PLUS loans are federal loans that parents can take out to cover their child's college costs. The parent, not the student, is responsible for repaying the PLUS loan. PLUS loans don't qualify for all of the income-driven repayment (IDR) plans that student loans do.
A Direct PLUS Loan made to you as a parent cannot be transferred to your child. You are responsible for repaying the loan. Can I ever postpone making loan payments? Yes, under certain circumstances you may receive a deferment or forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop or lower your payments.
If you're a parent who's taken out a Parent PLUS loan to support your child's higher education expenses, you have a chance to reduce your tax bill for the tax year through this specific deduction, potentially saving up to $2,500 per year.
The U.S. Department of Education is the lender. The borrower must not have an adverse credit history.
In most cases, your school will disburse your parent's loan money by crediting it to your school account to pay tuition, fees, room and board, and other authorized charges. If there is money left over, the school will pay it to your parent, usually by check.
Parent PLUS loans can potentially be forgiven after 10 years under specific conditions, such as through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program after consolidation into a direct consolidation loan. Parent borrowers must enroll in the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) plan to qualify for PSLF.
Nothing happens to Parent PLUS Loans in a divorce. The person who filled out the FAFSA paperwork and signed the promissory note remains responsible for repaying the debt. The lender will continue to hound the parent-borrower for payment. The divorce decree doesn't change that responsibility.
If a borrower dies, their federal student loans are discharged after the required proof of death is submitted. The borrower's family is not responsible for repaying the loans. A parent PLUS loan is discharged if the parent dies or if the student on whose behalf a parent obtained the loan dies.
Your Last Resort: Private Loans
These loans have different repayment options than federal loans and will most likely cost you more in interest. Also, they may not have the same kinds of protections in case of disability or death as do the federal loans. Private loans generally should be taken out only as a last resort.
Your mother or father may have had substantial credit card debt, a mortgage, or cr loan. The short answer to the question is no, you will not be personally responsible for the debt, but failure to pay such a debt can affect the use and control of secured assets like real estate and vehicles.
How to Use the Double Consolidation Loophole: The key to using the double consolidation loophole is to consolidate each of your Parent PLUS Loans twice. In this scenario, a borrower can have as few as two Parent PLUS Loans.
Defaulting on a Parent PLUS Loan can lead to serious consequences, including wage garnishment, credit score damage, and the loss of federal benefits. But you can recover through loan rehabilitation or consolidation with the U.S. Department of Education.
If approved, the student can pay off the Parent PLUS loan with their new loan and begin making payments on the new loan. Transferring a Parent PLUS loan to a student involves refinancing through a private lender. The student must apply for a new loan to pay off the Parent PLUS loan.
Higher interest rates than other federal loans
Over time, this can result in a big difference. With the parent PLUS loan at a higher interest rate, you'd be paying thousands of dollars more in interest than the unsubsidized federal loan.
You, the parent borrower, are legally responsible for repaying the loan.
How much can I borrow in Direct PLUS Loans? There are no set annual or aggregate limits. You may borrow up to your full cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid you receive (including Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, scholarships, and certain fellowships). 11.
If you're a parent or graduate student seeking a Direct PLUS Loan, one of the requirements to qualify is that you must not have an adverse credit history. If your application is denied because of an adverse credit history, don't give up. You still have options.
However, you don't need to meet a minimum credit score to qualify. Instead, the check looks for “adverse credit,” such as bankruptcies, repossessions, wage garnishment, or tax liens in the past five years. But even if you do have adverse credit, you may still be able to get a parent PLUS loan.
You will lose repayment plan options and restart the clock on PSLF and other forgiveness programs. You can learn more about the consolidation process here . Act quickly to avoid default. Default can result in consequences like garnishment of your wages, federal tax return, or Social Security.
Like with other types of federal student loans, Parent PLUS loans can be discharged upon the death of either the borrower or the student beneficiary. Applicants must submit specific documentation, including a death certificate or a certified copy of a death certificate, to initiate the discharge process.
Are student loans forgiven when you retire? No, the federal government doesn't forgive student loans at age 50, 65, or when borrowers retire and start drawing Social Security benefits. So, for example, you'll still owe Parent PLUS Loans, FFEL Loans, and Direct Loans after you retire.