Day: September 20, 2022

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WASHINGTON – September 20, 2022 – (Newswire.com)
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NEW YORK – September 20, 2022 – (Newswire.com)

If you’re missing student loan payments, your credit score could be taking a hit. Here’s how much that matters and what you can do about it.

What is your credit score?

Your credit score is a number that lenders use to assess the risk of lending money to you. It affects your chances for any sort of borrowing, including opening a credit card or getting approved for a personal loan for college students. The higher your score, the lower the risk.

Lenders use one of three reporting bureaus to pull your credit report: Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. Each bureau decides which model it uses to determine your total score, either FICO®, which has a range of 300 – 850, or VantageScore®, which has a range of 501 – 990.

There are six factors that affect your credit score, with each weighted a little differently depending on the scoring model:

1. Amount of on-time payments. In all reporting models, the amount of late payments you have is the most significant factor that affects your credit score. Any payment later than 30 days is counted as a missed payment and can ding your score.

2. Length of credit history. The longer your credit history, the better.

3. Credit utilization (the percentage of credit used). This measures how much of your total available credit you’re using.

4. New credit applications. Approved applications count as positive factors, but rejected applications boomerang and can hurt your score if reported to the bureau.

5. Inquiries about credit products. When you allow a potential lender to look at your credit score, an inquiry is made. Lenders consider this when deciding whether to approve you for a product, as multiple inquiries make it seem like you’re desperate for money. However, only “hard” inquiries affect your score. “Soft” inquiries, such as the pulls made through credit monitoring apps or budgeting software, aren’t counted.

6. Type of credit. The mix of credit accounts you have includes car loans, student loans, credit cards, etc.

How can late student loan payments affect your credit score?

In both credit scoring models, the amount of late payments you have is the most significant factor that affects your credit score. Missing student loan payments can lower your credit score by anywhere from 30 to 50 points, depending on the bureau. That means you may have a harder time getting a loan or being approved for one.

What can you do if you miss your loan due date?

If you’re having trouble making your student loan payments, there are a few things you can do to try and get back on track. First, talk to your lender about what options are available to you. They may be able to extend the deadline for repayment, change the terms of the loan, or offer other solutions.

Second, consider looking into other sources of financial help. There are often ways to get help with debt without having to pay it back straight away, such as through credit counseling services or debt reduction programs.

Finally, be honest with yourself about what you can realistically afford to pay each month. Sometimes it’s helpful to make a plan and track your progress over time so you can see how your situation is changing and keep your lender informed so that adjustments can be made that ensure you’re never hurting your score or missing payment deadlines again.

The bottom line

Missing student loan payments can hurt your credit score. But there are ways to prevent this from happening and get back on track with your finances.

Contact Information:

Carolina d’Arbelles-Valle

[email protected]

+1 305 849 8443

Press Release Service
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Newswire.com

Original Source:

Credello: How Much Does Missing Student Loan Payments Hurt Your Credit Score?

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NEW YORK – September 20, 2022 – (Newswire.com)
…

NEW YORK – September 20, 2022 – (Newswire.com)

Recently, President Biden stated that the federal government would forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for many low- or middle-income individuals who borrowed money from the federal government for school. This has led to a flood of questions from former and current college students. 

What is personal loan forgiveness, some have asked, and how does it work? Others want to know additional details regarding this historic announcement.

In this article, we’ll answer one of the most commonly asked student loan questions that’s making the rounds online: whether you can ask for a refund on student loan payments.

Private Student Loans

The first thing worth knowing about the $20,000 in student loan forgiveness that President Biden mentioned is that it applies to students who borrowed money from the federal government, not a private lender. If you borrowed money for school from one of the many private lenders out there, you can’t get a refund on that.

Who’s Eligible for a Refund?

Let’s say you’re one of the individuals who borrowed money for college from the federal government. You also made payments on or after March 13 of 2020, when Covid-19 was on the rise and shutdowns were taking place. 

If so, you’re eligible to ask for a refund on those payments of up to $20,000, whether you paid through smaller amounts or paid off all your debt via a lump sum. The White House estimates that about 27 million Americans might meet this qualification.

There are certain stipulations about who’s eligible, so you’ll need to do a little research to see whether you meet all the terms and conditions. For instance, if you made payments for a Perkins loan or FFELP loan you took out, you may not be able to get a refund on that money. 

Should You Make This Request?

If you think you might qualify, you may feel like asking for a refund is a no-lose proposition. However, some financial experts warn that you should proceed with caution.

The reality is that the full details of the loan cancelation program have not been released yet. If you’re experiencing financial hardship and badly need the money you put toward federal student loans after March 13, 2020, you can move forward. Otherwise, it’s prudent to wait a little while to see what details the White House releases regarding this program.

How Do You Put in a Refund Request?

If you need money urgently and think you’ll qualify for this program, you can look into it by contacting the Federal Education Department. You’ll need your loan servicer’s phone number, the address where you want your refund delivered, or your bank account routing number for your refund. The person you speak to will probably ask for your social security number as well.  

You might deal with long wait times since this program has received a lot of attention, and millions of people want refunds. If you’re persistent, though, you should eventually get a chance to speak to an Education Department representative.

You Might Be Eligible for a Refund

If you took out federal student loans and made any payments after March 13 of 2020, you can probably get one of the refunds President Biden mentioned as part of the federal loan forgiveness plan. Remember that anyone who took out private loans and made payments before that date is not eligible.

Some financial experts feel you should wait for more program details before you try to get your loan money refunded. If you’re experiencing financial hardship, though, you may not want to hesitate. 

Contact the Federal Education Department and have the information we mentioned ready. If you learn you’re eligible for one of these refunds, that cash windfall should be extremely beneficial.

Contact Information:

Carolina d’Arbelles-Valle

[email protected]

+1 305 849 8443

Press Release Service
by
Newswire.com

Original Source:

Credello: Can You Ask for a Refund on Student Loan Payments?