Saturday, August 9, 2008

Student Loan Defaults Cured - Or is it?

By Judith Rene


A bad credit rating will probably follow if you default on your student loan. Taking your college debt seriously is very important when dealing with lenders because defaulting on this debt can result in a bad credit rating, wage attachments and loss of income tax refunds from the government.

Defaulting on your student loan is avoidable if you jus do a few simple things. Before you do anything you will regret, make sure that you keep in contact with your lender.

Admitting to your lending institution that you are facing financial difficulties usually stops the need to default. My monthly repayments at one time became almost impossible to maintain because of loans acquired whilst a student.

'One of my colleagues thought it was funny because the lenders couldn't reclaim my education from me. Defaulted student loans usually start with this type of glib attitude towards the debt.

There isn't usually a problem if you get in touch with your lender. In retrospect, telling the finance company and obtaining a deferment was the easiest part of it all. A representative from the company explained carefully how the deferment process worked and what would happen until I was able to commence payments again.

It was a weight off my shoulders because it only took seven days for the payments to be deferred until I was back on my feet again. Although defaulting on my student loan wasn't what I wanted, I knew that other financial institutions would not be quite as accommodating. My student loan providers understanding assistance helped me when other agencies weren't so obliging.

Within a week, the debt was frozen until I could make regular payments again. Anything is preferable to a defaulted student loan though. Check with your lender because he may be able to accept lump sum contributions during the deferment.

It is not uncommon for banks to allow you to make interest payments only if you have financial problems. Sometimes to help alleviate financial stress, banks will choose to accept an interest only payment on a loan. You won't see the principal shrink during this payment process but you will avoid a defaulted student loan.

You have to remember that many students rely on loans like this to complete their education. This lifeline too many students can be withdrawn if too many defaulted student loans occur. You should never jus sit back and ignore the problem when your finance company can help you.

Avoiding your defaulted student loan is easier if you make alternative payment arrangements with your finance provider. Finance for higher education may then still be available for students who require it.

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