Category Archives: Financial Aid, Student Loans and College Finances

4 Tips to Help 20-Somethings Manage Their Debt

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Debt can be a heavy burden on anyone, no matter what their age, but increasingly, young adults are starting out deeper in the hole. A recent report from credit-score provider FICO shows that student loan debt has climbed dramatically for those ages 18 to 29, with average debt rising by almost $5,000 over the course of five years.

The good news, though, is that young adults are taking steps to get their overall debt under control, reducing their balances on credit cards and their debt levels for mortgages, auto loans, and other types of debt. With 16% of 18 to 29-year-olds having no credit cards, young adults are getting the message that managing debt early on is essential to overall financial health.

With the goal of managing debt levels firmly in mind, let’s take a look at four things you should do to manage your debt prudently and successfully.

1. Get a Handle On What You Owe.

In managing debt, the first challenge is figuring out all of what you owe. By pulling a free copy of your credit report you’ll get a list of loans and credit card accounts that major credit bureaus think you have outstanding, along with contact information to track down any unexpected creditors that might appear on the list.

Once you know what you owe, you also have to know the terms of each loan. By making a list of amounts due, monthly or minimum payment obligations, rates, and other fees, you can prioritize your debt and get the most onerous loans paid down first. Usually, that’ll involve getting your credit card debt zeroed out, along with any high rate debt like private student loans before turning to lower rate debt like mortgages and government subsidized student loans. With your list in hand, you’ll know where to concentrate any extra cash that you can put toward paying down debt ahead of schedule.

2. Look for Ways to Establish a Strong Credit History.

Having too much debt is always a mistake, but going too far in the other direction can also hurt you financially. If you don’t use debt at all, then you run the risk of never building up a credit history, and that can make it much more difficult for you to get loans when you finally do want to borrow money. The better course is to use credit sparingly and wisely, perhaps with a credit card that you pay off every month and use only often enough to establish a payment record and solid credit score.

First Financial hosts free budgeting, credit management, and debt reduction seminars throughout the year, so be sure to check our online event calendar or subscribe to receive upcoming seminar alerts on your mobile phone by signing up here.*

3. Build Up Some Emergency Savings.

Diverting money away from paying down long term loans in order to create a rainy day emergency fund might sound counterintuitive in trying to manage your overall debt. But especially if your outstanding debt is of the relatively good variety — such as a low rate mortgage or government subsidized student loan debt — having an emergency fund is very useful in avoiding the need to put a surprise expense on a credit card. Once you have your credit cards paid down, keeping them paid off every month is the best way to handle debt, and an emergency fund will make it a lot easier to handle even substantial unanticipated costs without backsliding on your progress on the credit card front.

4. Get On a Budget.

Regardless of whether you have debt or how much you have, establishing a smart budget is the best way to keep your finances under control. By balancing your income against your expenses, you’ll know whether you have the flexibility to handle changes in spending patterns or whether you need to keep a firm grip on your spending. Moreover, budgeting will often reveal wasteful spending that will show you the best places to cut back on expenses, freeing up more money to put toward paying down debt and minimizing interest charges along the way.

Click here to view the article source, from The Daily Finance.

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College Saving Secrets

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These days, it’s probably a toss-up who’s more nervous about college: you or your child. Graduates leave school with an average of $26,600 in debt — but you don’t have to leverage your 401(k) if you want to contribute. All it takes is a little planning and help from your teen to cut costs and minimize loan payments.

Do Prep Work

Assess your retirement savings. Invest in yourself first: Start putting money into a 401(k) or Roth IRA before contributing to your child’s college bills. “You can’t take out a loan for your retirement,” says Carol Stack, coauthor of The Financial Aid Handbook. “And you don’t want to end up relying on your kids to support you.” Use an online calculator like the ones on our website to find out how much you should be setting aside each month. By keeping your savings goals on track, you may have more leeway to fund your child’s education.

Discuss your contribution. It’s not easy to talk about finances with your children, says Stack, but if your teen is counting on you to help pay for school, he or she has to know whether and how much you plan to give each year.

Save without budgeting. If you’re maxed out on what you can set aside for college, consider signing up for a rebate plan. Sallie Mae’s Upromise program offers as much as 8% back on your purchases, which can then be applied toward tuition. Before your teen enrolls in school, the rebates can be transferred into a 529 plan; after your child graduates, the reimbursements can be put toward loan payments. (Grandparents and other relatives can also sign up).

Have “the other talk.” Choosing a university requires thought and planning. Most teens don’t decide on their top colleges until junior or senior year of high school, says Scott Weingold, cofounder of College Planning Networking. Even then, many make choices based on where their friends are going. “Starting at the beginning of their sophomore year, talk to them about what their strengths and interests are and what they like to do,” he says. “College is obnoxiously expensive enough — now add on that it’s not uncommon for kids to take up to six years to graduate.” So get them thinking in advance about schools, majors and potential careers.

Win the Scholarship Game

Start early. Even if your teen is years away from college, they should apply for scholarships. “You’d be surprised how many there are for elementary school students,” says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org. Some examples are spelling, art and writing awards — not to mention a seriously lucrative $25,000 Jif prize for the most creative peanut butter sandwich. Find a list of possibilities at finaid.org/age13. Some school assignments (like a science fair project or an essay) can even qualify.

Search online. College students earn an average of $2,800 in scholarships, according to one report, making it among the best ways they can save for school. “Every dollar they are awarded is a dollar less they have to borrow,” says Kantrowitz. The best sites include ScholarshipAmerica.org, Fastweb.com, and CollegeBoard.org.

Here’s how your child can maximize their efforts:

  • Rule #1: Fill out the entire profile. Scholarship “matching” sites find awards for teens by asking them to complete detailed questionnaires about themselves. Answering all the questions, including the optional ones, says Kantrowitz, will yield more results.
  • Rule #2: Apply for (almost) everything. If a student isn’t eligible for a scholarship — let’s say, they just barely missed the GPA requirement — then they can skip it. Otherwise, your teen should pursue all potential matches, says Kantrowitz. “Many applications are essays that require personal statements. The first half dozen or so will be labor intensive, but after that kids can start recycling answers,” he says. Teens should set up a Google Calendar with due dates for all scholarships and make sure they’re aware of how much time they’ll need to complete the paperwork.
  • Rule #3: Beware of scams. The biggest red flag is being asked for an application or processing fee. “Legitimate providers want to give you money, not take it from you,” says Kantrowitz. “Never invest more than a postage stamp.” Also be wary of sites that ask for personal information, like a bank account or Social Security number.

Encourage community service. Schools aren’t the only organizations that value teens who volunteer. “It looks good to many scholarship providers too,” says Lauren Segal, CEO of Scholarship America. “And it can be the tipping point for winning.” Keep in mind that colleges like to see a history of service — not just a few stints started in junior year.

Go door to door. If they’ve exhausted paper and online searches, students can visit local organizations like the Rotary club, church groups and nearby businesses to ask about scholarships. You and your spouse should also check with your human resources departments: “I’m amazed at how many companies offer grants to the children of employees,” Segal says.

Keep your teen’s Facebook account appropriate. According to a new report, about one in four scholarship providers check their finalists’ online profiles. “Companies want to find students who reflect well on them,” says Kantrowitz. “They search for inappropriate behavior and offensive language, and even look at students’ natural writing style to see whether their parents probably wrote the essay for them.”

Strategize Your Search

Target a range of colleges. Include a few options that won’t leave your family or child with too much debt. “You don’t want your teen to fall in love with a school they can’t afford,” says Stack, who points out that the number of students defaulting on their loans within two years after graduation is now 9.1%. (One reason: It’s becoming harder for current graduates to find jobs). But you don’t necessarily have to rule out all private schools, which may have more money to offer than state ones, says Weingold. “Some colleges have generous aid-giving policies, so you never know what you’ll get until you apply,” he says. To estimate how much tuition and living expenses will come to — and to get an idea of how much assistance your family may receive — visit each college’s website and look for the “net price calculator”; all U.S. schools are now required to post one.

Barter for a better financial aid package. You don’t have to accept a college’s first offer, says Weingold. Call the school’s financial aid office and explain why your family still can’t afford the expenses. If your teen has received a better package from another university, write an appeal letter, including the offer, to her first-choice school, which may match it.

Cap your borrowing. Ideally, your child’s student debt shouldn’t be higher than their yearly starting salary, says Stack. The average income for college graduates is about $42,000 and varies depending on career; visit naceweb.org to see a range of salaries. Another strategy: Keep debt below $31,000, which is the maximum you can borrow over a four-year-period through federal Stafford loans. Unlike private loans, government ones have fixed interest rates and more safety nets, plus they offer some income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness.

Article Source: Familycircle.com

Tips for College Students: What Every College Student Needs to Know

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collegestudents-resized-600-1Getting a handle on personal finances always feels more complicated than it really is, especially for college students. That’s because many students get intimidated by a subject that they are not familiar with. However, when it comes to money what you don’t know CAN hurt you.

College is great because it exposes students to a wide variety of subjects and materials, but after graduation many students forget much of the details as they progress into their life. This sets poor learning precedence, as there are certain subjects that teach lessons worthy of a lifetime. Learning about how money works is one of those subjects, but much of the high level theory taught in class is hard to connect to the daily wallet concerns most students have. They need financial literacy simplification for understanding, and application for proof of relevance. A great place to start is the rule of 72, a simple idea with a powerful and useful message.

What is the rule of 72?: The rule of 72 is a rule of thumb used to estimate the time-value of money. It’s an effective way to calculate the value of an investment, or an outstanding loan balance over time using a specific interest rate. Best part is that it’s simple enough to calculate in your own head without a calculator!

Here is an example: Take the number 72. Divide it by an interest rate, like 6%. 72 / 6 = 12 The answer represents the number of years it takes for the balance to double; in this case 12 years. So let’s say there is an outstanding loan balance of $10,000 carrying 9%. 72 / 9 = 8 If no payments were made on the loan, and the balance continued to grow and compound normally it would take 8 years for the balance to grow to $20,000.

Unlock the power of The Rule of 72: The rule of 72 is but a humble rule of thumb made powerful through it’s daily usefullness. The real strength of the rule is found through it’s applicability and the thoughtfulness of the individual. Learning fundamental rules like this will help to unlock the power of true financial literacy; the ability to improve your decision making process involving money.

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It helps with purchasing decisions: When you make purchases with a credit card, the interest that accrues adds to additional costs beyond the sticker price. Credit card companies make their money through interest charged, and rely on consumers to make purchases that would normally be unaffordable. The resulting payments toward debt include the interest generated by the original purchase. If you have a well tuned financial mind, you think twice before making a credit card purchase because of the additional costs. If making a big ticket purchase on a credit card, use the rule of 72 to estimate how quickly interest can pile on. Then reconsider your purchase and find a way to save money and buy with cash, or use a combination of credit and cash to reduce overall costs.

It helps with long term savings: The rule of 72 can help estimate long term savings. For example, how long would it take $20,000 to grow to $40,000 using a 12% rate of return? 72/12 = 6 years. What about if it’s at 2%? 72/2 = 36 years. Once the impact of rate is made clear, the next logical question is “where do I get a 12% rate of return?” and this leads to an investigation of business and investment options. The simple acknowledgement of these options can help a student learn about the importance of saving and the options used to help savings grow.

It helps with personal budgeting: Q: Why do some people carry revolving credit card balances and student loan debt while consistently keeping extra money in the bank? A: Because they don’t know any better. When you learn to appreciate the Rule of 72, you begin to question some everyday financial habits you may have. A financial habit that’s detrimental to many is being “cash rich” and and full of debt. This is when someone runs credit card balances month after month and/or has lot’s of student loan debt, but only makes the minimum monthly payment to each, leaving extra cash on hand. Every month there is more than enough cash available to spend now, but the debt balances are not reducing fast enough. The logic behind this stems from the fear of over-withdrawing from the checking account for current expenses. More often, what is required in this situation is personal austerity. Instead of worrying about paying for current expenses, think of ways to cut current expenses and forward the excess towards debt payments. It’s the only effective way to eliminate long term debt beyond radically increasing income.