Student Loans
Lender and Bonus disclosure SoFi®: Fixed rates range from 4.49% APR to 10.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Variable rates range from 5.74% APR to 10.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with...
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Published on: 2026-09-25
Source:
Student Loan Planner
I’ll do just about anything to avoid actually going in the store these days. I do go into Winco every month or two for a big grocery haul and I’ll stop by Grocery Outlet when I’m in the neighborhood, but other than that, I order everything from Walmart and Sam’s...
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Published on: 2026-09-23
Source:
Six Figures Under
A new report issued by a borrower advocacy organization is shining a critical light on state-based student loans. These loans, the group argues, are the worst of the worst. But this category of student loans may be poised to expand as the federal government institutes new caps and limits on...
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Published on: 2026-09-22
Source:
Student Loan Planner
Ten years ago we achieved our family’s goal of being debt-free after paying off $144,000 of student loan debt! It wasn’t easy, but we had some fierce determination and four supportive little ones on our side. My husband Mike and I both graduated debt-free with our undergraduate degrees, but when...
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Published on: 2026-09-19
Source:
Six Figures Under
Student loans currently account for over $1.7 trillion of the debt in the United States. As more and more students are graduating with debt each year, we're seeing the effects of high student loan debt on personal and family lives. Many may worry they won't qualify for a mortgage because...
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Published on: 2026-09-18
Source:
Student Loan Planner
As part of our series on introducing members of the Student Loan Planner® team, I want to introduce Meagan McGuire. McGuire is a Senior Student Loan Advisor at Student Loan Planner® and has been with the company since 2019. She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to student...
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Published on: 2026-09-18
Source:
Student Loan Planner
If you’re eligible for AARP and owe more than $100,000 in student debt, how in the world are you supposed to enjoy a secure retirement? While the student loan crisis has hit the Millennial generation hardest, very few people are talking about the severe strain that happens when you have...
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Published on: 2026-09-18
Source:
Student Loan Planner
A disability insurance waiting period is the amount of time you must be continuously disabled before your long-term disability policy can begin paying benefits. Depending on the policy, you may be able to choose a waiting period ranging from 30 days to 360 days or longer. The shorter the waiting...
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Published on: 2026-09-17
Source:
Student Loan Planner
If you read about the financial stresses that we’re dealing with now, you can understand why we’re being extra careful with our grocery spending this month. You can see my menu plan and how I came up with it here. I love having a category that I feel completely in...
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Published on: 2026-09-16
Source:
Six Figures Under
Frugal living isn’t just something that happens at the store or when you’re crunching the budget numbers. It really is a way of life. Rather than getting uptight or frustrated I like to look at our frugal adventures as just that– an adventure! There are wins, bumps, and funny things...
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Published on: 2026-09-09
Source:
Six Figures Under
Student loan forgiveness can eliminate a substantial balance, but it might also create an unexpected tax bill. The temporary federal tax exemption created by the American Rescue Plan Act expired December 31, 2025. As a result, federal student loan debt forgiven through an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan in 2026 or...
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Published on: 2026-09-07
Source:
Student Loan Planner
Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) is one of a handful of federal student loan servicers that manages the $1.7 trillion federal student loan debt portfolio. It's possible that you've already interacted with MOHELA or will do so in the future if you have federal student loans. Therefore, it’s important...
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Published on: 2026-09-07
Source:
Student Loan Planner
Although financing the burden of higher education generally falls on students through federal student loans. Parents often assume that burden, too, through Parent PLUS Loans. Unlike federal loans for student borrowers, Parent PLUS Loans require a credit check and if your credit isn't up to par, you could be denied a loan....
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Published on: 2026-09-07
Source:
Student Loan Planner
When weighing your options for college living arrangements, you might be wondering, “Can I use student loans for off-campus housing?” You can use federal and private student loans for housing, regardless of whether you live in a dorm or an off-campus apartment. But there are some considerations to be aware...
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Published on: 2026-09-07
Source:
Student Loan Planner
I want to be really intentional with our grocery budget in September. We have a lot going on financially, so I want to keep our grocery spending to a minimum this month. Planning out a menu is a great way to minimize spending because you can control the cost of...
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Published on: 2026-09-05
Source:
Six Figures Under
Law enforcement officers at the local, state, tribal and federal level commit to serving in capacities that most of the public will never fully comprehend. Considering the risk and trauma that most officers encounter, student loans shouldn’t be a factor to worry about, but it’s often high on the list. Fortunately,...
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Published on: 2026-09-04
Source:
Student Loan Planner
Borrowers hoping to have their student loans forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program are facing a growing pile of barriers that may make it harder to get relief. And things may get worse before they get better. PSLF allows borrowers to get student loan forgiveness after 10...
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Published on: 2026-09-04
Source:
Student Loan Planner
After a rough summer, I’m glad to be back to sharing our budget updates. I’m also proud of getting August’s budget update posted so promptly!;) If you’re new here, I have been sharing our family’s transparent finances since 2013 when we were in six figures of student loan debt. I...
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Published on: 2026-09-02
Source:
Six Figures Under
Lots is changing at our house this week! We just drove our oldest child seven hundred miles away to attend college. While she was packing up all of her possessions either to store at home or to take with her, all five of her siblings started making plans to takeover...
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Published on: 2026-08-29
Source:
Six Figures Under
In our last budget update, I mentioned that we’ve had some financial challenges that have been stressful for me. I am a list maker, so I like to write things down as I try to work through them. I made a list of everything that was adding to the financial...
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Published on: 2026-08-22
Source:
Six Figures Under
I’m still doing some catching up with sharing budget updates. Thankfully, I keep our budget pretty well up-to-date in YNAB even if I’m slow to post the updates on my website. We’ve had some financial challenges recently (with more on the horizon) that have had me feeling stressed. Still, the...
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Published on: 2026-06-10
Source:
Six Figures Under