Credit Card Statement Basics for Budget Savvy Parents
A compact guide explains common credit card terms such as APR, credit line, cash advance costs, grace period, late fees, minimum payment, and rate types. It highlights how fees and interest can rise with late payments and how different rate structures affect balances.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Visa
U.S.A
Consumer Action
Consumer Action Survey
Treasury
Graduates urged to lock in low student loan rates
Milwaukee experts say consolidating federal loans under the Federal Consolidation Loan program can fix rates as low as 3.5 percent, with some borrowers extending repayment beyond 10 years to reduce monthly payments. Analysts note the Stafford average and other rates influence consolidations, urging graduates and parents to consider refinancing now.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tom Mrozinski
Marshall & Isley Bank
Milwaukee
Stafford
Richard George
Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corp
Madison
Wis
Treasury
Patricia Scherschel
Sallie Mae
George
Scherschel
Bernice E. Porath
Keyimani Alford
Uw-Milwaukee
Alford
Great Lakes Higher Education Corp
Consolidating Student Loans Weighs Fixed Rates and Savings
The article explains consolidation options for federal Stafford and PLUS loans, noting fixed rates set by averaging existing loans and rounded to the nearest 0.125. It discusses longer repayment terms, one-time consolidation, and current low rates, with examples from graduates considering locking in lower payments, plus potential 1 percentage point rate discounts after timely payments.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brian Konop
University of Wisconsin At
Treasury
Konop
Web resources for financing a college education
Chuck Myers reviews several sites offering guidance on financing higher education. College Financial Planning explains saving and loans. OSFAP on ed.gov covers federal aid. FastWeb provides a loan and scholarship search. SmartMoney discusses planning. Student Loan Funding Resources offers calculators and grant details.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Department of Education
Ed.gov
OSFAP
Studentservices.com
SmartMoney.com
Studentloanfunding.com
Also Mentioned on This Page
the Color of Money
Michelle Singletary
Singletaryrn
Washpost
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The
Triena Bodart
University of Wisconsin At Milwaukee
Chuck Myers
Knight Ridder
Collegefinancialplanning.com
Luho