at it. It is not easy to cancel it once you have signed the loan papers.Are you sick of paying interest on your monthly student loans with no end in sight? Afraid of cash-flow problems that may prevent you from paying your student loans on time? I know I was and there is a solution to this problem. It is called student loan consolidation.What is Student Loan Consolidation?Student loan consolidation simply means consolidating all your student loans into a single loan with a monthly payment plan. Effectively, all your previous student loans are written off and a new student loan is created which you have to pay off monthly.Benefits of Student Loan ConsolidationHere are some of the benefits of student loan consolidation1. Lower monthly paymentsBy consolidating all your student loans into one loan, you only need to pay off one loan monthly instead of several student loans monthly. Thus, your monthly payment is lower2. Pay only one loan monthly instead of several student loans monthlyIt is a lot easier if you have to manage only one student loan instead of several student loans with different payment deadlines. Also, sometimes with many student loans, you may ended up forgetting to pay one student loan.3. Low, fixed interest rateBy consolidating your student loans, you will be able to take advantages of low, fixed interest rates. Currently, by law, student loan consolidation rates cannot exceed 8.25%. Furthermore, national interest rates are at a 40-year low therefore this is a good time to get one.4. No credit card check or processing feesNo credit card check is required during the application of a student loan consolidation. The payment plans and terms are usually quite flexible in that they can customize it according to your financial standing.5. Make monthly student loan payment electronicallyWhile it is not necessary to make payment electronically, most lenders will knock 0.25% off your student loan rates if you make payment electronically. Also, using direct debit from your bank account will prevent you from forgetting to make a payment.Sometimes it can get quite confusing as to the qualification of applying for a student loan consolidation. The official stand from the government is that students who are still in their grace period or who are still studying in school may qualify for government student loan consolidationThe government student loan consolidation nowadays are quite competitive compared to private sector, therefore I would recommend going for a government student loan consolidation. With so many benefits of getting a student loan consolidation, it is quite obvious to save money in the long run is to get one.
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