Loans, Insurance & credit card information

College can be expensive, it’s no hidden secret. Between room and board, textbooks and semester after semester of classes, the costs can really add up. Student loans are a route many take just to get by while still working towards their degree. But, sometimes it’s tough to know which loan to apply for or where to go for information.

Student loans are almost like credit cards. You have your interest rates, grace periods and maximum amounts, similar to any typical credit card. However, there are undergraduate loans and loans designated for those attending grad school. If your credit isn’t the greatest, consider signing up for a student loan with a cosigner, such as a parent or spouse. That way, if they are in better standing with the credit bureaus, you have a better chance of snagging lower interest rates.

6StarReviews.com reports that one student loan provider, NextStudent, provides instant pre-approval, as well as an online application. Many similar sites allow you to compare and contrast student loans right on the Web, letting you shop around for loans fitting your financial needs. Another popular company providing student loans is Sallie Mae, which houses some great resources on scholarships, financial aid and grants. Like NextStudent, they allow you to sign up for and manage your loan right on your PC.

About 50% of college graduates hold some form of student loan under their belts and the average student has around $10,000 to pay off. Education is vital in this day and age and these numbers reflect that sentiment. When signing up for a student loan, it’s important to consider interest rates, minimum and maximum loan amounts and repayment time periods. There are plenty of options to choose from, it’s simply a matter of wearing the shoe that fits.

If you’re about to graduate–or if you’ve already finished college–chances are you’re paying off student loans. But what exactly happens with your loan debt now that you’ve entered the repayment phase? Will they impact your ability to obtain credit? And how do they affect your credit scores?

Let’s start from the beginning

When you left school, you enjoyed a grace period of six to nine months before you had to begin repaying your student loans. But the debt was there all along–sleeping like an 800-pound gorilla in the corner of the dorm room. Once the grace period was over, the gorilla woke up and is now impacting your credit–but is it positively or negatively?

One way to find out is to pull a copy of your credit report. There are three major credit reporting agencies, or credit bureaus–Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union–and you should get a copy of your credit report from each one. Keep in mind, though, that while institutions making student loans are required to report the date of disbursement, balance due, and current status of your loans to a credit bureau, they’re not currently required to report the information to all three, although many do.

If you’re repaying your student loans on time, then the gorilla is behaving nicely, and is actually helping you establish a good credit history. But if you’re seriously delinquent or in default on your loans, the gorilla will turn into a monster and wreak havoc on your credit history.

What’s your credit score?

Your credit report contains information about any credit you have, including credit cards, car loans, and student loans. The credit bureau (or any prospective creditor) may use this information to generate a credit score, which statistically compares information about you to the credit performance of a base sample of consumers with similar profiles. The higher your credit score, the more likely you are to be a good credit risk, and the better your chances of obtaining credit at a favorable interest rate.

Many different factors are used to determine your credit score. Some of these factors carry more weight than others. Significant weight is given to factors describing:

Your payment history, including whether you’ve paid your obligations on time, and how long any delinquencies have lasted Your outstanding debt, including the amounts you owe on your accounts, the different types of accounts you have (e.g., credit cards, installment loans), and how close your balances are to the account limits Your credit history, including how long you’ve had credit, how long specific accounts have been open, and how long it has been since you’ve used each account New credit, including how many inquires or applications for credit you’ve made, and how recently you’ve made them

Student loans and your credit score

Always make your student loan payments on time. Otherwise, your credit score will be negatively affected. To improve your credit score, it’s also important to make sure that any positive repayment history is correctly reported by all three credit bureaus, especially if your credit history is sparse. If you find that your student loans aren’t being reported correctly to all three major credit bureaus, ask your lender to do so.

But even when it’s there for all to see, a large student loan debt may impact a factor prospective creditors scrutinize closely: your debt-to-income ratio. A large student loan debt may especially hurt your chances of getting new credit if you’re in a low-paying job, and a prospective creditor feels your budget is stretched too thin to make room for the payments any new credit will require.

Moreover, if your principal balances haven’t changed much (and they don’t in the early years of loans with long repayment terms) or if they’re getting larger (because you’ve taken a forbearance on your student loans and the accruing interest is adding to your outstanding balance), it may look to a prospective lender like you’re not making much progress on paying down the debt you already have.

Getting the monkey off your back

Like many people, you may have put off buying a house or a car because you’re overburdened with student loan debt. So what can you do to improve your situation? Here are some suggestions to consider:

If you have several student loans, consider consolidating them through a student loan consolidation program. This won’t reduce your total debt, but a larger loan may offer a longer repayment term or a better interest rate. While you’ll pay more total interest over the course of a longer term, you’ll also lower your monthly payment, which in turn will lower your debt-to-income ratio. Ask your lender about a graduated repayment option. In this arrangement, the term of your student loan remains the same, but your payments are smaller in the beginning years and larger in the later years. Lowering your payments in the early years may improve your debt-to-income ratio, and larger payments later may not adversely affect you if your income increases as well. If you’re really strapped, explore extended or income-sensitive repayment options. Extended repayment options extend the term you have to repay your loans. Over the longer term, you’ll pay a greater amount of interest, but your monthly payments will be smaller, thus improving your debt-to-income ratio. Income-sensitive plans tie your monthly payment to your level of income; the lower your income, the lower your payment. This also may improve your debt-to-income ratio. If you’re in default on your student loans, do not ignore them–they aren’t going to go away. Student loans generally cannot be discharged even in bankruptcy. Ask your lender about loan rehabilitation programs; successful completion of such programs can remove default status notations on your credit reports.

Getting approved for a low interest rate auto loan may be either difficult or simple. Individuals with perfect or good credit qualify for advertised low rates. If you have a few credit blemishes, you can expect to pay a higher percentage rate. Savvy car buyers must be willing to shop around for a good deal. This results in a lower interest rate, which means lower monthly payments.

Know Your Credit Score

Before entering a car dealership, car buyers should know their credit score. In determining interest rates, credit scores carry a lot of weight. This number is the key factor in deciding whether you are approved for a car loan. Credit scores also determine the interest rate you are given. If your score is so-so, you may be able to negotiate a reasonable rate.

If your score is lower than 600, you are considered a high risk applicant. To obtain a car loan, you must receive financing from an auto loan lender that specializes in bad credit loans. These loans have high fees and high interest rates.

To avoid paying high rates, strive to fix credit problems before applying for a car loan. This may include paying bills on time and reducing your debt. Furthermore, contact creditors and credit bureaus to resolve credit report errors. One negative credit remark may justify a higher rate. After six months of regular payments, your score will likely improve, thus qualifying you for a low interest rate auto loan.

Get Pre-Approved for an Auto Loan

Getting pre-approved for an auto loan is beneficial because you are able to compare the dealerships financing rate with other lenders. It is recommended that you compare rates and fees from at least three lenders before making a decision.

Pre-approvals are quick and convenient. Simply complete an online application with an auto loan broker or lender. Within 24 hours of submitting an application, you will be contacted with an offer from the lender. If using an auto loan broker, you will receive multiple offers from several lenders. Compare rates and choose the lender that offers the best financing package.