August 10, 2011
Parent PLUS or Private Loan: Which is Better?
One question that comes up a lot from parents is how to fund the remainder of your child’s education, after federal loans of course. There are a variety of options out there including Federal PLUS loans and private college loans. It can be difficult to decide on which loan is right for your family, so to help you in the process, I’ve explained some of the major benefits and drawbacks of each below.
Parent PLUS Loans
Parent plus loans are available through the government and offer a variety of benefits. Benefits such as deferment, forbearance, and even some cancellation options are a perk of PLUS loans that are not always available with private loans. However, the interest rate is a fixed 7.9%, and higher than some private loans.
One of the most common questions from parents about the PLUS loan is in regards to the credit check. The credit check for PLUS loans is minimal and it’s mostly to make sure that there is no recent bankruptcy or adverse history on record within the past 5 years. If you’re still concerned that your credit will hinder your ability to receive the loan, you should continue with the application process, as students whose parent’s get denied a PLUS loan are entitled to further Stafford loans (at lower interest rates than the PLUS).
>>Read more answers to Parent PLUS loan FAQs
Private Loans
Private loans may actually be a better option than the PLUS loan for some families. Interest rates are now very competitive and come in both fixed and variable. This would allow for less interest over the lifetime of the loan than the Parent PLUS. You should also note that while the loan holder in this case is the student, most loans will suggest that a parent cosign for the student, which is generally a good idea anyway, as it improves approval chances and may lower the interest rate for the loan.
A downside of private loans is that many of the repayment benefits that you find with federal loans are not all available, however, the lower interest rates could outweigh this point. There are also other benefits of private loans to consider, such as the disbursal method. Unlike federal loans, private loans get disbursed directly to the student, so they can pay for immediate expenses such as books, or room and board.
>>Compare private student loan options
There is no real answer to “what is the best loan” because this is too subjective and is different for everyone. There are a lot of different factors to consider when looking into funding your child’s education and it comes down to not which loan is the best, but which is best for your family. To help you decide, you’ll simply have to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
May 6, 2010
Parent PLUS or a Private Student Loan? What should I pick?
If your child received their financial aid award letter and there weren’t enough digits on the page to cover tuition, you are definitely not alone. The cost of college continues to steadily grow every year, but financial aid has not kept the same pace. As a result, the gap between aid and cost continues to grow.
Once your child has exhausted the annual maximum for Stafford loans, the next step is to look at credit-based options to bridge the financial aid gap. Fortunately for you, there are quite a few lenders that all must compete with each other to make money and therefore give you an opportunity to minimize the interest rate on a new loan.
If you’ve read a few posts on this blog, you know the score on Parent PLUS loans, but what about private student loans? There are a few notable differences… and in some cases they can become more attractive than their federal counterpart.
Major Differences:
- Private student loans have variable interest rates (meaning they change with the index they are associated with… most commonly LIBOR or the Prime)
- They come from banks instead of the Department of Education
- Many banks offer special incentives to make a private student loan more worthwhile
At the moment, interest rates are quite low due to the Fed attempting to put the economy back on a growth track out of the recession. This means that the indices are at historical lows and with a creditworthy borrower, you can secure a great interest rate that can be as much as 5% lower than a Parent PLUS loan.
If you want to learn more about some of the incentives that private lenders offer, check out this blog on the Student Loan Network.
The bottom line is just do some research before you take out a loan. In many cases, you can save thousands of dollars in interest if you shop around.
April 9, 2010
Parent PLUS Loans are the Best Alternative
If your child is in school, or will be entering school, the problematic financial aid “gap” between total cost of attendance and awarded aid can sometimes grow to a frustrating size. From personal experience at a private college in downtown Boston, I averaged about $7,000 to $10,000 in unmet expenses per year that had to be solved through alternate means.
There are a variety of options to handle this extra cost, including private student loans and personal loans, but based on feedback from parents and the economy, the best choice is a Parent PLUS loan. Here are a few reasons why this type of loan is more popular with families putting children through college:
1) They have a fixed interest rate.
In a turbulent and recovering economy, variable rate loans can be a ticking time bomb. Having fixed interest means that over the entire life of the loan, you will have stable payments and no surprises.
2) The credit check is easier to pass.
This one probably is debatable, but there is a general consensus that the credit check for Parent PLUS loans seems to be more relaxed than the inquiry most private banks use for private student loans. There have been many reports of parents who were declined private student loans being offered Parent PLUS loans, with sub-prime credit scores (620+) and higher.
3) They have flexible repayment plans.
This is arguably the best reason to take out a Parent PLUS loan versus a private offering. Between Income Based Repayment and several other very flexible and generous pay plans, the federal loan is a much more attractive option for most parents and families.
October 28, 2009
Do I Need to Complete the FAFSA for My Parent Plus Loan?
Parents must complete a Plus loan application and Master Promissory Note to be eligible for a Parent Plus loan, but completion of the FAFSA may not be required. Parent borrowers only need to complete a FAFSA if the school the child is enrolled in requires it.
A parent may obtain additional loans for the same dependent student based on the original MPN for up to 10 years from the date the parent first signed it.
August 28, 2009
Financial Aid 101
With colleges heading back this week, you should have your financial aid already lined up, but it’s the perfect time to start planning for next year.
Let’s go over the basics:
* Fill out the FAFSA as early as you can. Financial aid is first-come, first-served so get your paperwork in early. If you ‘re waiting on a few last 1099s, use your existing paperwork to file early, and file an amendment when everything finally arrives. If you use a tax prefessionsal, they will often file the FAFSA for you for little to no additional charge.
* You need the FAFSA for all federal loans, such as Stafford, PLUS and Perkins loans. Some scholarships also require the FAFSA.
*Always exhaust your federal options first, such as Perkins, Stafford and PLUS loans, before looking at alternative sources of funding such as private loans or home equity loans. Federal student loan offer borrower incentives and protections that you will not find elsewhere.
Student Loan Info for Parents 