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General Discussion / Re: Looking for "defaulted stu...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - June 28, 2020, 11:21:46 amSee this: how to get out of student loan default.
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General Discussion / Looking for "defaulted student...
Last post by Fool#1 - June 28, 2020, 01:29:41 amI started reading through this forum and very quickly felt like I was reading a bowl of alphabet soup! i never knew there were so many acronyms. Below is a short (honest, it is 1/3 the length of the original article) description of my situation.
I have a student loan that is seriously in default. I went to school for one year 2008/2009 and then went abroad to teach because I could not find a job during the bust of the economic bubble. 1 year passed and I was not in a position to begin payments. It has been 10 years now and I have not been able to (or just did not because of uncertainty) make one payment. After I got behind, a couple of legal sources told me just to save up the money and then pay it off - it would be ok. I have made some noble attempts to do so, but have been thwarted each time - most recently by a bout of skin cancer. I still live abroad, so have little contact with collection agencies, etc. The last letter I got showed a principal of about $20K, interest of $7K and an administrative fee of $8K. The university was a private one. The last letter that I got was not from a government agency. Iirc, the original loan was held by Wells Fargo, but that is not the name on the letter now. Can you please help me read between the lines? I think loan rehabilitation does not include people who have been delinquent for 10 years.
I am in a position to put away at least $1K a month now for the next 2-3 years (barring some other medical crisis). I have a job now that provides excellent medical insurance. If things go well, maybe $1.5K a month. What are my options? Is there any way to get the admin fee waived or reduced?
More about me: I am an English teacher in China. In the past 10 years, I taught in a small town in the USA in the northern plains for 2 years. It is very likely that I will be returning to the US to teach (also small town USA) starting in 2022/2023. I make about US$30K a year here.
Related to this...obviously I am not good at managing money. If saving up for a lump sum payment is a good idea, ss there some kind of savings account that I can open that will not let me take money out (unless for personal emergency)and also maybe give me a little interest? I am still living abroad. I have no assets to use as collateral for a loan.
I am looking for help in any form now. I am especially interested in links to articles that will explain all of these terms - and any that are relevant to me. I don't mind doing due diligence reading and studying but I have NO idea where to begin.
I have a student loan that is seriously in default. I went to school for one year 2008/2009 and then went abroad to teach because I could not find a job during the bust of the economic bubble. 1 year passed and I was not in a position to begin payments. It has been 10 years now and I have not been able to (or just did not because of uncertainty) make one payment. After I got behind, a couple of legal sources told me just to save up the money and then pay it off - it would be ok. I have made some noble attempts to do so, but have been thwarted each time - most recently by a bout of skin cancer. I still live abroad, so have little contact with collection agencies, etc. The last letter I got showed a principal of about $20K, interest of $7K and an administrative fee of $8K. The university was a private one. The last letter that I got was not from a government agency. Iirc, the original loan was held by Wells Fargo, but that is not the name on the letter now. Can you please help me read between the lines? I think loan rehabilitation does not include people who have been delinquent for 10 years.
I am in a position to put away at least $1K a month now for the next 2-3 years (barring some other medical crisis). I have a job now that provides excellent medical insurance. If things go well, maybe $1.5K a month. What are my options? Is there any way to get the admin fee waived or reduced?
More about me: I am an English teacher in China. In the past 10 years, I taught in a small town in the USA in the northern plains for 2 years. It is very likely that I will be returning to the US to teach (also small town USA) starting in 2022/2023. I make about US$30K a year here.
Related to this...obviously I am not good at managing money. If saving up for a lump sum payment is a good idea, ss there some kind of savings account that I can open that will not let me take money out (unless for personal emergency)and also maybe give me a little interest? I am still living abroad. I have no assets to use as collateral for a loan.
I am looking for help in any form now. I am especially interested in links to articles that will explain all of these terms - and any that are relevant to me. I don't mind doing due diligence reading and studying but I have NO idea where to begin.
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For Parents / Re: retired with student loans
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - June 22, 2020, 11:17:21 pmThose are your basic options, unless you want to work with your children to help you as well. See this: Options for Parent PLUS loans.
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For Parents / retired with student loans
Last post by Cebu - June 22, 2020, 10:45:10 pmI am 68 years old, retired. Living overseas with no car, no car insurance, etc. Keeping expenses low. I have $170K in consolidated Parent Plus loans. I make my regular student loan payments. When I return to the US next year (health issues) I will be 69, my only debt will be the student loans, with $830 monthly ICR based payment. I do not own a home, car, jewelry, etc. Nothing of monetary value. Based on my research, my only options appear to be continuing with $830/month payments, or default and let the government take the 15% of social security, $270. Are there other viable alternatives?
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Ask a Question / Re: HELOC for Student Loans or...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - June 18, 2020, 05:14:29 pmNot really a fan of doing it. You're shifting the risk from yourself (which, yes, sucks, but there are a lot of programs and options), to your home (with no options except to lose your home).
You didn't say what type of loans you have - which definitely shifts the decision. Federal loans is likely a hard no. You give up income-driven repayment, loan forgiveness plans, and hardship options - like right now during Covid-19 Federal loans are paused with 0% interest. That's amazing.
Also, what if (in the unlikely situation) they do pass loan forgiveness - even partial. They aren't going to offer that on your HELOC. Only for Federal loans.
Private loans are a maybe, but you have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it.
You didn't say what type of loans you have - which definitely shifts the decision. Federal loans is likely a hard no. You give up income-driven repayment, loan forgiveness plans, and hardship options - like right now during Covid-19 Federal loans are paused with 0% interest. That's amazing.
Also, what if (in the unlikely situation) they do pass loan forgiveness - even partial. They aren't going to offer that on your HELOC. Only for Federal loans.
Private loans are a maybe, but you have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it.
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Ask a Question / Re: Victims of Spousal Student...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - June 18, 2020, 05:11:04 pmPlease feel free to share your stories below. We have removed the posters contact details to prevent spam.
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Ask a Question / HELOC for Student Loans or Not
Last post by dgab85 - June 18, 2020, 01:24:33 pmI currently own a townhome with a balance of $70k and it is worth about $150k. My monthly payments are about $430 a month at 4.5% interest. My student loans are about 84k at 5.5% interest. I am considering refinancing my home which will bring me to a 3.75% interest and taking out a HELOC of about $40k. I would like to know your thoughts if I should take out a HELOC to pay off 40k of my student loans? I have been aggressively paying my student loans should be done in 3 years.
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Ask a Question / Victims of Spousal Student Loa...
Last post by CajunPete - June 17, 2020, 11:58:11 pmHello unfortunate consolidators,
I am a victim of the Spousal Student Loan Consolidation. I foolishly consolidated my student loans with me ex-wife. We divorced in 2013 and our loan has gone into default because she stopped sending in the forbearance paperwork and had the address changed for all of the communication from Fed Direct to go to her address as I was working out of the country trying to raise the entire amount of my loan and pay it off in one lump sum.
She has since remarried and is untouchable. I am the "primary" borrower on our loan. She does not work and her husband pays all of their bills. Getting a judgement against her would be pointless because she does to have any wages to garnish.She refuses to take any responsibility for any of the loan debt. Her husband buys everything in his name. He bought their house and cars in his name, then adds he name to the deed/titles later. They live in a state that protects their homestead from any time of collection by debtors.
The political climate might be ripe to finally push the government to allow the break-up of these spousal consolidations.
Once I gather the information, I propose to present to the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as the US House Committee on Education and Labor.
As you probably know the issue of Student Loan Debt has come up during this years Presidential campaign, especially during the Democratic Presidential Primaries. Perhaps we have time to resurrect the issue before the elections in November.
I ask that you please contact me if you are in a difficult situation due to Spousal Consolidation of Student Loans or that you contact someone that you might know that is having difficulties. I also ask that you please write a letter to both your US Senator and Congressman regarding the issue. They all have simple forms on their respective websites that makes contacting them quick and easy.
I hope to hear from many of you soon.
I am a victim of the Spousal Student Loan Consolidation. I foolishly consolidated my student loans with me ex-wife. We divorced in 2013 and our loan has gone into default because she stopped sending in the forbearance paperwork and had the address changed for all of the communication from Fed Direct to go to her address as I was working out of the country trying to raise the entire amount of my loan and pay it off in one lump sum.
She has since remarried and is untouchable. I am the "primary" borrower on our loan. She does not work and her husband pays all of their bills. Getting a judgement against her would be pointless because she does to have any wages to garnish.She refuses to take any responsibility for any of the loan debt. Her husband buys everything in his name. He bought their house and cars in his name, then adds he name to the deed/titles later. They live in a state that protects their homestead from any time of collection by debtors.
The political climate might be ripe to finally push the government to allow the break-up of these spousal consolidations.
Once I gather the information, I propose to present to the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as the US House Committee on Education and Labor.
As you probably know the issue of Student Loan Debt has come up during this years Presidential campaign, especially during the Democratic Presidential Primaries. Perhaps we have time to resurrect the issue before the elections in November.
I ask that you please contact me if you are in a difficult situation due to Spousal Consolidation of Student Loans or that you contact someone that you might know that is having difficulties. I also ask that you please write a letter to both your US Senator and Congressman regarding the issue. They all have simple forms on their respective websites that makes contacting them quick and easy.
I hope to hear from many of you soon.
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Private Student Loans / Re: wells fargo edu loan defa...
Last post by ianyu123 - June 05, 2020, 07:09:41 pmthank you. much appreciated!
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Private Student Loans / Re: wells fargo edu loan defa...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - June 05, 2020, 09:04:54 amNo, we don't negotiate debts and it's rarely a recommended approach we see so I don't have any good wording for you. I'm sure you can research it though.