How Scary is the National Student Loan Debt?

Trends have shown student loan debt rising significantly over the years, significantly overtaking credit card debt in total debt owed by Americans. From one perspective, this feeds into the narrative that student loan debt is the biggest problem we are facing and that consumers are going crazy over education debt. I choose to look at it differently (and more positively).

Student debt isn’t the worst debt
Credit card debt is down 40%
Increased degree attainment
Broader planning reduces / increases the problem

How should I manage the increase in my student loan payments?

Placing your student loans in forbearance would be a mistake. The loans will continue to accrue interest, which will mean less of the money you pay at the end of the year will pay down the debt because you have extra interest payments. I would recommend exploring a few other options first (listed below) and then choosing which is suitable for your goals. You may want to hire a fee-only financial planner to run the numbers on the options and provide some clarity on what each option would mean to your retirement goals, buying a home, and other savings.

REFINANCE THE LOAN
CUT BACK ON RETIREMENT SAVINGS
DELAY HOME PURCHASE OR OTHER SAVINGS GOAL

Coronavirus: What mortgage help is available?

Resource are available to help including ways to replace your income and relief programs to help make your mortgage easier to manage. Start by identifying who owns your mortgage to determine the programs available to you.

ALSO COVERED:

Freddie Mac relief programs
Fannie Mae relief programs
How to request help from a bank or credit union

Will paying off my credit card debt with a personal loan improve my credit score?

Debt ManagementJoshua Escalante Troesh, CFPNovember 27, 2019Starting Out, Financial Foundation, Credit Card Debt, Debt Management, Debt payoff, Financial Coaching

Should I take out a loan on my rental property or sell it to pay off my debt?

You should start by determining if owning this rental property is in your long-term life plan (without considering the credit card debt). Below are my comments on some of the issues to consider including the true rate of return of the property, transaction costs associated with the sale, and how the rental property may impact your lifestyle and career goals.

What should I do with the money in my savings account?

Generally speaking, putting the money toward paying off high-interest credit card debt is going to help you the most, then keeping an emergency fund, and finally contributing to retirement plans. There are also traps to be wary of with 0% credit cards. It would help to build a complete financial plan considering your entire financial picture including. . . .

I just paid off my debt and built up a four-month emergency fund; what's next?

Congratulations on giving yourself the foundation for financial freedom. If you were a client, I would respond to your "what's next?" question with asking you the same thing. What is next on your personal life agenda? Think about your major life goals you want to accomplish in your future. Retirement is obviously one of the major ones, but also think about whether you want to . . . .

As a college student, should I continue investing or save to pay off my debt first?

The good news is you are choosing between two good options, so you really can't go wrong with either decision. If your student loans are subsidized loans, then the U.S. Government is paying the interest for you, so there is no reason to pay anything on the loans until you graduate. If they are not subsidized loans, then you may want to consider paying just the interest on the loans and then contributing to (or even maxing out) your IRA. This will give you the best of both worlds: being able to invest in your IRA and . . . .

As a college graduate with a new job, how should I structure what I do with my income?

As with many things in the financial world, the best answer is "a little of everything." You should get in the habit of investing in your retirement from day 1, even if it is a small amount. Those who put off contributing to their retirement for 'a little while' often find themselves 10 or even 20 years into their career with no retirement savings. To catch up they need to contribute huge portions of their income to retirement accounts. Here is my recommendation for what to focus on:

I want to invest some of my savings with a long-term strategy to use to pay back the loans I will be taking out for school; what kind of investment strategies or accounts should I consider?

Before we discuss the investment opportunities for paying back the loans, start by talking with a financial planning specialist to identify additional financial aid opportunities to offset the schooling costs. Although it's great you . . .

Should I pay down student loan debt or start a business?

As a professor of entrepreneurship, I'm in favor of you starting the business, especially since you have the desire to be able to work from home as a mother. Your financial plan should be developed to support your life goals . . . .

Will my husband's financial advisor be able to learn about my personal credit card debt when reviewing our finances and joint tax return?

No, your financial adviser will only have access to information approved and provided by you and your husband. This information may come out if you and your husband were to submit your credit reports to the adviser for. . . .

How should I get out of debt?

Other than the credit card debt, your other debt and your housing costs actually look quite good. If you can get the credit card debt paid off, you'll be doing very well financially. Your best bet is to make minimum payments on your student loans and your car loan and put everything you can . . . .