Sunday, November 30, 2008

Ten Loan Consolidation Questions All Students Must Ask!

By David T. Lightcomb

When it comes time to choose one of the many student loan consolidation companies, all of the colleges in the world can't teach you how to deal with it. But you can deal with it by asking questions.

The good news however, is that you can simply by asking some questions. Here are 10 questions every student should ask:

1 - Why do you want to consolidate your student loans? The most common reasons for student loan consolidation are (1) to reduce the dollar amount of monthly payments, and (2) to ease repayment by turning many loans into one.

2 - When is the best time to consolidate your loans? When you either need lower monthly payments or are stressed by the multiple monthly payments of your current loans.

3 - Am I eligible for student loan consolidation? Once you have graduated from college, your student loans will enter a grace period. This is generally when you will apply for your consolidation loan.

4 - Is there any incentive for me to go ahead with an application? There most certainly is. In most cases, companies have various schemes in place in order to attract clients as well as offering their clients special bonuses in return for their loyalty.

5 - Does this lender have experience with student loan consolidation? Choosing one of the reputable student loan consolidation companies is essential to your peace of mind.

6 - Will my loan be serviced? You really need to be on your guard here because there some lenders who are in fact, only brokers. In this case, they'll simply sell your loan on at a later stage for a profit. Make sure you determine this before putting your signature on that dotted line.

7 - What type of loan am I getting? Make sure you consolidate your federal student loans with federal consolidation loans so you won't lose any of the benefits the federal government provides.

8 - What are the terms of my student loan consolidation? Don't agree to or sign anything you don't understand. You are borrowing a boatload of money and will be repaying it for years to come. Make sure you know the details.

9 - What features does the lender offer? Some lenders offer features to make loan repayment easier and more convenient, like online applications and account access.

10 - What if I can't make payments? Most importantly, determine this when making your application as one never knows what the future holds in store. However, most companies will have some form of service available to deal with such tragedies such as loan repayment insurance, etc.

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