Despite what they say, many parents secretly dread the day their child walks out the door to head away to college. This is an emotionally trying time for both parents and their burgeoning students, even for the most experienced at sending kids to school. As the elder child in my family, I was the pioneer of my family’s “departing-for-college” experience. Thus, it was notably easier for my parents when it was time to send my younger brother off to school. It is much easier to do something if you already know what to expect, what support you will receive, and how to help your student. The answers to these questions are one of the many benefits provided by the PLUS loan program and PLUS loans.
What is the PLUS loan program?
The program’s name, originally an acronym for “Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students,” provides a relatively apt description of its benefits. A PLUS loan is similar to a Perkins or Stafford loan with a few exceptions. One difference is its focus on a commitment by parents rather than students. The Department of Education doles out these loans, which students who can get Perkins or Stafford loans may also receive. That means US citizens with a good credit score who plan on attending school at least half-time qualify. “Half-time” is a bit of an odd phrase; it seems exact but has broad borderlines. Each college defines their enrollment tiers in different ways based on credits. But generally speaking, students must be enrolled in around six credit hours to be considered at least a half-time student.
How do PLUS loans compare to other loans?
The PLUS program differs from Stafford and Perkins loans in a few key ways, most of which concern the amount of money borrowed and the ways it is used. While Stafford and Perkins loans have a hard cap, meaning a limit on the money that can be borrowed, the PLUS loan does not. In addition, the program covers living expenses (i.e. room and board) as well as tuition and fees. As a trade-off, PLUS loans have higher interest than other federal loans, a fixed rate of 7.9%. Unlike a subsidized Stafford loan, wherein the student does not pay interest while under the program, the interest of a PLUS loan begins to accrue right after the first payment. Finally, a family’s entire credit history is taken into account when being considered for a loan, opposed to the past loan debt credit history examined for Stafford or Perkins loans.
PLUS loans have changed to be simpler
In 2008, the PLUS program opened new paths for repayment for their customers. Now, families who joined under the promise of a simpler, more streamlined payment process have two options as opposed to one cluttered path. The repayment process can either begin six months following a student’s final class or sixty days after the loan process has been completed. The latter option is markedly different from that of a Perkins or Stafford loan. It generally means that parents will begin paying back the loan while their student is still attending college. The first option is more traditional, the same route Perkins and Stafford loan students go, receiving a bill following their leaving school.
Depending on your family’s individual financial situation, a PLUS loan may be the best route to take due to its all-encompassing funds package and different options for repayment. On the other hand, the fixed interest rate and credit background check may not be the best option for certain families. The PLUS loan asks parents to commit to them. In turn, the program commits their funds to the most important person in these parents’ lives: their child.
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