Dealing with Student Debt in America - Federal Student Loan Consolidation and Other Tales

Philip Jones, a graduate of Rutgers University had experienced trouble with the repayment of his loans. According to Jones: nn“My wallet was being pulled in too many directions; I was trying to pay for a house, a wedding, and a honeymoon within a six-month period.” nnAfter remedying his situation (by asking for debt forbearance), he had an easier time of it: “I didn't have to make a payment for six months, so that money went toward the wedding and honeymoon. It's easing the financial stress.”nnnHeard it Before? nnJones’s story is not uncommon. In fact, this is the reason why people apply for federal student loan consolidation. Consolidation allows people to combine all existing educational loans into a single loan that that can be paid on a monthly basis. Bills and calls will cease, and monthly incomes can be controlled more. nnA federal student loan consolidation can be used to end financial worries. According to the rules of federal government, there are is no “maximum” number of loans that can be applied for consolidation. It is also possible for an individual to ask for consolidation for a single loan, so that loan’s grace period can be extended to fit the financial situation of the person. nnnComputing Interest nnIt’s easy to determine the interest rate for a federal student loan consolidation. It is the weighted average interest-rate of all loans that have been submitted for consolidation. As a rule of thumb, the interest rate of a federal consolidation will not go beyond 8.25%. If it does you’re not dealing with federal consolidation. You’re dealing with a private consolidation company masquerading as being part of the federal government. nnnReductionsnnAnother interesting fact about federal student loan consolidation is you can ask about interest rate reductions. The basic function of a debt negotiation or a debt consolidation is to reduce the monthly pay-out. It is very possible to reduce your current interest rate by .6%, if you can pay within the given and pre-approved grace period. nnFor automatic debit payments, you can be assured of an interest rate reduction of about .25%. This encourages individuals to create separate accounts for the purpose of repaying debt. This also fosters a more genuine attitude for repaying debt. nnnOn repaying DebtnnAccording to Erin Korsvall, a spokesperson for Sallie Mae: nn“There are a number of different repayment options to help you manage your monthly payments. Each situation would apply for borrowers who are in a position where they need to minimize their monthly payments.” nn“Perhaps they are a recent graduate who has just entered the work force. Make sure they (lenders) have your current address. You don't want to miss the bills. Pay on time as well. Sallie Mae offers an interest rate discount when you pay on time. There are no pre-payment penalties.”nnIf you are unable to repay any kind of debt for a particular month, make sure that you alert the lending institution. Do this and you’ll be able to avoid default and complicated lawsuits from lending institutions. There are laws in place that protect consumers as well as lenders from non-repayment of debts.