Sarah Graves

I had massive student loan debt due to a combination of low teacher pay and accumulating interest.Thanks to recent changes to student loan repayment programs, my $370,000 in loan debt was forgiven.However, not everyone should count on student loan…

This is a guest post from Sarah Graves, Ph.D. . She is an English professor and writer who covers creative entrepreneurship, parenting, and education. She's covered student loans for years as both an insider in higher-ed and someone who's been in the…

The standard practice used to be to go to college, get a degree, and only then go out and find a job. But these days, it pays to consider going for the job first. Not only is college often prohibitively expensive, but the years you spend in school…

If you’ve been sweating over resuming payments after the end of the federal student loan payment pause, many of you can rest easy. After years of deliberation, relief is finally here. President Joe Biden has unveiled his plan for student loan…

Defaulting on your student loans can be a stressful situation. Daily calls from collection agencies and damage to your credit score are bad enough. But if you’re in default long enough, you’re looking at severe penalties like garnished wages and…

The prospect of widespread student loan forgiveness makes for attention-grabbing headlines. With so many Americans feeling the burden of excessive student loan debt, it’s no wonder. Heck, I write about student loans because I’m a cautionary tale of…

Having student loan debt hanging over you for years or even decades can be overwhelming. Worse, having to put such a big chunk of your paycheck toward monthly student loan payments can prevent you from being able to do things like save for retirement…

At first glance, all student loan refinance lenders look a lot alike. But once you delve into the details, multiple differences in their loan features can make a significant difference in how easy it is to get or pay off the loan. For example, some…

The skyrocketing cost of getting a degree is starting to undermine the value of higher education. That’s especially the case if you, like most college graduates, had to take on student loans to get one. To ensure your degree is ultimately worth it,…

These days, there’s an app for just about everything, even help with paying off your student loans. So if you’re looking for a smartphone tool for managing your student loan debt, the Chipper app can help with that. In fact, it’s nearly a one-stop…

Millions of college graduates owe tens of thousands in federal student loans. My monthly payment is $600. That’s a big chunk out of this mom’s already overstressed budget. I don’t know about you, but getting rid of some or all of those student loans…

It’s been a rough decade for many student loan borrowers, including Jennifer (name changed for privacy). A stroke sidelined her, and disability payments weren’t enough to stay ahead of her debt. Creditors have been hounding her relentlessly,…

While federal student loans tend to have the lowest interest rates and most repayment options, they also have caps on the total amount you can borrow every year. If you need more money for school, you may have to resort to private student loans,…

A college degree is supposed to be a ticket to a better-paying career. But most students these days are forced to borrow student loans to pay for their degree, which can offset some — or even all — of the financial benefit. This makes employer…

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, opens the door to all financial aid — federal, state, and institutional. So if you missed one of the deadlines, you’re probably imagining all the ways in which you’re doomed. It’s true you may…

If you’re living under the crushing burden of student loan debt, it’s natural to wonder how to get rid of it. I know I am. Who wouldn’t want to wake up one morning, log into their account, and see a balance of zero? I don’t think I’m understating it…

If you’re like me, the student loan payment pause is a huge burden off your shoulders. Even enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan, I typically have to pay nearly $700 per month on top of all the other typical monthly expenses. And as a parent…

The federal government has put federal student loan repayment on hold until Aug. 31, 2022, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But they can’t extend it forever. Moreover, if you’ve got private student loan debt, your payments haven’t been on…

You’ve got a mortgage to pay, child care to cover, groceries to buy — you’re tapped out. And yet you still have to find a way to make that student loan payment that comes due every month. I get it. I’ve been there myself. Fortunately, if you have…

Most students need to take out loans to pay for college. But with several different student loan types available, deciphering financial aid award letters can be confusing — especially if you’re a first-time borrower. But which type of loan you take…