StudentLoans

5 Practical Money Tips for New Grads

Beyond the usual platitudes and cliches, commencement speakers should consider giving their audiences of eager graduates these five crucial pieces of advice.

4 Tax Breaks Every College Student Should Know About

In 2009, Americans missed out on $800 million in education-related tax breaks. If you're paying tuition, make sure you get your share: Before you complete the take-home final that is your 2013 tax return, review the four most-lucrative tax breaks for college students.

Do You Have More Debt Than the Average American?

A new study shows that individual debt is falling at the fastest rate in nearly 50 years. But not everyone is contributing positively to that statistic, and many Americans are still struggling with overwhelming debt.

Feds Warn For-Profit Colleges: Do Better or Lose Student Aid

Former students in career-training programs at dozens of for-profit institutions have had so much trouble paying off their loans that the schools could lose access to federal student aid if they don't improve, the Department of Education reports.

529 College Savings Plans: What You Need to Know

What might be the most accessible and simplest way to save for college -- a 529 savings plan -- is also one of the most widely misunderstood financial tools among consumers. Let us clear up some of that confusion.

This Bright-Eyed Young Man Was Utterly Demolished By Student Loans

Even as total outstanding student debt rises to $1 trillion, lawmakers have yet to allow loans to be discharged in bankruptcy. Without an escape clause, these loans can strangle a person. Take 36-year-old Nick Keith, who remains $142,000 eight years after graduating from culinary school.

How I Went Bankrupt at 23

For as long as Amanda Chatel could remember, her dad had warned her about the dangers of credit cards. Then she got to college and began ignoring those warnings -- repeatedly.

What Happened When This Guy Paid His Student Loan in Cash

Last week, a Reddit user posted a photo of a $114,000 student loan bill-paid in cash-that elicited thousands of comments. Since then, the anonymous alum has stepped forward as Alex Kenjeev, a 2009 law school graduate of the University of Toronto.

How Low Interest Rates Could Push College Costs Even Higher

With so many young adults struggling with college debt, maintaining the current low 3.4% interest rate on Stafford loans sounds like a no-brainer. But former Education Secretary William Bennett thinks low rates will only lead colleges to become more expensive.

US Consumers Upped Their Borrowing in March

U.S. consumers swiped their credit cards more often in March and took out more loans to attend school, driving overall borrowing up by the most in more than a decade. Total consumer borrowing rose $21.4 billion in March, the Federal Reserve said Monday. That's the seventh straight monthly increase and the largest since November 2001.

Obama Orders For-Profit Schools to Stop Scamming Our Troops

Last week, President Obama signed an executive order to protect veterans, soldiers and their families from being swindled and hoodwinked by for-profit schools. Check out some of these shady behaviors, and you'll understand what set Obama off.

Choosing a College: Which Schools Offer the Best Return on Investment?

Collegians are having to become more careful consumers, as high-quality jobs become scarce and interest rates on student loans are set to increase. A comparison of the average return on investment for over 1,200 American colleges and universities offers some clues on how to choose.

Student Loans: Your 5-Step Plan to Pay Them Off

The economy seems to be turning around for recent college grads, so members of the class of 2012 may have the cash to make a dent in their massive student loans. Now all they need is a plan.

Is This the Answer to the Student Debt Crisis? FixUC's 5% Solution

College tuition just keeps rising, and student loan debt is at an all-time high, leading to hefty loan payments that can overwhelm earners early in their careers. But a group called FixUC has a radical proposal to re-think tuition that could make everyone happy.

Recovery Threatened by Runaway Student Loan Debt

Surging above $1 trillion, U.S. student loan debt has surpassed credit card and auto-loan debt. This debt explosion jeopardizes the fragile recovery, increases the burden on taxpayers and possibly sets the stage for a new economic crisis.

Can't Get a Mortgage? Blame Your Student Loans

With college costs high and rising, more students are putting themselves deeper into debt than ever. But those huge debt loads don't just pressure graduates to find high-paying jobs: They're also making it nearly impossible for many of them to get mortgages.

Should the Government Give Colleges Value Report Cards?

More students and parents are approaching higher education like any other big investment, researching schools' relative merits and the values of their diplomas so they can make informed decisions. Trouble is, the data can be hard to find -- and what's available isn't always trustworthy. Should Washington step in?

Let the IRS Help Pay for Your Higher Education

The cost of an education has never been higher. But by taking advantage of some tax benefits, you can at least put a small dent in some of those bills. Which of that complicated menu of tax benefits applies to you? DailyFinance breaks it down.

What Are the Best Value Colleges? Rob Franek Tells All

College costs are rising, student loan debt is nearing $1 trillion, and money is still tight everywhere. So if you're a parents or a soon-to-matriculate student, you'll want to hear what the Princeton Review's Rob Franek has to say about the best value colleges of 2012.

Good Reasons to Love Those Darn Student Loans

With student loan default rates rising due to persistently high unemployment rates, it's easy to vilify the seemingly endless monthly payments that follow graduation. But take a closer look, and you'll find that the news about student loans is more good than bad.

Older Workers Flock Back to School ... and Student Loans

The best route to a secure job still runs through the classroom, and droves of middle-aged Americans are following it. The proof is in the lending: The fastest growth in the student loan business is among people in their 40s. But are they making a good investment, or a bad bet?

Grad School Math: Which Degrees Are Worth the Debt

With unemployment high and wages stagnant, now's a rough time to be entering the job market. Historically, when a harsh economy awaits, young people tend to run for cover in grad school. It's a smart strategy -- unless you pick the wrong field of study.