Student Loan Planner

There’s a lot going on in the world of student loans, from the recent overhaul of the PSLF program to the Federal Reserve’s “tapering” of bond purchases and its impact on interest rates. Travis takes on seven listener questions spanning today’s big issues. He then goes into the latest on the student loan servicer Navient. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How and why to track your PSLF credit for long-term loan forgiveness How to appeal loan consolidations What the PSLF waiver changes are and how to navigate them What your start date is for making PSLF payments Whether to accept a family member’s offer to pay off a chunk of your loans or to wait for forgiveness When to get creative with how much PSLF credit you might be able to get If you’re missing out on any loopholes with your PSLF waiver How to adjust to Navient handing you off to Maximus/Aidvantage Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

The PSLF expansion took borrowers by surprise. The Biden administration’s big announcement of a total overhaul to the PSLF program is a big deal. For a variety of reasons, many borrowers counting on PSLF had payments or loans that previously did not qualify for forgiveness because they could not meet the stringent requirements. The Department of Education effectively wiped out many of the hurdles through October 2022. Listen in and find out how the PSLF expansion can potentially be a life-changing opportunity for public servant borrowers, and what this development could mean for the future of student loans as a whole. In today’s episode, you'll find out... Big takeaways from President Biden’s Executive Order How to get PSLF credit for payments that didn’t count before Why you can get PSLF credit for FFEL loan payments Who benefits from this expansion About the planned “grace period” on October 31, 2022 The Biden administration’s legal justifications for the expansion Which employers could become eligible under this overhaul Why the cost of forgiveness will dramatically rise going forward Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Subscribe to the newsletter Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

Today’s conversation is for the parents out there who are currently navigating the challenges of paying down student loans all while preparing their own kids’ future. Do you actually have a solid plan to protect your kids from the massive debt burden you left school with? Listen in as our consultants Molly Laughter, MBA CFA, CFP®, and Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, offer actionable strategies and tips for debt-straddled moms and dads.   In today’s episode, you'll find out... How just $25/month can make a big difference What is a 529 plan and how it can help with college savings 529 savings vs. a prepaid plan and how to choose How grandparents, friends, and others can gift money to a 529 Using community college to save on college costs Why it’s better for the whole family to have the kids be involved in conversations regarding school How to handle Parent Plus Loans when you’re just a few years from retirement The best money lessons Lauryn learned growing up What to do if you didn’t grow up with great money messages Why paying down your loans as fast as possible might not be the smartest strategy for you Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Subscribe to the newsletter Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

We’ve all heard the term “new normal” being used to describe life as we move toward life after the pandemic. But what exactly does that mean for you? How ready are you to seize upcoming opportunities to thrive personally and professionally once the world reopens? Listen in as consultants Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, and Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, do a deep dive into measuring your new financial normal, setting goals, and managing your relationships in a post-pandemic world. In today’s episode, you'll find out... Why you should measure your new financial normal The free and paid tools to measure your finances Why Lauryn and Dan like YNAB (You Need a Budget) How to get the support of your friends and family How to fund a new small business The best way to measure your small business expenses The importance of setting career goals in the new normal How to accomplish goals while working from home Why now is a great time to explore new careers Why student loans don’t have to dictate your career decisions How to travel during the pandemic Steps to unplug from your workplace when taking a vacation Ways to manage relationships today and post-pandemic   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

It’s been quite a week for student loans. Navient and FedLoan, two of the biggest student loan servicers have thrown up their hands and said, “We’re out.” Listen in as I explain what’s happening with student loans right now. I’ll also talk about the timeline for the servicer transitions and what it might mean for you. I’m excited about what some of these changes can mean for our clients, but I’m also cautious. So, buckle up and let’s get started. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why I’m worried even though the changes could be good Why TEPSLF created more problems than it solved The role of the CFPB in servicer accountability My theory about why Navient quit federal student loans Why I’m concerned about Maximus servicing student loans The awesome changes to PSLF the Biden administration is proposing How you might get PSLF even if you don’t have qualifying loans Why a process called negotiating rulemaking is a big deal How short- and long-term fixes can benefit you What to expect in the coming months and over the next few years with student loans Links mentioned: National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

No one should be forced to keep a job where burnout, stress, and overwork have become the norm. Jessica Medina is a lawyer and Accredited Financial Counselor who helps her clients “build the money habits they need to actually build wealth.” Listen in as Jessica shares her own experience leaving a series of prestigious roles in Big Law that she felt trapped in, and her journey to becoming an advocate for other professionals looking to do the same. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why Jessica was drawn to law and how it turned into a career path Jessica’s experience working long hours in Big Law while being the mother of two small kids How the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement changed everything How Jessica helps others with FIRE principles into her current work as a counselor Where Jessica’s career trajectory would have gone if she had access to PSLF Why Jessica decided to become a financial counselor instead of a financial planner Jessica’s advice to risk-averse people (like herself at one point) who want to take the necessary risks to retire early   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

Student loan loopholes aren’t always a good thing. While many loopholes can benefit borrowers by helping them pay less on their student loans, some can end up doing more harm than good. Listen in as I dismantle eight loopholes that actually aren’t loopholes, from rolling your student loan into a mortgage or practice loan to borrowing from your parents to relying on your spouse’s ability to pay for your tuition and living expenses while at school. In today’s episode, you'll find out why these loopholes don’t work: How to get your student loan questions answered on the podcast Turn your non-deductible student loan interest into deductible mortgage interest Roll your student loan into your practice loan to get a tax deduction Borrow from your parents or other family members to pay down your student loan Borrow from the Department of Health and Human Services, i.e. Loans for Disadvantaged Students Pay off your student loan with a credit card Use your spouse’s money for tuition and living expenses while you’re at school Go to a Caribbean medical or vet school instead of waiting for another acceptance Work while you’re still in school Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

In this episode’s consultant takeover, Molly Laughter, MBA CFA, CFP®, and Meagan Landress, CSLP®, dive deep into the student loan repayment loopholes that are available for borrowers — depending on certain factors such as family situation and where they live. Molly and Meagan also discuss tax implications, including those for individuals or families who live in a community property state versus those who don’t, as well as for those who live abroad and earn foreign income. In today’s episode, you'll find out: The ins-and-outs of the Double Debt Loophole Defining Community Property States Taking advantage of the Breadwinner Loophole How the Reverse Breadwinner Loophole can help borrowers Why a competent tax professional is crucial for student loan repayment Understanding the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for those living abroad How the REPAYE Interest Subsidy works What to know about the Double Consolidation Loophole for Parent PLUS Loans Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

There’s a lot of talk around the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. In the last several months, we saw new developments unfold, and there’s no doubt we’ll see more changes in the years to come. I’m diving in and giving my thoughts on the current state of PSLF and what we could expect come election season in 2024 and beyond. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why very few borrowers qualified in the beginning of the program Why most people who apply for PSLF are denied Why graduates after 2014 shouldn’t worry about qualifying for PSLF Why is it for the best to make the approval process difficult Who benefits from the temporary expanded PSLF program My thoughts on two diverging paths that PSLF could take in 2024 Other potential developments for the PSLF program in the near future   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan

Was your decision to take out a student loan the right decision? In this episode, I make the case that student debt isn’t only the right decision, but a fantastic one. It can feel like a burden, but it’s also a massive opportunity to gain access to high-income skills that you can use to maximize your potential and leave a lasting impact. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why I think student loan debt is a good thing Why you shouldn’t wait to apply for PSLF, despite FedLoan leaving Whether cash back credit cards are worth it How disability discharge can forgive student loans How student loans can give you the security of high income and job security The true percentage of income you’ll pay for income-driven repayment plans The few states that will potentially tax student loan forgiveness in the near future Why you should think of your student debt as a “smart income tax” How to be optimistic in a time of chaos and uncertainty Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn   Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan