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consolidating federal student loans
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Pros and Cons of Consolidating Federal Student Loans

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022
It’s important to understand the pros and cons of consolidating federal student loans before choosing this option. Consolidating federal student loans involves combining many federal loans into one loan. Resulting with one monthly payment amount and one payment due date. With less loans to track, it reduces the risk of missing a payment. There are …
pause on student loan payments
financial advice & planning, student loans

Student Loan Payments Paused Until May 01, 2022 – Should You Pay Anyway?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 29, 2023
There are some compelling benefits to making federal student loan payments even though the pause has been extended. However, this may not necessarily be the best option for everyone. Whether you should pay or not depends largely on your financial circumstances. The student loan pause or forbearance was initiated by the federal government in 2020 …
should i refinance my federal student loans
financial advice & planning, student loans

Should I Refinance My Federal Student Loans Before The Moratorium Ends?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2023
The federal student loan moratorium is set to end May 1, 2022. Loan payments as well as interest are set to resume after that. The question on most borrowers’ mind right now is: ‘Should I refinance my federal student loans before the moratorium ends?’. It’s not surprising that everyone’s got refinancing on their mind. Interest …
student loan payments restart
financial advice & planning, student loans

12 Things To Do Before Student Loan Payments Restart On May 01, 2022

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2023
Initiated as a COVID-19 emergency relief measure in early 2020, the student payment pause has been extended several times over the past two years. The latest extension was announced by President Joe Biden in mid-December 2021. According to that announcement, student loan payments restart on May 01, 2022. The two year payment pause has given …
student loans

What Are Student Loan Rehabilitation Programs?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022
Student loan rehabilitation programs are designed to offer students a structured path out of default. The U.S. Department of Education created this program specifically for federal Direct and FFEL loans. Federal Direct and FFEL loans go into default when the payment is not made for 270 days or more. This carries a series of serious …
College student on phone with her student loan lender
student loans

Student Loans Cost More Than Just The Principal Balance

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022
Everybody knows that student loans are not free money – they come at a price. Unfortunately, many students underestimate exactly what that price is. There are interest and fees and sometimes even penalties. All in all, student loans cost more than just the principal balance. Let’s break it down.  The True Cost of Student Loans …
A student holding a red binder.
student loans

What’s The Difference Between Preapproved And Prequalified For Student Loans?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022
‘Preapproved’ and ‘prequalified’ are sometimes used interchangeably when discussing student loans. That’s not right however. The only similarity between the two is that they are both parts of the student loan process. Other than that, both of these terms are completely different. What Is Prequalification? Prequalification is basically an estimate of how much you may …