Handling Student Loan Debt With Ease

By Freida Michael


Changing financial fortunes and additional responsibilities is likely to make the repayment of student debts a challenge. The difficulty persists even after attempting to defer repayment as well as taking advantage of forbearance. The consequences of defaulting are too grave to consider. It is time to think about student loan debt management and adjustment programs under the management of federal government.

Among the basic repayment and management options is an extension on the standard 120 months or ten years period. The extensions or other adjustments are usually based on your earnings. It is possible to find reprieve if you have gone back to school or are earning a significantly low income.

A person who has recently taken another education loan is eligible for Pay As You Earn. This program limits your repayment installments to 10 percent of your disposable income. If there is a balance even after making the required number of repayments, you qualify for federal forgiveness that wipes off the balance. You will need to make 120 payments to qualify for forgiveness. This provides financial relief beyond ensuring that you have more money at your disposal.

To benefit from Pay As You Earn/PAYE, you must show evidence of financial difficulty. Beyond that, you must have received your first federal loan on or any date after October 1st 2007. PAYE is only available to those who have either Federal Direct or Direct Consolidation loans as of 1st October 2011. This is enough evidence that you are facing difficulty paying and are ready to wipe out the debt.

Education debts can be managed easily through the Income Based Repayment Plan. This is a program originated and managed by the federal government. Under the program, your monthly repayment cannot go beyond 15 percent of your disposable income. At the end of the agreed repayment period, which is 120, 240 or 300 installments, the balance is forgiven.

Qualification for Income Based Repayment depends on your special circumstances. Your income and number of dependents reduces the amount you pay which is obviously lower than payments under the standard ten years plan. The amount is also compared to your income after adjustment based on family size. A higher debt ratio will increase your eligibility for the plan.

The size of family and disposable income that will be available to them determine your terms for Income Based Repayment plan instead of interest rate. The maximum will be set at either 10 or 15 percent of the discretionary income. Forgiveness of the debt is only instituted once you make all repayments within the stipulated time.

Defaulting on student loans comes with grave consequences that would better be avoided. You will be considered to have defaulted if you fail to make payments over a 270 days period. There are lenient repayment plans that can help you avoid penalties and default.

Easy management and repayment plans include Pay As You Earn, Standard Payment Plan, Income Based Payment, Contingent Payment Plan, Extended Payment and Guaranteed Payment plan. There are experts who understand these plans better and will assist you to choose the best for you. You enjoy financial relief through the adjustment plans instead of defaulting.




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