Archive for October, 2008

Auto Financing Scams

Car dealers are often portrayed as predators just waiting for an unsuspecting customer to come along. This is because many people believe that they are always on the prowl for unsuspecting buyers that are not very knowledgeable about cars. This can be unfair because we can argue that there are car dealers out there who would not cheat just to get an extra profit.

How do you tell the difference?

To avoid becoming a victim of sneaky car dealers, look at the following auto financing scams.

Yoyo scam

You will be allowed by the dealer to bring the car home as soon as possible. The dealer will take care of the financing, a few days later he will contact you again and tell you that there was a problem with your financing plan. He will tell you to set up a new financing scheme through him which, of course, will be at a higher cost and this will also entail a very high profit on the dealer’s part.

Student Loans for Graduate Students

For those who want to continue their education into the post-graduate level, there are still loan options available. The biggest ones are the same as undergraduate loans, the Perkins and Stafford Loans. Another resource is to look to private organizations for graduate loans. Below is a brief summary of the loans available to graduate students.

GOVERNMENT GRADUATE LOANS

Government graduate loans differ from undergraduate loans really in name only. So just like undergraduates, graduates have the opportunity to get a Perkins or Stafford loan from the government.

1) Perkins Graduate loan

A Perkins graduate loan is available to students who demonstrate financial hardship. It has an interest rate of only 5 percent and can finance up to $4,000 of the graduate student’s education. For graduate students who are adversely limited economically, the Perkins loan is one of the best options.

2) Stafford Graduate Loan

Stafford graduate loans are available to any graduate student regardless of their financial situation. Two types of Stafford graduate loans exist: subsidized and unsubsidized. The difference between the two types lies in who pays the interest. For subsidized Stafford graduate loans, the government pays the interest. Students pay for the interest in unsubsidized Stafford graduate loans, though there is the option of not having to make payments until after graduation.

What are student loans?

There is a myth that only the rich can afford to get a college education. This could not be further from the truth. The sad truth is that in today’s highly technical and fast paced society, a college education is a vital necessity. Even the simplest of tasks is becoming computerized to a point that it takes specialized training to operate the equipment. By the time most middle and high school children reach graduation, even a janitors position will be in need of a two or four year degree.

When one mentions a college education the first thought is some big foreboding university and four years of either drudgery or partying. There are, however many new fields of study opening up that require only an Associates degree. But, even though these are earned at community colleges, there are still expenses to be paid. Most of the two year programs are at colleges that are accredited. This accreditation allows students to apply for the same grants, scholarships and loans that would be applicable to the four-year institutions.

The Four Federal Student Loan Consolidation Plans

Anybody studying in the United States and owing a student loan is eligible for federal student loan consolidation plans.

Federal student loan consolidation plans are applicable for all students whether you are still in school or a recent graduate or already into your new career.

If you currently have several student loans, it is easier if you use federal student loan consolidation to consolidate them into one loan payment thus making it easier to manage.

There are four kinds of federal student loan consolidation to choose from:

* Standard Student Loan Consolidation

The maximum student loan period is 10 years and the payment amount per month is fixed. This type of plan is suitable for students who can afford to pay a fixed amount per month. The interest rate would not be a big factor in huge student consolidation loans. This is easiest for those on a budget.

* Extended Payment Plan

This type of plan is similar to standard student loan consolidation except it has a longer repayment period of between 15 to 30 years. The repayment period is dependent on the student loan amount.

* Graduated Payment Plan