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Archive for July, 2009

Stafford loans are low-interest, federally guaranteed student loans available to both eligible undergraduate and graduate students for tuition and other school-related expenses. Stafford Loans are an affordable loan option available for most students to pay for college. Stafford Loans are the most widely used, low-cost education loans available from the United States Federal government.

Stafford Loans are widely used and low cost!

Stafford Loans are available to students either directly from the United States Department of Education through the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP, also known as Direct) or from a financial intermediary (such as Chase, Sallie Mae or Student Loan Corp). Stafford loans are given to students in the student’s own name. There is no credit check, so students don’t need to worry about finding a co-signer to get money for college or graduate school. Stafford loan rates are lower than other forms of consumer financing, and repayment is postponed for six months until you leave school or drop below half-time enrollment. Stafford Loans are backed (guaranteed) by the federal government and have fixed interest rates.

There are two types of Stafford Loans: Direct and FFEL.

Direct Loans

The US government provides Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP) loans, administered by “Direct Lending Schools”, directly to students and their parents. Many students who apply for the Stafford Loans in either category choose the Direct loan, in which the money comes right from the government and goes directly to the school.

FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program)

Private lenders, such as banks, credit unions and savings & loan associations, provide Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans. FFEL loans funded by private lenders are still federally backed and the lenders must follow strict federal loan guidelines. FFEL program Stafford Loan funds can be used for education-related expenses such as tuition, fees, books, living costs, transportation, childcare, etc. Both the FFEL and Direct Loan programs consist of what are generally known as Stafford Loans (for students) and PLUS Loans (for parents). For a FFEL Stafford Loan, the lender will send the loan funds to your school.

Stafford Loan Eligibility

To be eligible for a Stafford loan you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Simply fill out the FAFSA form through your educational institution or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov

A Student Is Considered To Be…

To be eligible for Federal Financial Aid a student must be a permanent resident or eligible non-citizen, as applicable. You must have a valid Social Security Number, be attending an eligible school, or accepted for enrollment, as at least a half-time student. If already enrolled, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress in your course of study according to the school’s standards. You must have at least a high school diploma or the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma.

A borrower may not qualify if he or she has defaulted on a federal education loan, owes an overpayment on other federal education aid, has been convicted of a drug-related offense while receiving federal student aid, or is incarcerated.

Subsidized Loans (Need Based)

A Federal Stafford Subsidized Loan is awarded on the basis of financial need and is available through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). About 2/3 of subsidized Stafford loans are awarded to students with family AGI (adjusted gross income) of under $50,000, 1/4 to students with family AGI of $50,000 to $100,000, and a little less than 10.

Non-subsidized Loans (Non-Need Based)

All students, regardless of need, are eligible for the unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Even though the unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to all students regardless of financial need, you must still submit the FASFA to be eligible. For all unsubsidized Stafford loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2006, the interest rate is fixed at 6.8%. For unsubsidized Stafford loans, students are responsible for all of the interest that accrues while the student is enrolled in school.

With the unsubsidized Stafford loan, you can defer the payments until after graduation by capitalizing the interest.

Repayment

There is a 6-month grace period following graduation or when enrolled less that half-time or leaving school altogether before you must begin repaying your loan.

Both the Direct Loan and FFEL programs offer four repayment plans you can choose from, but the terms differ slightly. Please note: some colleges participate only in the Federal Direct Loan Program, which might mean you do not have a choice of lender.

Information You’ll Receive

Your school must notify you in writing whenever it credits your account with your Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan funds.

Loan Limits

The federal government under Title IV of the Family Education Loan Program sets loan limits. Loan limits vary depending on your student status.

The loan limits described below apply to both the FFEL and Direct Loan programs and are cumulative.

The limits may be a little confusing because there are two sets of limits for the Stafford loan: a combined base limit for the subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loan, and an additional limit for just the unsubsidized Stafford loan.

The program limits are $4,000 per year for undergraduate students and $6,000 per year for graduate students, with cumulative limits of $20,000 for undergraduate loans and $40,000 for undergraduate and graduate loans combined.

Dependent Annual loan limit

· Freshman $5,500 ($3,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)
· Sophomore $6,500 ($4,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)
· Junior or senior $7,500 ($5,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)

Independent Annual loan limit

· Freshman $9,500 ($3,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $6,000 unsubsidized)
· Sophomore $10,500 ($4,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $6,000 unsubsidized)
· Junior or senior $12,500 ($5,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $7,000 unsubsidized)
· Graduate or professional $20,500 ($8,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $12,000 unsubsidized)
· Lifetime limits Undergraduate dependent lifetime limit $31,000 (up to $23,000 may be subsidized)

Undergraduate independent lifetime limit $57,500 (between subsidized and unsubsidized)
Graduate or professional lifetime limit $138,500 (up to $65,000 may be subsidized) or $224,000 (for health professions) for loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008.

Annual limits, which include both the subsidized and the unsubsidized Stafford Loan are as follows: $3,500 in the first year $4,500 in the second year $5,500 in the third year $5,500 in the fourth year.

Consolidation of your Stafford loans…

In some cases it may be beneficial for you to consolidate one or more of your FFEL Stafford Loans into a Consolidation Loan. Consolidating loans can be a great way to simplify repayment and lower monthly payments, and Direct Loans can be consolidated with other student loans. When you consolidate your Stafford loans, you are locking in today’s low rates, combining multiple payments into one and lowering your monthly payment.

Final Things To Consider…

Stafford Loans carry a low, fixed interest rate, which is set by the Federal government. Stafford Loans are federal student loans for undergraduate and graduate students. Stafford Loans are the most widely used, low-cost education loans available from the United States Federal government. A Stafford Loan is a great way for you to secure the extra financial aid you require in order to meet your needs for college, university or trade school.

Most college or university students can secure a Federal Stafford Loan to assist with their financial needs. Getting started as early as possible can be the difference between finding financing or not.

Don’t delay; your future depends on it. Prepare your college finances for a bright future.

By: James Richman

Student Loan Rates Will Drop to All Time Low

Great news for those of you with student loans! On July 1, the interest rates on Stafford loans and PLUS loans will drop to an all time low! Here’s what.

How many types of Stafford Loans are available? - Ask TaxGuru

There are 2 types of Stafford loans and these are as follows: 1.Subsidized Stafford The Subsidized Stafford Loan is need-based, and “the interest.

What are the pros and cons of Federal Stafford loans?

Stafford loans play a major role in affordable financing for post-secondary education. Like any other product, Federal Stafford loans are not perfect. They have both good and not so good features.

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Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. There are millions of Americans with bad credit, but the good news is that there are tools in place to turn that bad credit into good credit, in a very short period of time. The best place to begin building credit, if you are unable to get credit anywhere else, is with secured credit cards .

Even if you have past debt, secured credit cards are still your best bet for improving your credit score. Past debt will affect your credit score negatively, but recent good credit can raise it significantly, and since finance companies are more interested in how you currently pay your bills than how you did from years ago, this will also help you using your new credit score.

So what are secured credit cards, and how do they work? Well, simply put, a secured credit card is exactly like a real credit card, except that you have to pay the company a deposit equal to the amount of your credit line, in order to receive your credit card. Generally, you’ll receive this deposit back in 12 months, assuming you pay your card off on time, but some companies may have longer or shorter terms that they keep your deposit.

Let’s take a couple of hypothetical cases to see how a secured credit card might affect your credit. Bob R. has a credit score of 550. He has never paid a bill in his life, and has everything from a student loan that he defaulted on, to doctor and hospital bills from the past few years, as well as a couple of small personal loans from several years ago. Bob has about $7000 in debt total. Bob learns that he can negotiate with creditors, since in most cases the original finance company has sold the debt to a collection agency and calls to pay off the small loans which are between $50 and $150. He negotiates with the creditor to pay off 75% of the balance all at once, in return for removing the item from his credit report. He also makes a payment arrangement for the student loan, and pays $300 to a secured credit card company to get a secured credit card. In 12 months Bob checks his credit again, after paying off the student loan, by making payments each month, and charging a small amount to his secured credit card each month, and paying it off as soon as it is due. He is surprised to learn that by doing just these steps his credit score has gone up by almost 80 points.

Now, let’s talk about Caitlyn C. Caitlyn is a college freshman, and has never had credit. She wants to get a car, and has a part time job that she could use to make the payments. Caitlyn applies to the finance companies, but since she has no credit history they don’t know how good, or bad that she will be, and none of them offer to finance her. Caitlyn decides to get a secured credit card. In fact, she decides to double her strategy and get two secured credit cards. One is secured with $300 and one with $200. Both cards report monthly to all three bureaus, and she charges a little each month to both cards, then pays if off on time without ever missing a payment. After 6 months, Caitlyn goes back to the same car lot, and they pull her credit and find she has a six month payment history on two revolving accounts, and has never had a late or missed payment. Her credit score is 720, and she receives the car loan.

The fact is, finance companies are much more interested in your recent credit activity than mistakes you have made in the past. If you can prove that you have the ability to pay, and that you have habitually paid your bills over the past few months, then that will make companies tend to look at you more favorably, even if you have had past credit problems.

Getting a secured credit card can be daunting. Make sure you know the APR, late and over limit fees, annual fees and enrollment fees before signing up. Also, make sure you ask how often they report and to which bureaus they report to. The bottom line is, however, that a secured credit card can make a huge difference in 9-12 months if you never charge more than 25% of your available credit, and pay it off each month with no late or missed payments. Good luck with rebuilding your credit!

By: Jonas Renfold

Easy Way to Find the Secured Credit Card We Need | cohassetpd.org

Easy Way to Find the Secured Credit Card We Need If we are people who have to travel between cities or from one country to another, we must find difficulties.

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cash back credit card (trump gold card) – apply for secured cash back reward credit card and get 10% cash back, kotak offers trump gold card, a secured cash back reward credit card.

How to Choose Between Debt Management & Debt Elimination

A debt elimination program will allow a person to legally walk away from 100% of their non-secured credit card debt, without bankruptcy, consolidation, or refinancing.

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Once you have your nursing degree in hand, what comes next? Actually, there are a number of options you can consider after earning your degree and obtaining your license. Below are some great examples of the career paths that are open to a fully trained and licensed nurse.

By far, the most common option among newly licensed nurses is to secure a position in a healthcare facility such as a hospital or nursing home. Many areas are suffering from a lack of qualified nurses, so there is a good chance you can find work in just about any location you choose to live. As you begin to settle into the routine at the facility, in time you may begin to advance to more demanding and challenging roles, such as functioning as a charge nurse or floor supervisor. Nursing options of this type generally offer excellent benefits along with generous pay. Best of all, you can make a difference in a great many lives during the course of your career.

A similar option to working in the hospital or nursing home setting is to consider a career as a hospice nurse. This career path requires not only quality training but also the ability to provide compassion and care during end-of-life situations. A hospice nurse not only interacts with the patient but also comes into regular contact with family and friends. The nurse is usually a part of an extensive support team assigned to each patient often working with aides, clergypersons, and the patient’s family to provide emotional, spiritual, and medical support during the patient’s term of medical illness.

There are also a variety of areas of practice available for a licensed nurse to pursue, such as working with patients that are dealing with addictions, those afflicted with disease, or patients suffering with developmental or emotional conditions. As with hospice work, those that choose one of these aspects of nursing must possess an enormous capacity for compassion while also being able to maintain a professional demeanor and carryout all necessary tasks.

For nurses who are not interested in being tied down to one location, life as a travel nurse may be the ideal situation. Some travel nurses prefer to work as independent contractors, arranging their own assignments. Other nurses choose to sign up with an agency that actively searches for work situations on their behalf and makes arrangements for them to interact with clients that would be of interest. One of the benefits of being a travel nurse is that you can choose to take on long term and short term assignments anywhere that your license is recognized. Keep in mind that with this option, chances are that the pay will be excellent, but it will not necessarily include benefits such as hospitalization and sick pay.

You may choose to base the focus of your nursing career on a specific sector of the general population. There are opportunities for nurses to work specifically with families, women, men, or children. In addition, you can choose to focus your attention on providing nursing services to people living in a rural setting or within a given culture or ethnic group. Depending on your skill set and personality, seeking work that focuses on a population sector may be an ideal fit.

Do not overlook the possibility of becoming a teaching nurse. Many healthcare facilities employ nurses who are able to lead a classroom setting as part of their continuing education program. A position like this allows you to stay on top of the latest new developments in the field as they relate to technological support, team building, and general nursing. If you have a gift or passion for teaching others, becoming a teaching nurse may be just what you are looking for.

One of the great things about having a nursing degree is that it opens up so many different doors in terms of a career. You can provide general services to a wide range of people or focus your attention on people with specific needs or specific backgrounds. You can also choose to work in the same facility for your entire career or travel to distant locations and live in many different places. There is even the possibility of securing a private duty position and working with one client for an extended period of time.

Before you make a final decision in where you want to work, take the time to explore all of your options. As you learn more about the pros and cons associated with each position, you may find a career path that you had not considered before and would find very rewarding.

By: JoannaB1

Next Steps after You Have Finished Nursing School

Once you have your nursing degree in hand, what comes next? Actually, there are a number of options you can consider after earning your degree and obtaining your license.

I finished nursing school today

And that’s why I haven’t blogged in almost two months. Let me say it again, i finished nursing school today. I took my last two finals.

I finished nursing school!!!!!! Thank you all so much!!!! Don’t

I just had to send this message because (it’s funny that Heidi brought this up on Facebook)– I don’t know if I would have even applied to nursing school if it wasn’t for you guys.

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Home school programs are the option for parents who feel public schools deficient in prime education and in safety. The questions many people ask is, are home school kids lacking suitable socialization and what is the rewards and disadvantages from home schooling? Contrary to public-school children, home school children are not captives of a system of rules that could crush their self-esteem or their joy of learning.

Home school children do not need to sit down silently in a school room of 30 or more additional pupils and act as though they enjoy being in that confined public school prison. Most of the kids in home school programs are smart and independent. Home schooling in addition affords the parent the chance to interact with the child extensively. Home schooling preschool as well gives you a chance to encourage your child to enjoy learning

The procedure of formulating effective home school programs can be intimidating at the beginning, but is extremely worthwhile when you have your plans prepared. There are several techniques for home schooling a child, and the technique you decide on will determine your curriculum and your manner of teaching. Having your child learn responsibility is one of the end results of education whether it comes about in a normal school background or by home school programs.

There are many other things that have to be dealt with when home schooling a child. For instance, lowering your home schooling costs is important to keep in mind if you’re plan to be successful in the long-run. The presumption that springs to mind on the price of home school programs is that, they’re inexpensive. The fact is, home schooling does not need to cost a lot. Whenever you buy used home school textbooks, you are able to cut down your home schooling cost substantially. There are a lot of places where you can find used home school items on the Internet.

A few home schoolers continue to buy resources, yet a fast growing list of parents reject traditional home school programs and adopt a more individualized approach to their children’s training. You can ask your local schools about resource programs, suggested techniques for teaching your child at home and about whatever additional useful data they can give you.

The plan fact is, home schooling is something that’s easily within the reach of anyone that would like to accept the obligation for their child’s education. Therefore, whether you’re interested in home school programs for the long run, or merely would like to ready your child for his or her school time, home school programs should commence prior to the child entering Kindergarten.

By: Michael Bridges

Home Schooling and the Study of History | SharperGuide.com

These ways are advisable for when your child is still young, but when your child gets older, you must select a home schooling program that is suitable for his/her particular age group.

Homeschool Corner: Year Round Schooling | Moms of Faith

Your children, if they are like mine, will even look forward to it. Once I had all their new school books and folders and everything set out on my shelf, my kiddos were asking:

How Can Home School English Success | Forever Education

How Can Home School English Success. HOW do you know if you have your child in teaching the English language? When I am home, I was so stressed the literature for analysis.

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