These loans tend to have fewer
protections than federal student loans, which is why many consider them to be an option of last resort.
Not exact matches
And while
federal loans come with their own set of challenges and risks, all 1.37 million private
loan borrowers are often subject to fewer
protections and less flexible repayment plans
than those offered under
federal loan agreements.Less accommodating repayment options and more rigid terms can quickly lead to private
student loan defaults, which is a dangerous financial place to be.
Federal loans don't require a credit history or a co-signer, and they offer more generous
protections for borrowers
than private
student loans do, such as income - driven repayment and
loan forgiveness.
In addition to lacking borrower
protections, private
student loans usually carry a higher interest rate
than federal student loans, which ultimately makes private
student loans more expensive.
S. 2231 —
Student Protection and Success Act [Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D - NH)-RSB- would rescind federal student loan eligibility for higher education institutions at which less than 15 percent of students are not repaying their loans within three years of graduating or leaving
Student Protection and Success Act [Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D - NH)-RSB- would rescind
federal student loan eligibility for higher education institutions at which less than 15 percent of students are not repaying their loans within three years of graduating or leaving
student loan eligibility for higher education institutions at which less
than 15 percent of
students are not repaying their
loans within three years of graduating or leaving school.
Another problem is the private
student -
loan market, which generally charges
students higher interest rates
than the
federal student -
loan program and offers
students fewer
protections like economic hardship deferments.
The Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau, a
federal agency, estimated in May that total
student debt is nearly $ 1.2 trillion, and that
federal student loans alone make up more
than $ 1 trillion in outstanding debt.
Roughly one - fifth of graduates» debt (19 percent) was in private
loans, which are generally more costly and provide far fewer consumer
protections and repayment options
than federal student loans, TICAS reports.
And while
federal loans come with their own set of challenges and risks, all 1.37 million private
loan borrowers are often subject to fewer
protections and less flexible repayment plans
than those offered under
federal loan agreements.Less accommodating repayment options and more rigid terms can quickly lead to private
student loan defaults, which is a dangerous financial place to be.
Bear in mind that private
student loans are typically harder to qualify for, and will likely carry higher interest rates (and fewer borrower
protections)
than federal student loans.
Take those figures and multiply them by the number of people estimated to hold
federal and private
student loans, and the magnitude of debt becomes evident: More
than 40 million individuals collectively owe upward of $ 1.2 trillion, according to the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB).
You're giving up a lot in the refinancing process, and in some cases you're better off with the
protections offered by
federal student loans than you are with a lower interest rate.
If you have
federal student loans and want to keep their
protections, you may have options other
than refinancing to lower your interest rates, so explore those first.
A major benefit to consolidating rather
than refinancing is that you will keep the borrower
protections that
federal student loans offer — but that many private
student loans do not.
Since CommonBond's
loan program is a private
loan, there are fewer
protections than available with
federal student loans.
This blog from Consumer Finance
Protection Bureau documents how there are 27.8 million
student loan borrowers making use of the direct
federal lending program totaling more
than $ 1 trillion in debt.
Here's what Kiplinger's personal finance magazine says college
students don't need: New textbooks, a high - end computer, a printer, a pricey smartphone plan, cable TV (watch streaming videos on a computer), a car (especially for freshmen), overdraft
protection on bank accounts, campus health insurance (assuming coverage under the family's health plan) and private
loans, which carry higher interest rates and less flexible repayment plans
than federal loans.