Student Loan Default: How to Deal with It

By William Blake

The Department of Education has many different avenues with which it works hard to get money back from individuals whose student loan payments have turned into student loan default. Defaulting on a federal student loan can become such a costly event that it often becomes more expensive than an individual's original student loans ever were. This is mostly owing to fees that are charged by loan guaranty agencies and collection agencies that the Department of Education employs to get their money back.

If you are in student loan default then the IRS can legally intercept your entire income tax refund until all your loans are paid in full. When it comes to student loan default this is the most common method the U.S. Department of Education uses to collect. The IRS will be notified of your student loan default if you haven't made a payment within 90 days.

In order to object their claims you have 65 days from the time you receive your student loan default notice to show written evidence that you have repaid the loan, are making payments under a negotiated plan, that you have filed for bankruptcy, that you are disabled, that it isn't your loan, that you dropped out of school or for any other reason that the loan isn't legally enforceable.

What You Can Do About It

Even if you have had a student loan default you can still have some options open to you. If you choose the right course you can even regain your eligibility for financial aid, improve your credit rating and even get the student loan default status removed from your record. So what steps can you take?

Loan rehabilitation is the first, and often best, option to go with. Of all the options you have, only loan rehabilitation will let you protect your financial aid eligibility and recover your credit score. This option is only available to people who arrange to repay their default loan and then do so on nine consecutive occasions. These payments must be made within twenty days of their due dates and in full.

The payment need to be made voluntarily by you and they can't come from legal proceedings, wage garnishment or a lump sum repayment made for the purpose of future installments.

When your student loan has gone to default, you can also keep your right to receive future financial aid by making arrangements to pay off your entire student loan by means of a one-time satisfactory payment. For payments to be acceptable, they must be made within fifteen days of their due dates six times consecutively. These payments are usually the accrued interest rate or fifty.

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A Look at the Lowest Fixed Rate Mortgages

By Gugu Martini

Considering whether you need a 30 or 15 year fixed mortgage rate is important for people looking to buy a home and concerned about their monthly payments. Many of us are buying homes later in life these days so it is not unreasonable to have the house paid off early. There are always things to take into account before signing documents. It is always a good idea to confirm that the interest rate does not alter during the term of the mortgage.

Steer clear of lenders that are offering unbelievable deals because they probably are. Loans agreed with a 15 year fixed mortgage keep the same interest rate throughout the entire life of the agreement. For those individuals that do not like hidden surprises, this is always a benefit. My wife and I looked into the loans available with 15 year fixed mortgage rates when we were searching for a home for sale.

Although paying off the mortgage was our main priority, we did not want to have monthly payments that were uncomfortably high. As well as thinking about loans of 15 years, we also considered fixed rate mortgages that lasted 30 years as well. We did not really like the prospect of having a mortgage as we approached retirement so were really hoping to get one of the loans with 15 year fixed mortgage rates. There was obviously very good reasons to finish paying the loan off early.

It took some time but we finally chose to go ahead with the 30 year mortgage plan. Although a number of things had to be pondered over, eventually the choice was made for us.Finding out my wife was having a baby made making the choice so much easier! The contribution my wife made to the monthly finances would be unreliable since she intended to raise our child at home. Our monthly payment would have been too high if we had committed ourselves to the 15 year fixed mortgage plan. For us it just was not feasible as we would just be in over our heads. Despite the trepidation of having a longer term loan, it did reduce the repayments considerably.

Making a few additional lump sum payments during the year helps bring down the amount owed. Those few extra payments also help reduce the number of years you have to pay the loan over. This is well worth it in the long term but it does require some discipline. Although we would have much preferred a loan with a 15 year fixed mortgage rate we had to take our needs and abilities into consideration. In retrospect, everything worked out ok for us by going down this road.

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Your small businees is not alone in this economy

By JR Rooney

You would have to be living under a rock if you don't know that we're in the worst financial crisis in our lifetimes in the USA. If you find yourself worried about your business and what can happen next, you're certainly not alone.

As I write this, the next few days bring great uncertainty about what the government is going to do to try and help bail out the failed banking system in the US. While it's not clear what form the assistance will take, it appears almost certain that the US government will have to do something to fix the mess created in the financial system by rampant greed. "What's going to happen?" you ask, Who knows! What is obvious is that the vast majority of Americans are extremely unhappy with the current situation and quite angry about spending billions of dollars to bail out an industry known for greed.

The unfortunate truth is that a bailout is not the end to the troubles for those of us who run small businesses. The US economy is in deep trouble and is not likely to be fixed very quickly. All the major news outlets have commentaries about what's happening and what to expect. It seems the consensus is that it's unlikely we're going to experience a level of unemployment seen during the Great Depression. That's the good news. The bad news is that things are ugly and their likely get much worse before they get better. And if that wasn't enough, things are probably not to get better very quickly!

Small-business owners are unlikely to be able to get the credit that they need in order to expand their business in the near future. So what can you do? No one can tell you what you need to do in your particular business, but I've always been a strong supporter of the low-cost direct marketing style in my businesses. I suggest you start rethinking all the creative ways you can seek out more revenue at a minimum cost. This means not only getting new customers at minimum cost, but equally important, you need to try to sell more services to the customers you already have.

The situation is more complicated than simply not being able to obtain credit, but it is also going to be difficult for many business owners to even make it through the next several years. There has already been a big drop in consumer spending in the United States, and getting new customers as well as maintaining the ones you already have is going to get more difficult. That is why this is the time to get yourself back to the basic and most important task which is to get your business well marketed. There is nothing more important for your business in difficult times such as these than your marketing efforts.

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J.R. Rooney works with a full service debt Collection Agency. When your clients won't pay, hire his Collection Company

Local vs National Commercial Collection Agency.

By JR Rooney

Whether you choose a commercial collection agency based in your company's town or your debtor company's town depends on how many different late accounts on which you are trying to collect.

If you are dealing with only one late-paying company, hire a commercial collection agency that's in the debtor company's area. The local agency may have dealt with the debtor company before and know the company's finances and the best way to collect from them. If they have had no dealings with the debtor than there is no advantage.

If you have past-due accounts from customers in multiple locations, hire a national collection agency, or one that is located in the same city as your company to ease the reporting process. It's rarely smart to deal with more than one commercial collection agency at once -- you'll just end up confusing yourself and mix up which company is trying to collect which debt.

As a rule, there is no discount for using a local agency -- either one that is local to your company or the debt dodger. Typically, you will be offered a discount only if you are contracting to have multiple late accounts collected.

The bottom line is. No matter where the collection agency is located, they are still required to follow the law. They can not go to the debtors house and scare them with physical violence. In fact, many agencies will not accept accounts from debtors in a 50 mile radius of there office to avoid a crazy debtor coming to the office to start trouble with the collector.

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You need to hire a Commercial Collection Agency when you have B2B accounts. A full service Collection Agency will help you recover the most money.

How do I know if I need to use a Collection Agency Service?

By JR Rooney

Do you have customers that avoid doing business with you because they owe you money, if so a Collection Agency may be of help to you.

By contracting the proper Collection Agency you will accomplish several factors. Not only is a well established Collection Agency successful in collecting your past due accounts, but once the accounts have been collected the customer that was avoiding you may very well come back into your company to do business with you again.

Are your employees spending more time trying to collect past due accounts than they are doing the job you hired them to do? This is where a Collection Agency can come into the picture to help.

A Collection Agency that has experienced professional debt collectors can be very successful in pursuing and collecting your past due accounts and at the same time allowing your employees the time to do the job you hired them to do.

In the end you have to decide if paying a small fee to recover the money that if rightfully yours is worth it.

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Credit card customers feel the pinch after the credit crackdown

By Frank Armstrong

The Bank of England's recent interest rate cut of 1.5% may have been a shot in the arm for UK PLC, but this particular credit crunch has just as much effect on the average person in the street as for big businesses and the banking sector. So will the reduction of the base rate to 3% have any major impact on the 72 million credit cards currently in circulation?

While mortgage borrowers will have to wait and see if the trickle-down effect reduces the cost of their mortgage repayments, credit card customers have been warned not to expect repayments to fall. Consumers look set to continue to pay an average of 17% APR on credit cards, and that percentage is unlikely to change as a result of the rate cut. The common opinion is that rates are only cut to attract customers, and in the current economic climate, lenders are reluctant to encourage even more credit into the system. Even though the lenders would like to pass on these savings to their customers, in the current economic climate those savings may have to wait a while until the market is more stable.

The lenders are concerned at exposing themselves to more 'bad debt', as cardholders struggle to meet repayments in the worsening economic climate. As a result, the card companies are not passing on the rate cut to their customers, despite Government attempts to boost the economy at ground level through fiscal policies that often seem to be knee-jerk reactions to the latest headlines. As a result, the credit card market looks set to be the next target of Gordon Brown and his Chancellor, as the Government calls for a ?new, responsible approach? to lending.

Store cards are some of the worst offenders, cashing in on customer loyalty and a high street that relies on continuous spending. The average credit card APR rate has risen from 16.8% in 2007 to 17.6% today, despite the interest rate almost halving from 5.75% to 3% during the same time. Store card rates have risen more sharply, up by 1% over a six-month period. The most expensive store cards now charge an average of 30%. Government officials have been angered by the reluctance shown by card lenders to reciprocate the base rate cuts, accusing the credit card companies of behaving "irresponsibly" despite the mounting pressure from the Government and the public to mirror the base rate cuts with cuts of their own APR levels. Credit card lenders, however, remain steadfast in their refusal to adjust interest charges, knowing that to do so could damage the market far more than 'instant fixes' such as rate cuts.

The credit card lenders, concerned by 'bad debt' exposure, are tightening their policies on repayments, and enforcing stricter approval guidelines for first-time card applicants. Minimum monthly repayments, as any cardholder knows, barely cover the cost of administration or interest charges. The Citizen's Advice Bureau has seen more new debt inquiries in 2007-08, with 20% of its clients expressing concerns over credit card, store card and charge card debts. The Consumer Credit Counselling Service reports a surge in 'charging orders' being enforced by lenders, potentially putting customers in even more financial difficulty as a result of missed payments. The truth is that reducing the APR on credit deals to reflect the fluctuating base rate could compound matters, forcing lenders into ever-tighter controls over lending to keep their exposure to bad debt to a minimum. That wouldn't help the consumer at all. Nor would it help to stabilise the market.

The US has responded to the credit crisis by ensuring that interest charges to credit cards have been mirroring the base rate cut, but the UK has yet to follow suit, despite only a 2% difference in base rates between the two countries. Card lenders put the blame squarely on the Government?s shoulders, claiming that regulation such as the Office of Fair Trading?s 2006 decision to put a ?12 cap on penalty fees, as well as their own falling profits on payment protection insurance, is responsible for increasing the cost of credit. They claim that this leaves them unable to reflect changes in the base rate by cutting the APR rate on credit cards. With this in mind, reductions in credit card interest rates look unlikely any time soon. However, with a little bit of legwork and a pocket calculator, a clever consumer can still find some good credit card bargains, with some card lenders bucking the trend and continuing to offer incentives to new and existing customers.

About the Author:

Frank Armstrong specialises in financial and money related articles for websites. Get further information on low apr credit cards and compare credit cards here.

Foreclosures and Taxes Consquences

By Dave Pierce John Higginbotham

If you think that you can escape the IRS when you decide to foreclose on your house, think again, there can be huge tax disadvantages to letting your house go back to the bank, it can mean thousands of dollars you could owe to uncle Sam.

We will discuss the different ways you will owe the IRS in detail later on. Many homeowners bought their house under liberal financing terms such as interest and variable rate loans. These loans have become a liablity for many banks as the rates adjust and people cannot make the new payment.

The difference between what you owe on your mortgage and what the bank has to sell it for is called a short sale. Short sales are becoming widespread as many people are losing their homes to foreclosure. The difference in the two numbers is usually taxable.

The Internal Revenue Service considers any loan amount forgiven as cancellation of debt and is taxable as regular income. The Internal Revenue Service says that debt discharge or cancellation is fully taxable as regular income. Homeowners really need to be aware of this before they consider foreclosure.

The tax rate for any of the cancellation of debt is whatever your tax rate happens to be, anywhere from 10% to 35% depending on your tax bracket. Tax law mandates that the homeowner actually sells back their home to the bank with the proceeds going to the bank for their indebtedness.

Many homeowners have been wrongly informed that debt discharged by the bank is not fully taxable, when in fact it is. They have been given, often times, bad advice by a loved one or someone else who does not know the law, but they will need to pay the IRS for the discharged debt at their current tax rate.

The tax consquences should always be considered when turning your keys back into the bank, it is never as easy as it seems, and homeowners could potentially get a huge tax bill at the end of the year if they are not careful.

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Home Business Loans

By Jimmy Johnson

Imagine what it would be like to work from home. Having done all the usual start of day things, like feed and pack kids off to school or brew and drink two pots of coffee yourself, you walk into your study, turn on your PC and start work. Or you stroll round the back of the house open your workshop and begin wood-turning. Or you get into your greenhouse and begin potting parsley with pesto recipe cards. Whatever you do from home you always enjoy the freedom of choosing your own hours, being your own boss, and not being part of the daily commuter hell.

Sounds good doesn't it? So what is holding you back? Money right! It can cost a lot to get started by converting your garage, building a workshop or converting a den to an office. Home business loans are loans specifically aimed at this kind of investment. There are two types of loan, secured and unsecured.

Start up capital can be hard to come by and home business loans can often make sure that the companies are able to start successfully. It is very helpful for almost everyone involved in the situation to be able to rely on the money that will help with the business and make sure that the investment is capable of being made.

With home business loans, people do not have to worry about where the start up capital and money for their own businesses. This helpful aspect is not just helpful to the people that need the home business loans. Additionally, they help the financial institutions that hand out the home business loans.

These establishments get the money that is accrued in the form of interest on the loans. In the end, everyone is able to benefit from home business loans, as long as the individual that takes out the loan is able to pay back the loan.

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Jimmy Johnson is an accomplished author. To learn more about Start your Business visit Home Business Loans for current articles and discussions.

Where Can You Get A Cheap Loan UK?

By Rashel Dan

No matter how great the pay is at a certain job, there will always be instances wherein you will need to get a cheap loan UK for immediate cash needs. This is the time when you can consider a cash advance, payday loan, or just any kind of personal loan.

The catch about these short term loans is that they can often result in loan payments with added high interest rates. But there are places where one can make a person loan and not suffer the consequences of paying too much back to a loan institution.

Places To Get Fair Loans

Traditional outlets such as banks can give you fare rates. This is especially great in the sense that banks are always accessible and you probably won't have trouble making a loan. The drawback is that a bank (if popular) will charge a little more interest than if you go online.

Online banks, on the other hand, can help because lenders there have lower overheads. This means that they charge less when they give out personal loans. Online banks are probably the best places where you can get the lowest loan rates. You also don't necessarily have to be in the UK to manage your loan.

These online lenders and bank are accessible and convenient to get in touch with if you have any problems with a particular personal loan. Surprisingly, you might also find that supermarkets, shops and post offices are offering financial loans, but there are not many who are keen on the idea just yet.

There is another place to look for a cheap loan UK and that is through borrowing and lending exchanges. Now, these exchanges work in much the same way that a co-operative works. This means that they can offer people low-cost personal loans. It comes out low-cost because they cut out most of the people in the middle who try to gain commissions from representing lenders. It's these extra costs that can add to the interest of a loan as one is paying it back.

With exchanges, people can lend and borrow from each other directly. This can be done by two parties entering into a legal contract with each other. What the exchange does is it manages the collection of the payments and if there are payments that are not made on time or not made at all, then a recovery process similar to a banks can be implemented.

Risks is low because amounts that are loaned or borrowed are spread between 50 borrowers and lenders at the very least; thus, lower payments are required.

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What Is a Good Credit Score

By Gugu Martini

A bit of time and effort are needed to understand how to amend your credit score. A credit rating is an indicator of your financial solvency and it is crucial if you need to borrow cash from loaners. A low credit score would always result in your credit application getting rejected.

Your credit rating is an indicator of your financial stability and dependability. From this lenders and credit institutions may be able to guess your standing as a borrower. The reason for this is that credit evaluation is done by using some mathematical convention after taking into consideration a persons borrowing and repaying habits as well as several other factors. The credit rating is also called the FICO score after the credit scoring formula developing company, the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO).

When you have a low-level ranking, it tells the lender right away that you are not a very great candidate as a borrower. This may be based on your previous credit accounts from which you may have defaulted on, late payments of debts, bankruptcy or foreclosure issues that you may have in the past and other similar factors. A high ranking instantly puts you in a positive light to the lender and your credit application might be sanctioned.

There are many ways that you may be able to amend your credit score and this will include having a closer look at your current credit rating. See if you have overdue bills to pay, and pay them off instantly, as this can affect your credit ranking in a negative way. Remember that to improve credit history, you need to always pay your outstanding on time.

In case you find that you have missed on some past payments, make the situation current as soon as you can by clearing past dues. To have a good credit score, you need to stay current with your credit accounts. The really bad news is that history of all late or neglected payments stay in your credit history for 7 long years. This remains as a stark reminder of your delinquency even when you have cleared all your dues.

In case you find it tough to manage your outstanding credit scenario, it is a wise idea to contact either the creditors or seek professional counseling from a credit counselor. This of course would not magically improve your credit score, but at least it would lead you to pay your bills on time and clear past dues, which would automatically amend your credit evaluation.

Learning how to improve your credit would increase your chances to acquire that loan or mortgage, when you desperately need it. It is nothing but distressing to find that an application for a loan or credit gets rejected just because the credit rating is low. Improving your credit score can also assure you that you have better credit options especially during times that you might need it most.

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Counseling for Credit Card Debt Management

By William Blake

There are sometimes things that we cannot control and we have to get the things that we need now even if we do not have the money to pay for it. These times are when having a credit card is nice. However when the bill for the card comes in, it can be an unpleasant experience. There are some people who cannot help using their credit cards and need some advice on how to better maintain their financial situations.

How to Get Help With Credit Cards

There are places that you can turn to for help with your credit cards. You can try a number of things to get your interest rates and payments lowered. Most credit cards have customer services numbers that you can call. When you call these numbers ask if you can get a lower interest rate for your card. They can tell you within minutes if you are eligible for this service or not. This is an easy way to help with your high interest and the climbing balances.

Utilize the Internet

Other help is available and can be found on line. There are thousands of financial experts out there who can help you with your credit card debt and they can easily be located on line. Sometimes it can be arranged for you to have a live chat with credit counselors that can help you get back on track and better manage your finances. There are also web sites that sell reading material with instructions on how to get out from under debt.

Credit Counseling

You can get counseling from people online or in person to help you maintain a better financial routine. They will be able to help you understand where you are going wrong and what you can do to make it better. They will help you work with your current creditors to get your interest rates lowered and may even help you to get your payments lowered. Credit card counseling can help you get your credit score back on top where it should be and help you keep it there.

Counseling Free of Charge

You will find that most credit card counselors offer their services free of charge. Simply pull all your debts together and prepare the information for them to review. They will give you options and help you choose the plan that will help you in time to get back on your feet financially.

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10 Loan Consolidation Questions All Students Must Pose!

By David T. Lightcomb

Unfortunately, no college is in a position to offer help when you are faced with the challenge of choosing a suitable loan consolidation company. This is something you'll have to deal with yourself, but by asking a few questions, you'll have laid a solid foundation on which to build your success.

Ask yourself these 10 questions to start:

1 - What are the reasons for you wanting to consolidate your loans? Of course, the primary reason is so that you are able to reduce your monthly repayments. Additionally, it carries with it, the convenience of only have one loan to be responsible for.

2 - When should you consolidate loans? If you feel you are no longer able to afford the all the individual repayments, or if you're struggling to deal with the financial stress from having so many obligations then it be advisable to consolidate.

3 - Do I qualify for loan consolidation? The ideal time to apply for a consolidation loan, is after graduation at which point your loans are afforded a period of grace.

4 - Is there any incentive for me to go ahead with an application? There most certainly is. In most cases, companies have various schemes in place in order to attract clients as well as offering their clients special bonuses in return for their loyalty.

5 - Does the company have a proven track record in the field of student loan consolidation? It simply cannot be stressed enough just how important it is that you choose a reputable company with a solid track record.

6 - Will my loan be serviced? You really need to be on your guard here because there some lenders who are in fact, only brokers. In this case, they'll simply sell your loan on at a later stage for a profit. Make sure you determine this before putting your signature on that dotted line.

7 What loan do I get? Remember, if you're consolidating federal student loans, you will loose any federal government benefits you enjoy, if you choose to consolidate with a loan other than a federal student consolidation loan.

8 - What are the loan terms and conditions? Specific terms and conditions may vary from one lender to the next so most importantly, don't even consider signing anything unless you're 100% certain of the terms.

9 - What features does the lender offer? Some lenders offer features to make loan repayment easier and more convenient, like online applications and account access.

10 - What should I do if I can't pay my loan? Of course you don't want this to happen, but make sure you know the consequences just in case it does.

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