Understanding Federal Direct Consolidation Loans Spring MASFAA Conference

Transcription

1 Understanding Federal Direct Cnslidatin Lans 2012 Spring MASFAA Cnference

2 UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL DIRECT & SPECIAL CONSOLIDATION LOANS Amy M. Mser, Reginal Directr Nelnet Educatin Lan Services 2 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

3 Shuld A Student Cnslidate? Are mnthly payments manageable? If students are having truble meeting mnthly payments, have exhausted deferment and frbearance ptins, and want t avid default, a Direct Cnslidatin Lan may help. T many mnthly payments? If students are sending payments t mre than ne lender every mnth and want the cnvenience f a single mnthly payment, cnslidatin is an ptin. What are the interest rates? If students have variable interest rates n federal educatin lans, they may want t cnslidate. The interest rate fr a Direct Cnslidatin Lan is fixed fr the life f the Direct Cnslidatin Lan. The rate is based n the weighted average interest rate f the lans being cnslidated, runded t the next nearest higher ne-eighth f ne percent and can nt exceed 8.25 percent. Hw much is the student willing t pay ver the lng term? Like a hme mrtgage r a car lan, extending the years f repayment increases the ttal amunt t repay. Hw many payments are left n the lans? If a student is clse t paying ff their student lans, it may nt be wrth the effrt t cnslidate r extend payments. 3 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

4 Benefits f Federal Direct Lan Cnslidatin One Lender and One Mnthly Payment Brrwers have nly ne lender, the U.S. Department f Educatin, and ne mnthly payment due fr all lans included in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan. Flexible Repayment Optins Brrwers can chse frm multiple repayment plans with varius terms t repay their cnslidatin lan(s), including an Incme Cntingent Repayment and an Incme-Based Repayment Plan. These plans are designed t meet the different and changing needs f brrwers. Brrwers can switch repayment plans at anytime. If brrwers select the IBR Plan and want t change at a later date, their nly ptin will be the Standard Plan. N Minimum r Maximum Lan Amunts r Fees There is n minimum amunt required t qualify fr a Direct Cnslidatin Lan. In additin, cnslidatin is free. Varied Deferment Optins Brrwers with cnslidatin lans may qualify fr renewed deferment benefits. If brrwers have exhausted the deferment ptins n their current federal educatin lans, a cnslidatin lan may renew thse deferment ptins. In additin, brrwers may be eligible fr additinal deferment ptins when they btain their first Direct Lan if they have an utstanding balance n a FFEL Prgram lan made befre July 1, Reduced Mnthly Payments A cnslidatin lan may ease the strain n a brrwer's budget by lwering the brrwer's verall mnthly payment. The minimum mnthly payment n a cnslidatin lan may be lwer than the cmbined payments charged n a brrwer's federal educatin lans. Retentin f Subsidy Benefits There are tw pssible prtins t a cnslidatin lan, subsidized and unsubsidized. Brrwers retain their subsidy benefits n lans that are cnslidated int the subsidized prtin f a cnslidatin lan. 4

5 Wh Is Eligible? Brrwers must have at least ne Direct Lan r Federal Family Educatin Lan (FFEL) that is in grace, repayment, deferment r default status. Lans that are in an in-schl status cannt be included in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan. Brrwers can cnslidate mst defaulted educatin lans, if they make satisfactry repayment arrangements with the current lan hlders r agree t repay their new Direct Cnslidatin Lan under the Incme Cntingent Repayment Plan. Brrwers wh d nt have Direct Lans may be eligible fr a Direct Cnslidatin Lan if they include at least ne FFEL Lan OR intend t apply fr lan frgiveness under the Public Service Lan Frgiveness Prgram. Brrwers wh have nly a Direct Cnslidatin Lan cannt cnslidate again unless they include an additinal lan. NOTE: The Direct Lan Servicing Center has infrmatin n the Public Service Lan Frgiveness Prgram. 5

6 Eligible Lans The fllwing federal educatin lans are eligible fr cnslidatin int a Direct Cnslidatin Lan: Subsidized Lans Subsidized Federal Staffrd Lans Direct Subsidized Lans Subsidized Federal Cnslidatin Lans Direct Subsidized Cnslidatin Lans Federal Insured Student Lans (FISL) Guaranteed Student Lans (GSL) Unsubsidized Lans: Unsubsidized and Nnsubsidized Federal Staffrd Lans Direct Unsubsidized Lans, including Direct Unsubsidized Lans (TEACH) (cnverted frm TEACH Grants) Unsubsidized Federal Cnslidatin Lans Direct Unsubsidized Cnslidatin Lans Federal PLUS Lans (fr parents r fr graduate and prfessinal students) Direct PLUS Lans (fr parents r fr graduate and prfessinal students) Direct PLUS Cnslidatin Lans Federal Perkins Lans Natinal Direct Student Lans (NDSL) Natinal Defense Student Lans (NDSL) Federal Supplemental Lans fr Students (SLS) Parent Lans fr Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Auxiliary Lans t Assist Students (ALAS) Health Prfessins Student Lans (HPSL) Health Educatin Assistance Lans (HEAL) Nursing Student Lans (NSL) Lans fr Disadvantaged Students (LDS) 6

7 Ineligible Lans Sme lans are always ineligible fr cnslidatin. While these lans may nt be included in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan, they may be cnsidered in the calculatin f the maximum repayment perid under the Graduated r Extended Repayment Plan. These include but are nt limited t the fllwing: Lans made by a state r private lender and nt guaranteed by the federal gvernment Primary Care Lans Law Access Lans Medical Assist Lans PLATO Lans 7

8 Hw D Students Apply? Online Web Applicatin: Apply nline. Visit the Applicatin and Prmissry Nte Hme Page, Phne Applicatin: Apply ver the phne if yu have all Direct Lans. Dwnlad a paper cpy f the applicatin and prmissry nte: including the cmplete cntents f the applicatin package. OR Request an applicatin package be mailed: Phne at , 8AM t 8PM (EST) (TDD ) r utside USA at lan_cnslidatin@mail.eds.cm 8

9 What is The Schl s Rle in Cnslidatin? Cnslidatin lan cunseling: Cunseling helps brrwers becme aware f ALL their debt management ptins. Schls are the biggest link in the cmmunicatin "chain" with student lan brrwers. Yu can help yur students: Determine if cnslidatin is right fr them; Prvide easy access t infrmatin, resurces, and material that help them make educated debt management decisins. Examples: Direct Cnslidatin web site, nline calculatr, custmer service ( ), cntact infrmatin fr FFEL lenders, Natinal Student Lan Data System (NSLDS), etc. Timely cmpletin f verificatin certificates: When a brrwer wants t include a Perkins Lan in a cnslidatin, a verificatin certificate is mailed t yur schl fr cmpletin. The verificatin certificate shuld be cmpleted and returned t the Lan Originatin Center within 10 days. The brrwer's lans cannt be cnslidated until the verificatin certificate is prperly cmpleted and returned. (See "Hw D I Certify Lan Verificatin Certificates?") Timely applicatin f Perkins Lan payffs: All Perkins Lan payffs shuld be prcessed as quickly as pssible. (See "Hw des the Department Pay Off a Brrwer's Lan?") Timely reslutin f verpayments and underpayments: If a Perkins Lan accunt is underpaid r verpaid, fllw the apprpriate verpayment and underpayment guidelines t ensure that the brrwer's accunt is paid in full. (See "Hw d I Request an Underpayment r Return an Overpayment?" r "What are the Tlerances fr Under and Over Payments?") 9

10 Hw Des Cnslidatin Affect a Brrwers Lan Limits? When a student has a cnslidatin lan, the schl can determine his r her remaining lan eligibility by using the riginal principal lan amunt minus any payments made. Nte: The utstanding balance n the subsidized and unsubsidized prtins f the cnslidatin lan is cnsidered when determining the brrwer's subsidized and unsubsidized lan limits. Fr example, if a cnslidatin lan cntains an unsubsidized prtin, the utstanding balance n the unsubsidized prtin f the cnslidatin is cnsidered in determining the brrwer's unsubsidized lan limit. Schls can determine the subsidized and unsubsidized prtin f the cnslidatin lan by: Reviewing the brrwer's cnslidatin paperwrk Cntacting the Lan Originatin Center/ Lan Cnslidatin Department Using the Natinal Student Lan Data System (NSLDS) If data is available n NSLDS, schls may be able t view the underlying lans in the cnslidatin lan t determine the lan type. Schls can access NSLDS nline and find the lans that were paid ff thrugh cnslidatin by selecting all lans with a status cde f PC (paid thrugh cnslidatin). Once the schl has determined the types and riginal amunts f the underlying lans, it must pr-rate the utstanding principal balance amunt n the cnslidatin lan in the same rati that each f the "PC" riginal lan amunts is t the riginal cnslidatin lan amunt. Fr example, assume that a brrwer's riginal principal balance was cmpsed f 25% subsidized lans and 75% unsubsidized lans. The schl can assume that 25% f any remaining unpaid balance is subsidized and wuld be cunted twards the brrwer's subsidized aggregate lan limit and 75% twards the brrwer's unsubsidized aggregate lan limit. 10

11 Des Cnslidatin Affect My Schl s Default Rati? "Federal Cnslidatin Lans and Federal Direct Cnslidatin Lans are nt cunted directly in the chrt default rate calculatin. Hwever, the status f a cnslidatin lan may affect hw the lan(s) that was paid ff by the cnslidatin lan is included in the chrt default rate calculatin. If all f a brrwer's underlying lans were included in yur schl's chrt default rate calculatin befre they were cnslidated, the status f the cnslidatin lan has n effect n yur subsequent chrt default rate calculatins. Hwever, if an underlying lan was nt included in yur chrt default rate calculatin befre it was cnslidated, the cnslidatin lan's default may cause that underlying lan t be cunted as defaulted when it is included in yur chrt default rate. 11

12 Cmmn Student FAQs Can I cnslidate a Perkins Lan? Yes, it is pssible t cnslidate Perkins Lans int a Direct Cnslidatin Lan if brrwers include at least ne Direct Lan r Federal Family Educatin Lan (FFEL) in their request. Perkins Lans cannt be included in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan by themselves. Furthermre, all Perkins Lans cnslidated int the Direct Lan Prgram will be included in the unsubsidized prtin f the Direct Cnslidatin Lan. Brrwers shuld carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages f including a Perkins Lan in a cnslidatin lan. It is recmmend that students cnsider the fllwing pints prir t making a decisin: Perkins Lans are eligible fr additinal cancellatin benefits, such as perfrming certain kinds f public service. This benefit is lst when a Perkins Lan is included in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan. Perkins Lans have a grace perid f 6-9 mnths. When a Perkins lan is cnslidated, any remaining grace perid is lst. Interest des nt accrue when a Perkins Lan is placed in deferment. Since a Perkins Lan is included in the unsubsidized prtin f a Direct Cnslidatin Lan, brrwers are respnsible fr interest that accrues thrughut the deferment perid. Perkins Lans generally have a lwer interest rate but have a less flexible repayment perid f 10 years. 12

13 Cmmn Student FAQs Cntinued Can I Cnslidate a Defaulted Lan? Generally, federal educatin lan(s) in default may be cnslidated in a Direct Cnslidatin Lan if brrwers: Agree t repay the lan(s) under the Incme Cntingent Repayment Plan. OR Make satisfactry repayment arrangements with the current lan hlder(s). *If, befre applying fr cnslidatin, brrwers wh want t cmpletely clear the default ntatin frm their credit recrds, may want t cnsider anther ptin: lan rehabilitatin. Brrwers shuld cntact their lan hlders t btain mre infrmatin abut this ptin. Brrwers cannt cnslidate defaulted lans under these cnditins: If a judgment has been issued against a defaulted lan, it cannt be included in the cnslidatin unless the judgment rder has been vacated (dismissed). If they are trying t cnslidate defaulted Direct Cnslidatin Lans. If they are trying t cnslidate defaulted FFEL Cnslidatin Lans unless they have made satisfactry repayment arrangements with their current lan hlder OR the brrwers agree t repay under the Incme Cntingent Repayment Plan. If they are trying t cnslidate defaulted Perkins r health prfessins lans unless they have made satisfactry repayment arrangements with their current lan hlders. 13

14 FAQs Cntinued What is the Incme-Based Repayment Plan (IBR)? Yur mnthly payments will be based n annual incme and family size, and spread ver a term f up t 25 years. Yu must be experiencing a partial financial hardship t initially select this plan. Once yu select this plan, yu cannt change t any ther plan except the Standard Plan. If yu cnslidate mre than ne lan type (subsidized, unsubsidized and PLUS),yu will have ne Direct Cnslidatin Lan with up t tw parts: Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized (which includes PLUS) Cnslidatin Lans. Even with up t tw parts f each Direct Cnslidatin Lan, yu make nly ne payment each mnth. Hw lng des it take t cnslidate my lans nce I submit my applicatin? The cnslidatin prcess generally takes days. Using ur nline Web applicatin can reduce the amunt f time it takes t cnslidate a brrwer's lan. 14

15 Public Service Lan Frgiveness Prgram Created t encurage individuals t enter and cntinue t wrk full-time in public service jbs. May qualify fr frgiveness f the remaining balance due n yur eligible federal student lans after yu have made 120 payments n lans under certain repayment plans while emplyed full time by certain public service emplyers. Only nn-defaulted lans made under the William D. Frd Direct Lan Prgram are eligible fr lan frgiveness. The Direct Lan Prgram includes the fllwing types f lans: Federal Direct Staffrd Lans (Direct Subsidized Lans) Federal Direct Unsubsidized Staffrd Lans (Direct Unsubsidized Lans) Federal Direct PLUS Lans (Direct PLUS Lans)- fr parents and graduate r prfessinal students Federal Direct Cnslidatin Lans (Direct Cnslidatin Lans) Nte: Only payments made n the Direct Cnslidatin Lan will cunt tward the required 120 mnthly payments. Payments made prir t cnslidatin are nt eligible. 15

16 Public Service Lan Frgiveness Prgram The 120 required payments must be made under ne r mre f the fllwing Direct Lan Prgram repayment plans: Incme Based Repayment (IBR) Plan Incme Cntingent Repayment Plan Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment perid Any ther Direct Lan Prgram repayment plan, but nly payments that are at least equal t the mnthly payment amunt that wuld have been required under the Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment perid may be cunted tward the required 120 payments. 16

17 Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans t eligible brrwers, beginning in January This is a shrt-term cnslidatin pprtunity, ending June 30, 2012, fr brrwers with at least ne student lan held by the Department (a Direct Lan r a Federal Family Educatin Lan [FFEL] wned by the Department and serviced by ne f the Department s servicers); and at least ne cmmercially-held FFEL lan (a FFEL lan that is wned by a FFEL lender and serviced either by that lender r by a servicer cntracted by that lender) Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

18 Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans Wh is eligible fr a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan? Yu must have at least ne lan wned by the Department f Educatin and at least ne cmmercially-held FFEL lan t qualify fr a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan. What federal student lans are eligible fr the Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan prgram? While yu must have bth a Department-wned lan and a cmmercially-held FFEL lan t be eligible, ONLY yur cmmercially-held FFEL lans are eligible fr cnslidatin under this initiative. These include: FFEL Subsidized and Unsubsidized Staffrd Lans; FFEL PLUS Lans (bth thse taken ut by graduate/prfessinal students and thse taken ut by a parent t pay fr the csts f an undergraduate student); and FFEL Cnslidatin Lans In rder t be eligible fr cnslidatin under this initiative, these lans must be in grace, repayment, deferment, r frbearance. 18 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

19 Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans The fllwing lans are ineligible fr this prgram: FFEL lans in default r subject t a bankruptcy prceeding; Perkins Lans; Health Educatin Assistance Lans (HEAL), Health Prfessins Student Lans (HPSL), Nursing Student Lans (NSL), Lans fr Disadvantaged Students (LDS); and Private student lans 19 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

20 Hw will the Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan Prcess wrk? Eligible brrwers will be cntacted by ne f fur federal lan servicers starting in January Given the number f eligible brrwers, these cntacts will ccur ver several weeks. The servicers that will cntact eligible brrwers are FedLan Servicing (PHEAA), Great Lakes Educatinal Lan Services, Inc., Nelnet, and Sallie Mae. The servicers will prvide eligible brrwers with applicatin instructins. After receiving applicatin instructins frm a servicer, eligible brrwers will apply thrugh a new and different nline prcess. Brrwers wh chse t apply fr a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan must nt apply thrugh the traditinal Direct Cnslidatin Lan Web site ( 20 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

21 What will a brrwer gain by btaining a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan? One servicer and ne payment fr the brrwer s eligible lans, as ppsed t ne r mre servicers with multiple bills and varying repayment requirements. (Sme federal student lans and all cmmercially-held private student lans are nt eligible fr the Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan pprtunity.) Fr cmmercially-held FFEL lans that are cnslidated, a 0.25 percent reductin frm each lan's existing interest rate at the time f cnslidatin, plus the pprtunity t receive an additinal 0.25 percent interest rate reductin if autmatic debit is chsen fr repayment. Fr cmmercially-held FFEL lans with a variable interest rate at the time f cnslidatin, the cnversin t a fixed interest rate at the lwer percentage that will nt change ver time. 21 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

22 What will a brrwer gain by btaining a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan? N lss t previus time in repayment; it will cunt twards the repayment term fr the new Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan. N lss f credit fr Incme-Based Repayment (IBR) payments made prir t cnslidatin; they will cunt twards the required 25 years f payments fr IBR lan frgiveness. Cmmercially-held FFEL lans that are cnslidated int a Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan will be eligible fr the Public Service Lan Frgiveness Prgram, a benefit available nly in the Direct Lan Prgram. Cntinuatin f deferment r frbearance status, if an eligible lan is in that status at the time f cnslidatin. 22 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

23 Hw are Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans different than traditinal Direct Cnslidatin Lans? Traditinal Direct Cnslidatin Lan Special Direct Cnslidatin Lan Repayment Term Interest Rate Electrnic Debit Benefit The repayment term fr the lan starts ver, Each lan that is cnslidated retains its riginal giving students lnger t repay their lan. A lnger repayment term. As a result, brrwers will pay repayment term may result in lwer mnthly less interest ver the life f the lan than they payments but will ultimately increase the amunt wuld under the traditinal cnslidatin prgram. the brrwer will pay ver the life f the lan since mre interest will accrue during a lnger repayment perid. A fixed rate based n the weighted average f the A fixed rate (nt t exceed 8.25%) after applying interest rates f thse lans being cnslidated the 0.25% interest rate reductin t the FFEL runded up t the nearest ne-eighth f 1%, nt t lans being cnslidated. exceed 8.25%. Eligible fr a 0.25% interest rate reductin if the Eligible fr an additinal 0.25% interest rate lan is repaid thrugh the Department s autmatic reductin if the lan is repaid thrugh the debit system. Department s autmatic debit system. 23 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

24 Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans Where can I get mre infrmatin abut Special Direct Cnslidatin Lans? If yu have further questins abut Special Cnslidatin Lans, yu can call FED-AID ( ) fr mre infrmatin. Infrmatin presented n Special Lan Cnslidatin came frm: glish/specialcnslidatin.jsp 24 Nelnet Educatin Lan Services

25 Questins? Cntact Infrmatin: Amy M. Mser Reginal Directr, Nelnet Partner Slutins Nelnet Educatin Lan Services