Student Loan Planner

I'm offering a sneak peek into "Dreams Not Debt," our brand-new ultimate guide to creating your very own financial plan. Listen is as I break down the five key crucial elements to keep in mind when putting together your plan (cashflow, taxes, insurance and asset protection, life milestone planning and goals-based investing)⁠ — and share actionable tips on how to optimize each one to help you achie...

Society tells us that we can only retire in our 60s. If that's your plan, I think it's great! But you need to know there are more options available than you have ever dreamed possible, and it all comes down to having the right financial planning strategy in place. Of course, that's easier said than done. Listen in as I break down what's wrong with the standard approach to financial planning, and w...

Too often, we set goals and we never reach them. Why is that? It's most likely because our goals aren't inspiring enough! If your goals haven't inspired you enough to pour your heart and soul into reaching them, let's fix that. Join us, Rob Bertman, CFA, CFP®, and Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, as we talk about how to set inspired financial goals so you can become debt-free and live the abundant li...

The Federal Reserve realized they messed up: Inflation wasn't only a temporary setback brought about by the pandemic. Monetary policy was left too loose for too long, and now it's led to the worst inflation in 40 years. This is painful for businesses of all types, big and small—including student loan companies. Many of them have no choice but to pivot or phase out certain products, and some of the...

Senior student loan advisor Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, sits down with one of SLP's newest student loan advisors, James Mwombela, CFP®, to discuss the racial wealth divide and how it has impacted Black Americans' ability to create wealth. The basis for today's conversation is a Wall Street Journal article written in August 2021 titled "College Was Supposed to Close the Wealth Gap for Black Ameri...

I'm breaking down all the fluid elements swirling and often confusing even the most knowledgeable student loan loan experts. There's just so much going on – and the U.S. Department of Education may or may not be concealing a backdoor form of relief via their complex waiver programs. What will happen if cancellation occurs? It's not clear, but it's very likely to end up in a heavy political court c...

Vastly underreported in the media, the IDR waiver is currently being portrayed as an option for tens of thousands who are eligible for PSLF or income-driven repayment. Join me as I discuss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and how I see this as a way to help millions get forgiveness. Listen in as I break down all you need to know about the IDR waiver! In today's episode, you'll find out: What i...

The temporary PSLF waiver is an amazing opportunity that offers expanded loan forgiveness for a limited time. Learn how you can use your knowledge of this once-in-a-lifetime program to help your friends get forgiveness on their loans before the October 31, 2022, deadline. Plus, I'm answering listener questions to clarify some points of the PSLF waiver, income recertification and Parent PLUS loans....

With the student loan pause, it's likely that many of you haven't made a payment in quite some time. So, how does repayment work when you're fresh out of school? What do you need to know before starting to pay off your student loans? Join us, Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, and Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, as we talk about the basics of student loan repayments while helping you figure out which repaymen...

There are no guarantees when it comes to the future of federal student loans, but there are some clear data points and indicators — and I'm sharing my views on what will happen next. I'll take questions from listeners and deconstruct several scenarios that could impact student loan repayment as we head into midterm election season. Between the political and practical factors that will determine wh...

THIS JUST IN from your favorite pod! __________________________ 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

Horror stories about out-of-control college debt are familiar to most of us, but there is a flip side to consider. Shying away from student loans can prove short-sighted, especially if it costs you the ability to focus on studies, network with classmates and pursue career enrichment opportunities. The trick is enlisting the right loans for the right reasons – with a carefully considered plan in pl...

The loan servicing structure needs to be fixed, but how and why? Join me as I welcome Bobby Matson, CEO and Founder of Payitoff, to talk about why the state of the student loan serving industry is broken and how we might be able to mend it. Without getting overly cynical, we shed light on the incentive structure of student loan servicers, the problems that can arise when student loans are cancelle...

Do you have kids or are you thinking of having kids? Want to know how you can help your children avoid the student loan mess you've had to deal with? Join me and Mary Morris, CEO of Virginia529, as we talk about the benefits of a 529 plan and how to set up a tax advantage education savings plan for your children, even if they don't exist yet. In today's episode, you'll find out: What is a 529 plan...

Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, welcomes Student Loan Planner's newest consultants, Sim Terwilliger, CFP®, CSLP®, and James Mwombela, CFP®. Strap in as we get to know Sim and James. The two share their authentic journeys, what motivated them to enter the financial industry, their serendipitous paths to joining SLP, and what they're looking forward to in this new stage of their professional lives. In...

Senior consultant Rob Bertman, CFA, CFP® joins me to discuss recent developments related to interest rate policy at the heels of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We also cover the impact of subsequent decisions to be made by the Biden administration in the coming months on interest rate policy. In today's episode, you'll find out: What to expect from the housing market this summer as interest rates c...

Do you ever wonder why the prices of graduate programs have gone up so drastically over the last few decades? Do you want to know what the TRUE cost of your graduate degree is? Join me as I talk about why the cost of graduate school hasn't gone up as much as you think it has. In today's episode, you'll find out: How competition impacts the cost of tuition Reasons why the cost of graduate school ha...

Meagan Landress, CSLP®, and Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, sit down to discuss common student loan scams. They also share why the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) plan might just be a great option to consider for borrowers looking to take advantage of the limited PSLF Waiver opportunity. In today's episode, you'll find out: Why you should check the StudentAid.gov site frequently About some of the most...

With tax season upon us, I'm sitting down with consultant Lauryn Williams CFP®, CSLP®, to discuss a number of common concerns by both employees and business owners. We cover everything from saving money on taxes in general to what to consider when seeking IBR recertification, all the way to taking advantage of pre-tax accounts. In today's episode, you'll find out: How Lauryn Williams became an Oly...

Most people have a love-hate relationship with student loans. I'm diving into five reasons why student loans are absolutely worth it. And yes, it's true: There are unique situations in which they may not be worth the plunge. But I'll make the case that, for the majority of folks, student loans may just turn out to be one of the best investments they'll ever make. In today's episode, you'll find ou...

Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, sits down with fellow consultant Meagan Landress, CSLP®, to talk in detail about student loan recertification and PSLF waivers. If you're worried about self-reporting or recertifying your income and how this whole process works when you're on an income-driven plan, this is the episode for you! In today's episode, you'll find out: How to self-report if you're on an inc...

The major news this week is Navient's $1.85 billion settlement, which involved 40 state attorneys general. I'll give you the rundown of the settlement, what it means and answer the biggest question borrowers want to know: Can you get money from this settlement? In today's episode, you'll find out: What is borrower defense to repayment and why you should apply How to get the most benefit from the P...

Break out your apocalypse gear because a disaster is coming! Just kidding, we're trying to keep things light and optimistic here, but it's difficult when there are so many PSLF challenges people with student loans are still facing. Join me as I discuss the upcoming Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) problem of 2022 and how you can ultimately overcome it. In today's episode, you'll find out: Wh...

We can't control the pandemic or public policy, but we can control our actions to dramatically increase our net worth. I'm going to show you and your family a wealth of options for your wealth. Achieving a six-figure net worth seems like a daunting task, especially when you're saddled with student debt. However, I'll prove in this episode that your debt shouldn't be an obstacle as you build your w...

It's 2022, and there's no better year to kickstart your journey to financial independence! One of the keys to making this a reality is a solid investment strategy alongside your student loan strategy. After two years of living in a culture of fear, people are craving for freedom—for autonomy and choice. This could be the year you finally get a taste of that freedom. Listen in as I reflect on the t...