Student Loans

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Student Loan Mistakes to Avoid in your 20’s

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Student loan debt can feel like a dark cloud hanging over your future- particularly if you just graduated college and may not have landed your “dream job,” yet.  Here are some mistakes to avoid early on when paying back your student loan debt.

  1. You wait until the end of the grace period to begin making payments. Upon graduation, your lender will likely give you a grace period of six months to start paying back your debt. Nice of them, right? Wrong.  On the contrary this is a trap.  Most student loan debt begins accruing interest immediately upon graduation.
  2. You ignore the auto pay option. Automatic payments will deduct the amount directly from your checking account, ensuring you do not incur late fees or penalties.  Most loan providers will also give you a 0.25 percentage discount if you do this.
  3. You fail to plan. It is important to strategize- particularly if you have multiple student loans with different lenders and different interest rates. The way you pay these off can make a big difference in how much interest you will pay in the long run.
  4. You do not consolidate your federal loans and refinance private loans.  If monthly payments are too much for you, look into whether you qualify for an income-based repayment plan.  Consider consolidating federal loans into a federal direct consolidation loan and refinancing your private loans.
  5. You do not make your student loan debt a priority. Financial experts advise to first prioritize your company’s 401(k) match program. Second, work to establish an emergency fund that will cover your living expenses for at least three months.  Repaying your student loan debt should be at the top of this list.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

 

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Student loan debt has grown 250% in the last 10 years

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Student loan debt has skyrocketed, as much as 250 percent across the U.S., according to a new report.  This puts total student loan debt at $1.4 trillion.  Between 2004 and 2014, the U.S. saw an almost 90 percent increase in the number of student loan borrowers, and a nearly 80 percent increase in average balance size.  The average amount of debt per borrower is now $26,700.  Value Penguin, the consumer spending site that published the report ranked the states where the average amount of student debt is the highest.

  1. New Hampshire

Number of graduates with debt: 76 percent
Average debt: $36,101

  1. Pennsylvania

Number of graduates with debt: 71 percent
Average debt: $34,798

  1. Connecticut

Number of graduates with debt: 64 percent
Average debt: $34,773

  1. Delaware

Number of graduates with debt: 65 percent
Average debt: $33,849

  1. Rhode Island

Number of graduates with debt: 64 percent
Average debt: $32,920

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

New Changes Coming to Student Loans

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Student loan debt now stands at a staggering $1.34 trillion in the U.S.  If you are not struggling with student loan debt, you probably know someone who is.  Student debt has surpassed auto loans and credit card debt.  But some big changes could be coming as to how the government handles them.

For one, the Education Department may consolidate the number of federal lenders.  Currently, there are nine.  This number could be reduced to just one. In the president’s submitted budget plan, the federal loan program would move from the Education Department to the Treasury Department.

Studies show students in 2016 graduated with an average of more than $37,000 in student loan debt, compared to ten years ago when it was just over $20,000.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Thousands of Student Loan Debts Could Be Wiped Out Due to Missing Paperwork

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Tens of thousands of borrowers will likely see their private student loan debt erased due to a technicality- missing paperwork and incomplete ownership records.  One of the largest owners of private student loans in the U.S., The National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts is at the center of a legal dispute involving at least $5 billion in student loans, the New York Times reports.

Judges have dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed by the lender against student borrowers due to the lack of documentation proving the loans are even owed.  The National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts, which includes 15 trusts that hold 800,000 private student loans, has brought tens of thousands of lawsuits in the past five years against borrowers who have fallen behind on their payments.  The trusts hold loans totaling $12 billion and more than $5 billion of those loans are in default.  The mix up occurred when the loans, which were originally made by banks, were sold to lenders and the ownership records were lost in the process.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Education Secretary Sued for Delaying Rules Protecting Student Loan Borrowers

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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is being sued by eighteen states for allegedly delaying new federal regulations designed to protect student loan borrowers from being scammed by for-profit colleges and other schools.  The rules, known as borrower defense to repayment, were developed after a series of high-profile collapses of for-profit chains such as Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute left thousands of students with worthless degrees and mountains of student loan debt.  The regulations were developed by the Obama administration and scheduled to take effect on June 30.

Last month DeVos delayed the implementation and launched an effort to rewrite the rules, arguing they were putting taxpayers at risk for “significant costs.” The lawsuit, filed by attorneys general from 18 states plus the District of Columbia, said DeVos’ violated the Administrative Procedures Act because she did not satisfy the standards for a delay, and failed to give the proper notice or offer the public time to comment.

“These rules served as critical protections against predatory for-profit schools that exploit hard-working students–students who are simply trying to invest in their own education and future,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who also was among those filing the suit.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

How to protect yourself from being the victim of a Student Loan Debt Relief Scam

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Hundreds of companies charge high fees with the promise of helping struggling borrowers reduce or eliminate their student loan debt.  These companies have capitalized on a booming market.  Not all companies that collect fees in exchange for student loan debt relief are scams, but more than 130 businesses have histories that give consumers a reason to be skeptical.  A recent public records investigation revealed penalties, lawsuits from federal and state authorities, private lawsuits and poor ratings from the Better Business Bureau on these “so called” student loan debt relief companies.

Here are some steps you can take if you are dealing with a fraudulent student loan debt relief company.

End your affiliation with the company: Contact the company to request a refund and cancel your contract, if you signed one.  Contact your bank immediately to cancel automatic payments.  Tell them that you no longer authorize charges from the company.

Contact your lender or servicer: Call and explain the situation and that you have been paying a third-party company for student loan assistance.

Regain control of your student loan account:  Contact your lender or servicer in writing and send a copy of the letter to the debt relief company.  Once you regain control of your student loan account, resume making loan payments to your federal loan servicer or lender if you have stopped.

Take a look at your “FREE” options: Everything a “so called” student loan debt relief company can offer you, the Department of Education or your federal loan servicer can provide for free.  This includes:

Seek legitimate financial help: If you are looking to discuss your financial situation with a professional, a certified student loan counselor trained by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling is a viable option. These advisors work for nonprofit credit counseling agencies and provide one-on-one services, oftentimes free of charge.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

False Promises of Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Contributing to the Default Crisis

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The rate of borrowers who are in default or more than 90 days past due on their student loan debt is approaching 40%, pushing the total amount of student loan debt in the U.S. to $1.4 trillion.

A number of those who have defaulted have legitimate reason.  Some were victims taken in by the over-exaggerated promises of for-profit colleges that really just wanted students for the student loans they were taking out that was a vast majority of their revenue. Others never finished college, due to life circumstances or changing events that interrupted their studies.

But another group, termed “strategic defaulters” is emerging.  These borrowers are pulled in by the promises from politicians and the possibility of student loan debt forgiveness.  Why should they pay their student loans if there is a slight possibility that all remaining student loan debt will one day be wiped away?   With these empty promises and no action being taken, it is expected that student loan defaults will continue to rise.

Most recently, education secretary, Betsy DeVos,  scrapped an Obama-era plan to streamline the government’s system for servicing student loans.  An education budget obtained by the Washington Post revealed a proposal to end a student loan-forgiveness program for public servants, creating uncertainty for some 400,000 borrowers.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

SEC Settles Fraud Charges against ITT Technical Institute

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The fraud case has been settled against ITT Technical Institute, but the Securities Exchange Commission continues to pursue top executives from the college for deceiving investors about the high rates of late payments and the number of defaults on student loans backed by the company.

ITT executives assured investors in conference calls that the programs were performing well when in fact the company was making secret payments on the delinquent accounts to delay defaults, according to the complaint.

ITT Technical Institute ended its operations in September, shutting down 137 campuses after the U.S. Department of Education cut off access to federal loans and grants and threatened to pull the school’s accreditation amid mounting lawsuits and investigations.  The company filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving 35,000 students with worthless degrees and many with high interest student loan debt.

The student loan programs are what is at the heart of the SEC lawsuit.  ITT created two in-house student loan programs.  To get investors to finance the programs, the company offered a guarantee to limit the risk of students not repaying the debt.  According to the complaint, if a certain percentage of loans defaulted, the company agreed to cover the principal, interest and fees.

The SEC said investors did not have accurate information about the performance of the debt because ITT kept the loan programs off its balance sheets.  Regulators said executives failed to tell investors that the company was facing $30 million in guarantee obligation payments at the end of 2012 and used accounting tricks to cover up the numbers.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

How Marriage Affects Your Student Loan Debt

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Saying “I do” does not mean you are legally bound to your spouse’s student loans.  Each of you remains responsible for your own student loans you took out before the marriage.  However, tying the knot can affect your payments, student loan-related tax breaks and your ability to pursue other financial goals.  Here are some other ways marriage can have an affect on your student loans.

  1. Your monthly payment could increase. Federal loan borrowers can enroll in one of four income-based repayment plans to lower their monthly payments. However, the Revised Pay As You Earn Plan, determines married borrowers’ payments based on their combined adjusted gross income and student loan debt. This typically means a higher monthly payment.
  2. You risk losing the student loan interest deduction. The student loan interest deduction tax break allows you to deduct up to $2,500. But if you and your spouse earn more than $160,000, you will lose out on that deduction- even if you file separately.
  3. Your spouse’s payments could affect your finances. In the event you co-sign your spouse’s private student loan, you are legally responsible for repaying it if he or she cannot.  The loan will also appear on both of your credit reports.  And if your spouse takes out a student loan during your marriage, then defaults creditors in some states can go after both of your wages and assets- even your tax refund.
  4. Your spouse may help pay off your student loan. If you and your spouse decide to help each other pay off your student loan debt, consider coming up with a written agreement.  This could help avoid future arguments, especially in the case of divorce if one spouse depends on the other financially.

Click here to read more on this story.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Debt Relief, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

The “Soup Nazi” of Seinfeld Fame Files for Bankruptcy Protection

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The New York City food company, Soupman, made famous by the popular Seinfeld TV sitcom, has filed for bankruptcy protection just weeks after its CFO was indicted on federal tax evasion charges.  A Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition was filed in Delaware stating that Soupman had estimated debts ranging from just over $10 million to $50 million and assets between $1 million and $10 million.

CFO Robert Bertrand failed to pay Medicare, Social Security, and federal income taxes.  His job included collecting, accounting for and paying the taxes for Soupman’s employees. However, the indictment alleged that between 2010 and 2014 Bertrand paid employees with undocumented cash, and compensated certain workers with unreported stock awards.

As a result, the federal government lost $593,971 in total tax payments that should have been paid by the company, according to prosecutors. Bertrand, who has pleaded not guilty, was released on $50,000 bond, pending a scheduled hearing on July 18, court records show.

The Staten Island-based, Soupman company licenses the name and recipes of Al Yeganeh, the model for the gruff “Soup Nazi” character in the popular Seinfeld series.  The character focused fanatically on his culinary creations and refused to serve certain customers using the popular catchphrase: “No soup for you!”

Click here to read more on this story.

If you are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.