The burden of student loan debt is crushing many recently graduated students. It is not uncommon for some to have acquired more than $100,000 in both federal and private loans. Due to the recent financial crisis many banks holding private student loans with high interest rates are unwilling to do consolidation loans at lower rates. In fact many banks have completely abandoned all student loan programs and only service existing loans.
Never the less if you are like most college and university students you continue to look for good student loans consolidation advice that will help you reduce your burden. The media is reporting that both the current administration and congress are seeking ways to help students solve their student loan debt problems but with the current budget crisis it is unlikely their will be meaningful debt relief.
Right now with student loan debt is at record levels and with most jobs paying low wages when you can find a good one in your field of study. You are in desperate need of student loan consolidation that will help you immediately.
If you have federal student loans even those that you received from private lenders or through a broker you can apply for a loan consolidation through a program called the Federal Direct Student Loan Consolidation Program. At this time you cannot merge your private loans into this program. Interest rates are very good at this time.
However if you have private student loans consolidating them can be tough following the recent financial crisis. With the exception of a few financial institutions private banks have gotten out of the student loan business. At this moment only Wells Fargo, Chase, Student Loan Network and NextStudent are writing student loans and allowing student loan consolidation. In addition there some regional banks that will do a student loan consolidation. Frankly you will need a good FICO credit score and a secure job to have a good chance at getting a consolidation loan at a low rate. It is going to be tough.
On the bright side interest rates are at record lows from just a few years ago. If you cannot qualify for a student loan consolidation from one of the listed above institutions a great piece of student loan consolidation advice is to apply for a personal loan. Due to current low interest rates a personal loan rate may actually be lower than the interest you are paying on your student loans. Normally this type of loan requires you to have steady employment for at least a year and not already have a lot of credit card debt or other personal debt.
When negotiating for a student loan consolidation or even a personal loan you will find that your interest rate will not be locked in. These variable rate loans can be a good deal at least for the short term. It is important to know what the interest rate cap is on your loan or you could find yourself with a rate that is higher than your current student loan rate. These variable rates change in response to changes in the economy. Remember interest rates on personal loans can rise suddenly because of a single late or missed payment.
Consolidating your student loans makes a lot of sense and can be critical during these tough economic times. Taking several student loan payments and lumping them into one or two will increase your monthly cash flow and eventually help you pay the loan off sooner.
The best student loan consolidation advice I can give you is for you to do your research and compare each loan consolidation option carefully before you sign your name on any loan contract.