Student Loans: Think Carefully

By Carol H Cox

 

photo: www.cafecredit.com

 

It’s no secret that American private colleges and even many public universities are absurdly expensive these days. In the process of weighing acceptance options, high school seniors will be reviewing financial aid packages and may be considering signing up for student loans. It’s important for everyone involved, students and parents alike, to educate themselves about what a student loan really involves.

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Older Americans Taking on More Student Loans

 

By Carol H Cox

 

Are you a parent or grandparent considering co-signing on or taking out a student loan for your child or grandchild? Well, you may first want to read a new study on this matter.

In January of 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a sobering study called “Snapshot of Older Consumers and Student Loan Debt.” (In the study, “older consumers” are categorized as those being age 60 and older.) Between 2005 and 2015 the number of older consumers carrying student loan debt, meaning either co-signing on or taking out student loans directly, has increased by a factor of four, to 2.8 million Americans. These older consumers are responsible for a total of $66.7 billion of student loan debt, including federal Parent PLUS loans and private student loans.

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