All Questions & Answers Articles

$100 dollar bills tied in a band.
questions & answers

Are Student Loans Taxable?

Like the vast majority of college students, the student loan process is probably your first introduction to the complex world of borrowing, lending, taxation, and repayment. When you first look at the numbers you’ll eventually be responsible for paying back, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. College tuition is expensive, the costs are only rising, …
One dollar bill showing only the lower right corner.
questions & answers

Which Student Loans Should You Pay Off First?

Prioritization is one of the most important skills you’ll cultivate throughout your college career. Because of time constraints and finances, you’ll have to determine what is most important to you, and accomplish your tasks in an appropriate order. Simply put, if you want to go to a party on a Thursday night, you better make …
One dollar bills are on top of each other.
questions & answers

How Does Divorce Affect Financial Aid Applications?

Filing out financial aid applications, more specifically the FASFA (Free Application for Student Financial Aid), can be daunting already for many students. However, with those who have divorced parents, it’s important to understand how that may affect your application and awarded financial aid. Who is Your Custodial Parent? The parent who completes the financial aid …
Should you lower your student loan payments?
questions & answers

Should You Lower Your Student Loan Payments Or Not?

For many college students, student loans are inevitable. That also means someday repaying those loans, budgeting for repayment, and dealing with interest rates. When it comes to whether or not you should lower your student loan payments, there is no one answer that is right for everyone. In general, lowering loan payments is not recommended …
Dollar bills stacked on each other.
questions & answers

What is the Difference Between Refinancing and Consolidating Student Loans?

You’ll see these two words a lot when researching student loan options. After exhausting scholarship, grant, and work study opportunities, many students and families turn to student loans in order to pay for a higher education. (And a quick reminder, you should always check out federal loan options before even considering looking at private loans). …
Overlay text "SAR" against white and green background.
questions & answers

What is the Student Aid Report (SAR)?

When you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you’ll receive your SAR sometime afterwards. The FAFSA is used to calculate what kind of financial need you personally have, which can make you eligible to several federal scholarships, grants, work study programs, or even loans. Essentially, the SAR is your “results” for what …
Overlay text "Plus Loans" against sky blue background with blue and violet stars.
questions & answers

Can Legal Guardians Take Out PLUS Loans?

As their name would suggest, most student loans fall to the responsibility of the student themselves. However, there is one loan that revolves around the parents—PLUS loans. PLUS, in fact, stands for Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students and differs a little from other federal loans. It takes into consideration a family’s credit history, and is …
A piggy bank sitting outside -- what exactly is an outside scholarship
questions & answers

What is an “Outside” Scholarship?

During your research into financial aid opportunities to help fund your college education, you may have come across the term “outside scholarship.” Scholarships are, without a doubt, the best way to pay for college—but what exactly does “outside” mean in regards to scholarship opportunities? What is an outside scholarship? Simply put, an outside scholarship is …