BLOG: Sallie Mae Deferred Payment Returns
By Jim Donovan: Sallie Mae is bringing back an option that lets students wait until after graduation to start repaying loans.
The private student lender, formally known as SLM Corp., had done away with its signature deferred payment option loan during the credit crisis in 2009.
At the time, Sallie Mae instead began requiring borrowers to make interest payments right away while in school. The company said the in-school payments helped defray long-term costs for students by reducing the amount of interest that accumulated on the loan. The company was also looking to reduce its exposure to defaults during the credit crunch.
Students who are approved for loans in the 2011-2012 academic year will now be given three payment options:
--Interest payments. Students who opt to make interest payments in school will be given a more favorable interest rate, which varies depending on their credit profile.
On a $10,000 loan, the typical in-school payment would be about $70 a month. The loan is repaid within seven years after graduation. Over the life of the loan, students would pay about $16,700 depending on the interest rate they're given.
--Fixed payments. A second option, which was introduced last year, requires a fixed monthly payment of $25. This comes with a slightly higher interest rate and a repayment period of 10 years. On a $10,000 loan, students would pay a total of about $20,000 over the life of the loan.
--Deferred payments. Those who choose to defer payments until graduation are given the highest interest rates. The repayment period is 12 years. Students still get statements each month detailing how much they could save by making interest or fixed payments. On a $10,000 loan, students would pay a total of $23,100 over the life of the loan.
