Student Loan Planner

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...

Having six figures of student debt to pay off can often make you feel like you're in bad shape, and for good reason. But as SLP consultants Rob Bertman, CFA, CFP®, and Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, explain, you may be doing better than you think. Listen in for a positive, upbeat message and learn how to change your paradigm around your student loans and the various opportunities available right no...

Just announced! President Biden extends the pause on student loan payments to May 1, 2022. 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

I reflect on how my wife and I would have approached her student loan strategy differently if given a second chance. Listen as I pick apart a 2015-version of me (who had just started dating my then-girlfriend-now-wife) and the conversations we had around her $124,000 med school loan, and how a seemingly straight path to forgiveness led to a string of complications. Then, I dive into my thoughts on...

From the PSLF Waiver to the EICR plan to the debt mindset, there's a lot we need to cover regarding student loans and loan forgiveness in 2022 and beyond. Join me as I answer a few listener questions you asked us via our podcast voicemail! I talk about recertification, why it's so hard for undergrads to get student loan forgiveness, how to not feel so trapped by your debt, and more. Let's all take...

Join Student Loan Planner consultants Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, and Meagan Landress, CSLP®, to discover what's new and exciting about the PSLF Waiver and the servicer changes. They're sharing what they're seeing "on the ground" with real-life scenarios of the PSLF Waiver and servicer changes happening for borrowers. In today's episode, you'll find out: What's happening to PSLF folks that have...

Inflation is the hot topic of the day. Is it here to stay? And does inflation mean income-driven repayment programs are a bad idea? Listen in as I unpack the inflation conundrum as well as the latest news around the PSLF waiver along with updated guidance from the Department of Education. In today's episode, you'll find out: How inflation impacts student loan borrowers The gold standard, inflation...

The Department of Education recently forgave around $700 million in student loans in a single day. I talk about how the new PSLF Waiver played into that, what it means for student loan forgiveness, and what it means for you and your finances. I also sit down with Ben Martinek, EA, CSLP®, CFP®, of Student Loan Tax Experts. He shares his experience helping student loan borrowers with their taxes and...

We could see a new student loan repayment plan for borrowers. The old IBR and the new IBR have been around for a while — now, the Biden administration is poised to create a new new IBR tentatively called The Expanded Income-Contingent Repayment (EICR) Plan. Confused? You're not alone. A lot is happening in the world of student loans, and a lot more will continue to happen come 2022 and beyond. Lis...

Today, I'm joined by Chad Carson, aka Coach Carson. He's a husband, father of two, real estate investor, and world traveler. His message is threefold: Invest in real estate. Retire early. Do what matters. Listen in as Chad and I talk about his best practices for building a robust real estate portfolio and achieving financial independence. In today's episode, you'll find out: Coach Carson's "unusua...

There's a lot going on in the world of student loans, from the recent overhaul of the PSLF program to the Federal Reserve's "tapering" of bond purchases and its impact on interest rates. Travis takes on seven listener questions spanning today's big issues. He then goes into the latest on the student loan servicer Navient. In today's episode, you'll find out: How and why to track your PSLF credit f...

The PSLF expansion took borrowers by surprise. The Biden administration's big announcement of a total overhaul to the PSLF program is a big deal. For a variety of reasons, many borrowers counting on PSLF had payments or loans that previously did not qualify for forgiveness because they could not meet the stringent requirements. The Department of Education effectively wiped out many of the hurdles...

Today's conversation is for the parents out there who are currently navigating the challenges of paying down student loans all while preparing their own kids' future. Do you actually have a solid plan to protect your kids from the massive debt burden you left school with? Listen in as our consultants Molly Laughter, MBA CFA, CFP®, and Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, offer actionable strategies and t...

We've all heard the term "new normal" being used to describe life as we move toward life after the pandemic. But what exactly does that mean for you? How ready are you to seize upcoming opportunities to thrive personally and professionally once the world reopens? Listen in as consultants Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, and Dan Rooker, CFP®, CSLP®, do a deep dive into measuring your new financial nor...