Student Loan Debt Archives - Rubin & Associates

What College Students and Graduates Should Know About Bankruptcy

College is supposed to be an exciting time, full of hope and promises for a bright future. For most students, the real world crashes in once the college ride is over. The job market is tougher than ever before, and even when students find an amazing job, they still have thousands of dollars of student loan debt hanging over their heads.

It’s not uncommon to spend 3 or 4 times as many years paying off student loan debt as you spend in college. With student loan debt spiraling out of control the last few years, we’re getting calls from clients who are younger and younger. If you’re struggling with debt and student loans, there are a few facts you should keep straight about bankruptcy options:

1. Credit card debt is manageable – but can be discharged in bankruptcy

You’ve heard the stories about aggressive debt collection calls – credit card companies are notoriously un-friendly about debt repayment. It’s best to avoid running up large amounts of debt while you’re in college, or shortly after graduation. If you follow a few simple tips, it’s easy for 20-somethings to avoid bankruptcy. If you find that your credit card debt is out of control, it can be discharged through Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
(more…)

Infographic – A Generational Approach of College Student Debt in the U.S.

It’s no secret that student loan debt is a problem in America. Tuition costs continue to skyrocket, and paired with shrinking government financial aid, student loan debt is now the number one debt problem for young Americans.

Just two weeks ago, Congress failed to stop an automatic interest rate hike for Federal Stafford Loans, which doubled interest rates from 3.4% to 6.8% – so the problem just compounded for undergrads across the country. The student loan situation looks pretty bleak for future generations as well.

We stumbled across this infographic this morning and had to share it. It shows the history of college tuition and student loan costs from the 1940’s to today. A few of the staggering stats include: (more…)