Any Stafford, Grad PLUS, or Consolidation loan made under the Direct Loan or FFEL program is eligible for repayment under the Income Based Repayment Plan – except loans that are currently in default, parent PLUS Loans, or consolidation loans that paid for a parent PLUS loan. Income Based Repayment Plans can pay for new or old loans from your undergraduate, graduate, or professional education or job training.

If you qualify for a IBR Plan, your required monthly payment is capped at an amount that is intended to be affordable based on your income and family size. It will be less than what you would have to pay under a 10-year Standard Repayment Plan.

President Obama’s new student loan proposal states that the cap on federal student loan payments will be lowered from 15 to 10 percent of income, and will forgive any remaining debt after 20 years of payments, rather than the current 25 years.

Benefits of the Income Based Repayment Plan:

• The IBR Plans makes your monthly student loans payments more affordable.
• If your IBR payment amount doesn’t cover the interest that accumulates on your loans each month, the government will pay for any unpaid accrued interest on your loan for up to 3 consecutive years (from the date you begin repaying your loans under the IBR Plan).
• If you repay your loan under an IBR Plan, and meet certain other requirements, any remaining loan balance you owe will be canceled after 20 years.
• Loan payments made under a IBR Plan count towards the 120 payments required for the Direct Loan Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

For more information, and to see if you qualify for a Income Based Repayment Plan, please visit the StudentAid.ED.gov website.

Hit with the real cost of college

Although her college plans didn’t turn exactly as she had hoped, Amanda’s financial situation will feel familiar to many students and her description of her experience in navigating student loans, and her hard-won advice, will benefit all readers—whether you’re a new high school graduate or a nontraditional student returning to school. For an introduction on college planning, take a look at this student’s thoughts about what she learned during her college selection and application process.

Top tips: What to find out from the school(s) you’re considering and how early to start planning how you’ll pay for college.

Until then, we have time for one more laugh to help us say good riddance to a pretty bad financial year. For a (somewhat painfully) funny look at the credit card industry, take a look at “Card Reform in Action,” a video by political cartoonist Mark Fiore and hosted on the website of the Center for Responsible Lending:

To get a jump start on increasing your financial literacy, read the latest on what to look out for in your credit card agreement fine print: Dodging Reform: As Some Credit Card Abuses Are Outlawed, New Ones Proliferate. New laws may be helpful, but ultimately, responsible borrowing, whether for college, a house, or a wide-screen HDTV, will be up to us, the borrowers.

A week ago, Congress approved a proposal to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. The new CFPA is designed to monitor financial transactions not covered by the Truth in Lending Act — including private student loans, which are currently unregulated. If the CFPA proposal eventually becomes law, the Agency will have the authority to establish and enforce rules for private student loans.

Also, a new credit card law goes fully into effect in two months (February 22, 2010). These new rules ban or restrict unfair fees, require more transparency about credit card costs, and help consumers make more informed decisions about which credit cards they acquire and how they use them.

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act:

• Requires “Plain Language in Plain Sight” explanations of both account and contract terms before consumers open an account and the activity on consumers’ accounts after the account is opened. (For example, customers must be told before they open a credit card account what fees they may be charged. Then, after the account is open, credit card statements must conspicuously display fees the consumer paid both in the current month and over the year-to-date, along with the reasons for those fees.)
• Bans unfair interest rate increases
• Bans retroactive interest rate increases for arbitrary reasons and restricts retroactive rate increases due to late payment
• Offers first year protection: Contract terms must be clearly spelled out, and they can’t be changed at all during the whole first year
• Bans late fee traps such as a too-short payment deadline, weekend deadlines, deadlines that change each month, and deadlines that fall in the middle of the day
• Requires over-payments be applied to the balance with the highest interest rate first, and bans interest charges on debt paid on time ( “double-cycle” billing)
• Requires transparency about over-the-limit fees by requiring the customer’s permission before processing any transaction that would push the account over the credit limit
• Restricts unfair sub-prime and low-limit card fees
• Limits fees on Gift Cards and Stored Value Cards and requires more transparency in the disclosure about fees
• Requires consumers under the age of 21 to provide the signature of a parent, guardian, or other individual 21 years or older who will take responsibility for the debt, or proof that the applicant has an independent means of repaying the debt
• Requires a periodic review of all interest rate increases since January 2009 and requires rate reductions when a review indicates that a reduction is warranted
• Requires the inclusion of real information about the financial consequences of decisions, including periodic statements that clearly display how long it will take to pay off the existing balance (and the total interest cost) if the consumer pays only the minimum amount due VS. the payment amount and the total interest cost if the existing balance was paid off in 36 months.

The Credit CARD Act also mandates stricter safeguards for college students and young adults, who are particularly vulnerable to sales gimmicks and traps in the fine print.

• Credit card issuers and universities will be required to be very clear about any agreements they have regarding the marketing or distribution of credit cards to college students and young adults.
• Credit card issuers and regulators will be held accountable for failure to abide by the new rules, including increased penalties for repeat violators.

Financial literacy is going to be a hot topic in 2010. Visit EducationGrant.com often for updates on new student loan regulations, credit card rules, and changes to the federal financial aid process.

“Surviving Student Loans and College Debt,” a video from U.S. News & World Report, offers 3 tips for minimizing your student loan debt and provides examples of TV commercials advertising expensive private loans:

The Federal Trade Commission also has tips on avoiding risky loan offers and minimizing student loan debt. Click on the title to download the 4-page “FTC Guide To Avoiding Deceptive Student Loan Offers” PDF.

Unsubsidized Stafford loans are a good deal for undergraduate students whose incomes are too high to qualify for subsidized Stafford loans. The maximum loan amounts may not seem like much, but may in fact cover all or almost all your college costs if you attend an in-state public university or community college.

Annual Stafford loan limits for dependent students are:

• $5,500 for your first year of school (no more than $3,500 subsidized)
• $6,500 for your second year (no more than $4,500 subsidized)
• $7,500 for your third year (no more than $5,500 subsidized)
• $7,500 for your fourth year (no more than $5,500 subsidized)

Annual Stafford loan limits for independent students are:

• $9,500 for your first year of school (no more than $3,500 subsidized)
• $10,500 for your second year (no more than $4,500 subsidized)
• $12,500 for your third year (no more than $5,500 subsidized)
• $12,500 for your fourth year (no more than $5,500 subsidized)

2 Federal Loan Methods: Direct Loan Program vs. Bank-based FFELP

Unsubsidized Stafford loans are currently offered through two federal loan programs, the Direct Loan Program and the bank-based Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The loan funds for the Direct Loan program are supplied by the U.S. Treasury. Loan funds for the FFELP are supplied by private financial institutions, who get subsidies from the government for making their money available for federal student loans at interest rates and fees set by the government. There’s a good chance the FFELP will be shut down some time next year, however, because the Obama administration believes the Direct Loan program is more cost-efficient.

The Student Loan Market

The administration’s decision to stop the subsidies to private lenders and offer federal loans solely via the Direct Loan program has caused a lot of unhappiness among the financial institutions and financial aid administrators who benefited from the FFEL program. If you read any news stories about their protests, you’ll see complaints about how the federal government is trying to “drive private lenders out of the student loan market” and how the “lack of free market competition” caused by the government’s soon-to-be “monopoly” on student loans will deprive students and families of student loan choice.

But the truth is, the federal government providing federal student loans through the Direct Loan program doesn’t have anything to do with the availability of private (or, alternative) student loans. There is nothing in the FFELP shut-down plan that says that private lenders will be barred from offering their own student loans. Nothing that says college students MUST take out federal student loans and are not allowed to take out private student loans if they wish to. Nothing that says private lenders cannot continue to offer student loans from the private sector, just like they already do.

If the new Direct Loan plan goes into effect, federal loan money will come from a federal source and private loan money will come from private sources, and the two will compete for student loan business. No one is forcing private lenders out of the student loan market— they will still be able to offer all the student loans they want. Just not through the government’s program.

Public-Sector/Private-Sector Competition Benefits the Student:
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans vs. Commercial Lender Student Loans

In fact, the only impact the elimination of FFELP may have on private lenders (assuming they want to stay in the student loan market) is to motivate them to lower their interest rates and fees and increase their borrower rights and protections in order to be competitive with the federal Direct Loan program. Private lenders could even undercut the federal loan program by offering even lower interest rates and fees and even better borrower rights and protections than the federal government does. Then everyone will want a private loan instead of a federal loan.

It remains to be seen if the Obama administration has the right idea about offering only Direct Loans, but the hype about private lenders being driven out of the student loan market is misleading. In the meantime, until private lenders are willing to be more competitive, the fixed 6.8% interest rate, no credit check, and no loan payments until after graduation make unsubsidized Stafford loans the best student loan deal around.

Carolyn Bigda of the Chicago Tribune Online provided a good overview, and some tips, on consolidating private student loans in her Your Money column last month:

Student loan consolidation makes sense, but federal, private debt has different rules

By the way, although consolidating private loans into a federal consolidation loan is not allowable, it sounds as though some students have consolidated, or tried to consolidate, their federal student loans into a private consolidation loan. The Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project at the National Consumer Law Center strongly advises students against doing this:

“WARNING: It is very dangerous to consolidate federal loans into a private consolidation loan. You will lose your rights under the federal loan programs once you choose to consolidate with a private lender. These include deferment, forbearance, cancellation, and affordable repayment rights. Also, federal consolidation loans generally have lower interest rates.”

• For the past 4 years, approximately two-thirds of students graduating from four-year colleges have student loan debt upon graduation
• Nationwide, the average debt for graduating seniors with student loans rose to $23,200 in 2008, an increase of about 6%/year between 2004 and 2008
• At some colleges, average debt soared to as high as $106,000

The good news is that there are ways to minimize and control student loan debt and many personal finance experts who offer tips on how to do this. These tips for affording student loans are not new—just a little dusty from not having been used for a while.

Liz Pulliam Weston, a personal finance advisor at MSN Money, wrote a terrific article with tips for affording college and student loans:

How much college debt is too much?

Two years later, with the country in a deep recession, that question is even more important. In addition to a refresher course on understanding your personal finances and federal loans vs. private loans, Ms. Weston also provides recommendations for student loan limits based on the degree you plan to pursue.

If you’re starting to think about going back to school next year, now is a good time to familiarize yourself with tips for affording your student loans after you’ve graduated.

Single moms have many factors to balance when it comes to going back to school: scheduling, child care, transportation, time management, college tuition and fees, money for schoolbooks, and keeping children fed, clean, and rested while mothers work, study, or both. (Not sure how they do it all!) It won’t come as a surprise to any single mother that money, or the lack of it, is the biggest worry that most single moms deal with every day. So going back to school can feel like a Catch-22. To earn more money and make your family financially stable, it helps to have a quality college degree. But to get the college degree, you need money.

Even still, finding financial aid isn’t always the first necessity in ideas for single moms going back to school. Another important goal, especially in this bleak economy, is to NOT end up with a lifelong mountain of student loan debt after you’ve graduated.

Are you determined to get your college degree? Here are some ideas on how to get started:

1) Choose a realistic education goal. Are you going back to school so you can qualify for a particular job or change your career? What’s the average pay for the new career? (How about the pay for an entry-level worker?!) Will this industry still need workers once you’ve graduated?

2) Comparison-shop for the best accredited school and program for your needs. When considering schools, keep these factors in mind:

• Where is the school? Can you get to its campus easily by public transportation if you don’t have a car? How long is your commute?
• How much time on campus will the program require? Will you be able to get child care to cover the time you want to devote to your classes and schoolwork? (Besides federal financial aid, look for grants and scholarships that provide funding for child care and other living expenses.)
• Would an accredited online program work better for you?
• Is there an admissions representative at the school that can tell you about the program and what it will require from you?
• How much does the program cost? What fees are there in addition to tuition?
• Is there a financial aid officer who can walk you through the financial aid process? Does the school have education grants for single moms? (If not, maybe consider a different school.)

3) Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• This application opens the door to all federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants and low-cost student loans, as well as single mom education grants from individual schools and states.
• Federal and state financial aid can be used for any accredited higher education program registered with the U.S. Department of Education as a “Title IV” school. These include community colleges, state universities, and online programs in addition to traditional 4-year schools.
• You don’t need to be accepted or enrolled in a school before you submit your FAFSA. All you have to do is list the school(s) you’ve applied to. You’ll get a report back that tells you how much money you’ll be expected to contribute to your degree costs, and the school(s) will use that number to determine how much financial aid they can offer you. If you qualify for a Pell Grant, you’ll get one automatically.

4) Consider choosing the school that will allow you to graduate with the least amount of debt.

Single mothers do it all, and both the news and personal family histories are filled with countless stories of single moms whose children remember and honor them as role models and heroes. A college degree may be your ticket to the quality of life you want your children to have, but only if it doesn’t leave you worse off financially than you were before.

For more college planning details, see the earlier blog-post, How to Prepare for the FAFSA: 3 Pre-FAFSA Steps. You can also find more information about the FAFSA, scholarships for single moms, scholarships for women, adult learning scholarships, and low-cost student loans in earlier blog posts and the grants, loans, and scholarship pages in this site.

And if you have other tips and ideas for single moms going back to school, please share them here in the comments. The very best advisors for single moms are… other single moms!

One happy recipient of a generous financial aid donation is the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The Charles E. Schell Foundation awarded the University a $100,000 grant to be used for interest-free student loans. To be eligible, college students will need to be citizens of Ohio, Kentucky, or West Virginia (or some unspecified adjoining states), between the ages of 18 and 25, with a minimum 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

A little research on the Charles E. Schell Foundation shows that the Foundation has awarded many such grants to dozens of schools in the region, including Ivy Tech Community College, Midway College, Union College, Denison University, Oakland University, University of Evansville, and Shawnee State, to name just a few. If you’re a college student in this part of the country, you should check with your financial aid office about whether your school may have the same interest-free loan program. Clearly, the Charles E. Schell Foundation is a generous supporter of higher education.

And numerous news publications reported a new $200 million grant from investment bank Goldman Sachs to provide scholarships for business students at community colleges. The first school to get money for scholarships will be La Guardia Community College in Queens, New York, but the plan is to roll out business education scholarships to other local community colleges as well. Goldman Sachs also apologized for its contribution to the collapse of the economy a year ago, but said that the apology and its new scholarship program were not necessarily related. But The New York Times could not resist mentioning that Rolling Stone Magazine has referred to Goldman Sachs as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity,” so now, regretfully, I can’t resist either. The scholarships are a good idea, though.