Quincy, MA (ContentDesk) August 7, 2006 -- A recent article in the New York Times highlighted what many students already knew -- that not only was college getting more expensive, but the amount of federal aid available to students is not keeping up with rising education costs.[1A revision and update to the EFC, or Expected Family Contribution, formula for the 2005-2006 school year translates into an increase in what families have to pay before federal aid can kick in. In the New York Times study (June 6, 2005), the average amount of additional money that families must come up with is 1,749 per year, with some families experiencing increases between 6,000 - 7,000.[1Why is the shift of the financial burden moving increasingly towards families? Part of the overall formula for determining federal financial aid is the rate of inflation -- as inflation increases, the number of dollars that a family has would be expected to increase.For example, a family with a household income of 50,000 in the year 2000 would be expected, based on a 3% inflation rate year over year, to have an income of 57,964. in 2005. By that assumption, the family would have more money to spend on education, and therefore federal aid could be reduced.[2However, there is a flaw in the formula used to compute federal financial aid, and that flaw is this: the projected rate of inflation which the formula is based on does not necessarily reflect the actual rate of inflation. As a result, the formula assumes people make more money -- in some cases, much more -- than they actually do.What is the solution for the increased gap between federal aid and the actual cost of education? Private student loans, such as the Act Education Loan from the Student Loan Network, can help to bridge the gap between federal aid, the actual cost of education, and expected family contribution.
Loans such as the Act Education Loan are independent of federal financial aid computations, and are based on the creditworthiness of the borrower, rather than need-based formulas.Undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students can apply for alternative student loans at www.ActEducationLoans.com http://www.AlternativeStudentLoan.com at any time; students are strongly encouraged to have a co-signer. Parents of K-12 students can also apply for private school loans at www.ActEducationLoans.com http://www.AlternativeStudentLoan.com. Students and families can also apply by phone by calling toll-free (866) 229-8900.[1 To read the original New York Times article, visit:http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/education/06aid.html[2 http://www.finaid.org/savings/tuition-inflation.phtml.Contact Christopher S. Penn for more information. ActEducationLoans.com is a division of the Edvisors Network, a multi-national education services company offering students options for managing the entire education lifecycle, from getting into their college of choice to financing their education and beyond.
The Edvisors Network is based in Quincy, Massachusetts, with offices in Quincy and London, England. Visit them on the web at http://www.EdvisorsNetwork.com for more information..
Plug The Gap With Bad Credit Bridging Loans
If life went smoothly and all things actually according to plan then it would all be so wonderful. But life is full of surprises and things rarely go as initially planned. A requirement can crop up anytime it could be one related to finances or one which asks us questions relating to other factors of life. A proper way to deal with unexpected financial difficulties is by bridging loans.
Bridging loans are important for people with bad credit history. It allows them to meet short term financial requirement and move forward with their lives as well.
Instances where the borrowers may have to use the bad credit bridging loans.
?When a buyer wants to buy a property and the funds will be available only when you sell your property.
?Bad credit bridging loans will help an entrepreneur who sells his goods on credit and can utilize the loan as working capital.
?To help individuals buy from an auction i.e. in a hurry.
These...
Home Equity Mortgages
Home equity mortgages are loans that use the equity on the home as collateral. Home equity is the difference between the current value of the home and the amount owed because of the mortgage/mortgages. A home equity mortgage can also be said to be a second mortgage since the extra cash generated can be used for home improvements, thus increasing the value of the house further.
Like regular home mortgages, home equity mortgages also use the property/ home as the security.
In case of default, the lender has the right to take over the home.
There are many advantages of taking a home equity loan: it would reduce the current loan burden if taken at a lower rate; the funds generated can be used to pay off high interest debts like credit cards; sometimes, home equity mortgages enable some tax savings; they can be used to exchange the present mortgage for a shorter term mortgage. Other advantages include: lower closing costs, and faster closing.
Home...
Mortgage Calculators
A mortgage calculator is a simple form that uses basic details of your mortgage loan to calculate what you expect to be paying for your home loan each month. You can use it to see what loans may cost at different interest rates, thus helping you calculate the right mortgage loan for your home.
The primary factor that the mortgage calculator generally asks you for is the amount of money you have to borrow from the bank, in other words, the loan amount. It also asks the interest rate at which you expect to repay the loan and the time you need to return the loan, called the loan term. If you are unsure of how much you need to borrow from the bank, you can easily calculate the amount. The amount you expect to pay as a down payment at the time of purchase should be subtracted from
price of the house.
If your down payment is small or negligible, you can just enter the full price of the house in this field on the mortgage calculator form. The most common term for...
Mortgage Calculators
Getting Consolidation Loans Right
Consolidation loans allow you to consolidate your monthly payments to several creditors into one, larger monthly payment.
These loans can help individuals to lower their monthly payments, pay off debt faster, and lower the amount of money that you pay overall.
But, consolidations loans are often more difficult to get than other loans.
Because they are not normally backed by collateral, your credit rating will often need to be relatively high.
Or, if you have collateral to back your loan amount, this can help you qualify for the consolidation loan as well.
These loans work by providing you with the money to pay off your other debts.
Car loans, student loans, credit card debt and other types of personal loans can often be included in the consolidation loans.
These loans will in effect pay off your old loans and you will have one, larger loan to pay off.
Consolidation loans are a...
Debt Consolidation with Free Government Grants? One Scam to Avoid
Have you ever seen a commercial or an ad promising "free government grant money?" According to these ads, the government and other organizations give away nearly one half a trillion dollars each year, and all you need to do is apply! The ads go on to state that the money can be used for anything, including debt consolidation , student loans, a yacht or just about any frivolous thing you can imagine. All you need to do is call their toll free number, buy their book or enroll in their program and the details are soon on their way to you.A half a trillion dollars is certainly enticing, but are organizations really just giving money away for the asking? Not exactly. Grants are certainly available from the Federal Government and elsewhere, but it's not as though the money is just handed out for the asking. Grants are usually given by organizations interested in achieving specific goals. If you're interested in bringing water to the desert,...
Debt Consolidation with Free Government Grants? One Scam to Avoid