If your child needs extra money to pay for college, a parent student loan can be a helpful option. However, it’s important to understand both the benefits and drawbacks of parent loans before you apply.
A federal Parent PLUS loan offers lower-than-market interest rates to help middle-income families pay for college. But many borrowers face credit problems that can disqualify them from the program.
Benefits
Parent student loans are a great option for parents who want to help their children pay for college. However, they need to be weighed against other options like grants and scholarships.
The first benefit of a parent student loan is that it comes with flexible repayment terms, and some lenders offer income-driven plans to help make payments more affordable. This is especially important for borrowers who are struggling to make payments on other types of debt, such as credit cards or mortgages.
Another major advantage of a parent student loan is that it offers a six-month grace period before repayment starts. This helps borrowers avoid paying interest while they are in school, which can add up quickly.
However, borrowers need to keep in mind that there are limits on the amount they can borrow and that this limit will be added to their loan. If you exceed this limit, the interest will continue to accrue and your loan will become larger than it was originally.
If you are concerned about this, you can request that your student defer payments until he or she graduates, drops below half-time enrollment or leaves school. However, this does not stop the interest from continuing to accrue while they are in school.
One of the best ways to avoid this problem is to only borrow as much as your child needs to cover their education costs. If you do, your loan will be smaller and easier to manage in the long run.
Taking out more than you need can make it hard to stay on top of repayment and will also make future payments much larger than they need to be. If you are worried that this is the case, consider using a federal student loan deferment program to delay your repayment until you have secured a job.
You can also consider co-signing a private student loan for your child. This gives you the opportunity to improve your child’s credit score, while the loan remains in your name and will show up on your credit report. It’s a good idea to use this option only if your child has poor credit or is unable to get approved for a private student loan on their own.
Requirements
If you’re looking to fund your child’s college education, a parent student loan may be an option. These federal loans are based on creditworthiness and can help parents pay for college expenses that may not be covered by other sources of funding.
To apply for a parent student loan, you must be the biological or adoptive parent of a dependent undergraduate student who is enrolled at least half time in an eligible school. You also must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen (see gov/noncitizen) who does not have an adverse credit history, and who hasn’t defaulted on any federally-guaranteed student loans in the past three years.
Depending on your credit history, you may be eligible to borrow up to the cost of attendance at your child’s college minus any financial aid they receive, including federal and private loans. Repayment begins within 60 days of disbursement and can be deferred until your student graduates or drops below half-time enrollment.
You may also be able to borrow more money if you have an endorser with good credit and you’ve completed PLUS credit counseling. An endorser takes on a similar role to a cosigner, but they’re not responsible for the debt if you default on the loan.
Your credit must be free of adverse credit history, such as defaults on debts, bankruptcies, foreclosures, tax liens, and write-offs of federal student aid. You must also have no other outstanding debts that are greater than $2,085 in total.
Adverse credit history can be a major hurdle for parents who want to get a parent student loan. However, there are ways to get approved despite this obstacle.
For example, you can appeal for an exceptional circumstance and have your application re-approved if you document extenuating circumstances that are related to your adverse credit history. Or you can add a cosigner to your parent loan application who doesn’t have an adverse credit history and has completed credit counseling.
In general, a parent student loan is an excellent resource for helping your child finance their education. They have lower interest rates, more flexible repayment options than most private student loans and can be a helpful tool in closing the gap between your family’s income and your child’s tuition costs. But you’ll need to make sure the loan you choose is right for your situation.
Fees
Taking out a parent student loan can be a great way to help your child pay for college. It can also help them avoid the pitfalls of debt when they graduate and start their careers. But it’s important to be aware of the fees involved with this type of loan.
One of the biggest fees associated with a parent student loan is the origination fee. This fee is charged by the government, and it can be a big drain on your budget.
Another important fee to consider is the interest rate, which can be a major factor in how much you’ll end up paying over the life of your loan. You should shop around for a low interest rate to lower the overall cost of your loan.
Additionally, you should consider the repayment plan that will best suit your needs. There are many different plans to choose from, including standard, graduated, and extended repayment options.
You can also request a deferment of repayment on your Parent PLUS loan until 6 months after your dependent student graduates or drops below half-time enrollment. This can be a helpful option if you are enrolled in school yourself and need the extra time to finish.
The Parent PLUS Loan is a federal loan program that offers parents of dependent undergraduate students the ability to borrow money for education expenses. This type of loan is based on the creditworthiness of the parent, and it can be used to cover any costs that federal student loans, grants, or scholarships don’t cover.
There’s no minimum income requirement for this loan, and there’s no maximum number of times a parent can apply for the loan. This loan is a great choice for families that have exhausted all other federal aid, but still need some financial assistance.
As with all types of loans, it’s important to understand all the fees and repayment terms. These will determine how much you can expect to pay back and how long it will take for you to repay the loan.
Repayment
Parent student loans are a great way to help a child get through college. But as with any type of debt, repayment is important to keep in mind and a parent needs to have a plan to manage their finances and pay down the debt.
Interest is an important factor in repaying parent student loan debt, as it can add a significant amount of money to the balance. Depending on the size of the loan, this could mean thousands of dollars in added interest costs.
Parents can choose to make payments on their loans immediately after the loan has been disbursed, or they can request deferment while the student is in school. This means that the parent will not have to make any monthly payments while the child is enrolled in school (half time or more) and for an additional six months after the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment.
However, be aware that even with a deferment or forbearance, interest still continues to accrue each month. If the parent does not pay the interest as it accrues, the interest will be capitalized (added to the principal) and the debt balance will increase over time.
A parent can also consolidate their existing student loans into a single parent loan, which may help them keep monthly payments down and pay down the balance faster. This option is available to both federal and private parent loans.
The federal government offers free loan consolidation services for borrowers who have multiple federal student loans, including parent PLUS loans. This free service will streamline your repayment plan by combining all of your loans into one new Direct Consolidation Loan.
There are various repayment options for federal parent loans, including a standard 10-year repayment plan that results in the same payments being made each month over the life of the loan. Alternatively, you can opt to take advantage of an extended repayment plan that stretches out the term of your parent loan over as long as 25 years.
While there are several payment options available to borrowers, it is best to choose a plan that works within your budget. In addition, it is vital to consider all of the terms and conditions associated with each option before making a decision.