Despite a halt on student loan payments since the outbreak began in March 2020, many poor borrowers will struggle to pay when payments resume on October 1.
Student loan payment pause is about to end (Source: Christian Academia Magazine)
Several Options for Student Loan Payment
Millions of borrowers of student loan payments will begin in two weeks after interest starts on September 1. It seems sensible to address concerns about a controversial issue from the past year. Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and TurboTax expert, advises students returning to school and recent graduates with debts to know when they must start student loan payments and what repayment and tax credit alternatives are available.
Students should have been alerted when to start or continue student loan payments, according to studentaid.gov. “You’ll get your bill, with your payment amount and due date, at least 21 days before your due date,” the website says. The site also offers advice on changing your contact information, finding affordable repayment plans, recertifying your IDR, registering in auto pay, and checking for debt forgiveness.
Greene-Lewis reminded student loan payments that debts don’t start until they graduate. Schools allow for a specific period of time following graduation. It takes six months after graduating because they want to give your kids time to locate jobs and everything, Greene-Lewis told TheStreet. The White House proposed the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) proposal in August to fix student loans and be “the most affordable repayment plan ever created.”
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Programs for Student Loan Payment
The SAVE plan improves the Revised Pay as You Earn Repayment (REPAYE) plan and phases out the three other IDR programs for lower-income debtors: PAYE, IBR, and ICR. According to the White House Fact Sheet, borrowers must make less than $30,000 a year, while individuals in families of four must make less than $60,000. As Business Insider previously reported, undergraduates’ payment obligations will be cut in half. Graduate loan holders will pay 10%, and those with a mix of graduate and undergraduate debts will pay 5%–10%. However, Greene-Lewis noted that two education credits are often overlooked but should be researched. The American Opportunity Tax Credit pays up to $2,500 per eligible student for the first four years of higher education for approved school expenses.
You can file for the Lifetime Learning Credit for as many years as you like. The LLC covers qualified tuition and related expenses for eligible students at an approved educational institution, according to the IRS. This student loans can cover undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree courses, including job skills training. Without evaluating your options, you’ve chosen a plan before considering others. “If you’re not getting any benefit from claiming your child because of your income, then you should have your child file their taxes, especially a lot of college students,” Greene-Lewis told Byrnes.
READ ASLO: Federal Student Loan Payment Will Resume this October
