Student Loan Planner

Historically, the American Dream was to simply own your own home. But in this day and age, is getting out of debt the new American Dream? Our consultant takeover continues this week with Meagan Landress and Dan Rooker who unpack that very question. They break down current attitudes—many of which came about as a result of the pandemic—toward purchasing a home, investing, and paying down different kinds of debt. SLP publicist Brittney Lynn makes a guest appearance on the show to discuss how she was able to achieve her own American Dream—paying down $50,000 in debt, leaving the corporate world, and running a location-independent business from a van alongside her husband and two dogs. In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why asking, “If all things were possible, what would I do?” will bring you a big step closer to defining your American Dream How to pay down your three “buckets” of debt and become financially secure Pros to renting a home versus buying a home How you can become financially independent while having a mortgage Why you can reach your American Dream while having student loan payments 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

With Father’s Day just around the corner, Lauryn Williams sits down with Meagan Landress and Rob Bertman to offer advice to dads who are in the process of helping their kids with their student loans—whether by helping to pay them down or taking on the loan in their name altogether. In today’s episode, you'll find out: When and how to take on a Parent PLUS loan Why you don’t need to pay extra toward your loans if you are going for forgiveness Why it’s more productive to look at your kids’ loans individually instead of equally Why parents should encourage their kids to take some responsibility for their debts About the impact that our consultants’ own dads had on their finances 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

Only a small number of people were approved for PSLF in the first year of eligibility; I expect the 1% acceptance rate for PSLF is the lowest we will ever see and we should look forward to an increase each year. The media has put out quite a few clickbait headlines on PSLF while sharing plenty of inaccurate information. PSLF became a major story in 2018, but I feel despite the backlash that the program is here to stay. Today on the Student Loan Planner® podcast, we will be discussing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and how the approval rate will snowball to a larger percentage in future years. In today’s episode, you’ll find out: The truth about the high rejection rate for PSLF Whether there is a massive number of PSLF borrowers coming in the future Why many physicians aren’t eligible for PSLF anymore PSLF structural flaws that can get ironed out over time Why people were mainly rejected based on these 4 factors: 1. Had loans that didn’t qualify 2. Used the wrong repayment plan 3. Failed to include their employer’s EIN tax number 4. Failed to check a box on the form saying they were currently employed by a non-profit For more information, visit the show notes at https://www.studentloanplanner.com/podcast-what-is-pslf-snowball   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

Join consultant Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, as she addresses the two most common “frequent fails” around handling student loan debt and answers frequently asked questions from clients and podcast listeners. You’ll also learn more about Lauryn, her background, and how she went from Olympic medalist to financial planner. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What our consultants can help you with, aside from issues related to student loans Why you don’t need to pay extra toward your loans if you are going for forgiveness How to get a student loan refund if you’ve been paying extra during the payment freeze What it means when interest capitalizes and why it can cost you more in the long run Whether you should still contribute to a 401k if your employer does not match How to contribute to a Roth IRA if you are married filing separately What happens to your current retirement plan if you leave your employer How much you should have saved in your emergency fund Lauryn’s pick for the best budgeting tool How to approach getting life insurance after having a baby The power of mindset if you’re struggling with student loan debt or monthly bills What to do if you’re feeling overwhelmed with your student loan debt   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 celebration of May being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, and Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, talk about the “Model Minority” Myth. As they unpack the cultural stereotypes, they dive specifically into how certain long-held beliefs and stigmas among the Asian American community tend to lead to costly education decisions which negatively affect their student loans and career choices, and uncover what we can do as a society to bring awareness to this crucial topic. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What the Model Minority myth is Why lumping people together into groups is dangerous territory The impact of stigmas, stereotypes, and cultural beliefs What is “tiger” parenting and how it impacts education choices How the pressure to conform can change your internal identity Why you shouldn’t feel resentment when asking for a promotion How to navigate leadership when you have minority-decent employees How the Model Minority myth impacts student loans Why Asian Americans are nudged into certain career paths Who the Model Minority myth affects The importance of sharing our stories and learning from others   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

As much as we’re all itching to get back to normalcy in our day-to-day lives, we need to think about how we can ease back into spending on a daily basis without sabotaging the financial goals we’ve set for ourselves throughout the past year, particularly around student loans. In today’s episode, Rob Bertman, CFA, CFP®, sits down with Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, and Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, to discuss five steps to getting ready to spend money again in a post-pandemic world. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How to transition your finances in a post-pandemic world The changes in saving and spending habits over the last year Strategies financial experts used to manage their finances How to prioritize your expenses as the world begins opening up Practical steps to achieve greater financial stability in the new normal How to make room for the resumption of student loan payments in October How to spend responsibly as your income increases 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

Have the chances of student loan debt cancellation increased in recent weeks? Yes. But it isn’t that simple. Join me as I discuss the possibility of student loan debt cancellation, what it could mean for your repayment strategy, and why I think the looming legal battle over cancellation would create chaos.   In today’s episode, you'll find out: Listener question: How your income impacts your IDR plan when filing taxes separately if you’re married Listener question: Should you pay extra on your loan if you’re on the REPAYE plan? My experience looking for housing in today’s market Why student loan refinancing interest rates are still so low Why there’s a high probability of student loan debt cancellation  The reason I think student loan debt cancellation won’t actually happen How student loan cancellation would impact your repayment strategy The legal review going on right now about whether the president has the authority to cancel student loan debt Whether $10k or $50k will be cancelled and how it might happen Why I think student loan debt cancellation is a distraction from the real problem   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 a consultant takeover! All of the ladies of Student Loan Planner, Lauryn Williams, Meagan Landress, and Molly Laughter, are talking more about the mental health survey. There’s more to student debt than managing the numbers, and they’re going to unpack the challenges women face when they are up against student loan debt and while navigating life in general. In today’s episode, you'll find out: What is the mental health survey The biggest factor in mental wellness when you have student loan debt Why so many women borrowers have suicidal ideation because of student loans How occupational segregation leads to higher debt to income ratios for women How to purchase a home while paying down your student loans Why you don’t need to stay in high-paying yet unfulfilling jobs as a borrower Why having student loans shouldn’t hold you or your partner back from marriage Why the “fast and furious” approach to paying down your loans is not recommended   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

Want the secret to life with student loans? Join me as I talk with senior consultant Lauryn Williams on seven key life goals that should take priority over your student loans, whatever your circumstances in life. That’s not to say you should let your loans go into default while going after your goals, but we don’t recommend you sacrifice your dreams because of student loans. There is a better way! In today’s episode, you'll find out: Why sacrificing your goals isn’t as effective as you might think Why borrowers put their life goals on the back burner The key to finding happiness and success in your career while having student loans How income-driven repayment plans can help you safely take on additional debt to get a second degree Why student loans shouldn’t stop you or your partner from getting married How to purchase a home while paying down your student loans How to raise a family and live a comfortable life while navigating your student loans Why it’s okay to start your own business or practice as a borrower How to live anywhere in the world even if you have student loans   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Subscribe 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 borrowers face enormous mental health challenges. Our mental health survey of student loan borrowers found that 1 out of every 14 borrowers considered suicide because of their student loans. Listen in as Student Loan Advisor and consultant Meagan Landress CSLP® and I tackle the tough topic of mental health burdens that many borrowers experience. We’re discussing the results of our survey, sharing our thoughts on the various factors that may be contributing to these issues, and our advice to borrowers who are suffering anxiety and depression due to student loans. In today’s episode, you'll find out: How to manage negative thoughts around student loan debt Why student loan debt doesn’t make you bad or irresponsible Coping mechanisms to manage stress and anxiety What we mean when we say, “Student loan debt isn’t really ‘debt’; it’s more of an income tax” Why PSLF isn’t broken Who suffers the most under the weight of student loans Our thoughts on the growing problem of the number of borrowers who owe six figures in federal student loan debt Why a passive, long-term approach to debt can mathematically make more sense About the unique impact of student loan stress on women and people of color Common concerns borrowers have about PSLF What we think would need to happen to fix the student loan crisis Our recommended resources for those experiencing mental health issues with regard to their student loans   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Subscribe 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