New Student Loan Program Pays 100% of Loans Back
Once the Department of Education completes the evaluation of the applicant’s FAFSA, and determines the Financial Need amount available to an applicant, a Student Aid Report, or SAR, is issued to the applicant. The SAR contains the EFC. There are options for requesting a review of the Financial Need determination.Once the applicant has qualified for a student loan, the student and his/her family must decide on what type of loan is best for their situation. Loans are differentiated by amounts, whether interest payments are subsidized or not, and the funding source of the loan. Loan amounts must also be evaluated in terms of what other financial assistance is available to the applicant.Direct Loans are student loans made directly by The Department of Education (“DOE”) to students and the parents of students. No banks or financial institutions are involved. There are four types of direct loans offered by DOE:Subsidized Stafford loans eliminate interest payments while the student is enrolled in school and during the six-month grace period following graduation before re-payment of the loan begins. These are available only to Independent Students.Unsubsidized Stafford loans charge interest on the loan principle from the day the loan is issued. Repayment of the loan doesn’t start until six months after the student has either graduated or left college. But like a credit card balance left unpaid, the interest adds up each and every day the student attends school.PLUS loans are available to students in graduate or professional school or to the parents of undergraduates.The amount of money available through Stafford loans varies with each year of college.College Year Amount of loan availableFreshman $ 3,500.00Sophomore 4,500.00Junior 5,500.00Senior 5,500.00All of the above amounts are for Dependent Students. The amounts for Independent Students are greater, but since very few applicants qualify for Independent Student status they are not included.Interest rates and loan fees charged on Direct Student Loans are set by Congress. Interest rates are adjusted once a year, on July 31st. Current Stafford loan rates are 6.8% and loan fees are 4%.The PLUS Program, or Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students, is a distinct and separate type of educational loan, which can be used to finance an undergraduate education. Because Stafford loans have limits that fall below the needs of many students, Stafford loans may need to be supplemented by PLUS loans obtained by their parents. Parents may apply for Direct PLUS loans from the DOE or from a second source of loans guaranteed by the DOE but funded by private banks and financial institutions. These loans are labeled FFEL or Federal Family Educational Loan Program.PLUS loans carry a higher interest rate, currently 7.9% if the loan is a Direct loan from the DOE, and 8.5% for FFEL PLUS loans made by private banks or financial institutions. PLUS loans require separate applications available from the financial aid office of the student’s school. PLUS loans require good credit ratings and are subject to a more rigorous financial scrutiny than Stafford loans. PLUS loans carry origination fees like every other type of consumer loan. PLUS loans allow parents to borrow up to the complete cost of their child’s four years of college, less any other Direct loans or financial aid received.Direct Plus loans are fairly straightforward. FFEL PLUS loans are made with private lenders. FFEL loans are guaranteed by the government, which means that the government agrees to, in effect, co-sign the loan. For this reason just about every type of financial institution offers PLUS loans. Most of these institutions are legitimate, but there are some predatory lenders. Caution must be exercised when choosing a lender. The Financial Aid Office of your child’s school should, in theory, be able to guide you to an honest lender. But there have been some scandals involving conflict of interest on the part of school financial aid departments, so independent investigation of lenders is a good idea.Investigating PLUS loan lenders is much like investigating credit card offers. Some cards offer a low introductory rate, but the fine print shows that even one late or missed payment results in a skyrocketing interest rate. Other fine print reveals that a late or missed payment, even for a different credit card, can cause massive interest increases and penalties. For the period 2005 – 2006 student loans of all types amounted to over four hundred billion dollars. After home mortgages and credit cards, student loans are the larger source of business for the personal finance industry.Terms for loans vary from ten to twenty-five years. But since interest is accruing from the moment the loan is made, interest charges are accumulating from fourteen to twenty-nine years. The amounts add up quickly. Applicants receiving federal student loans are now required by the government to take a financial counseling class before the money is released to the student. It makes sense to investigate financial aid that doesn’t require repayment.
How to Avail 12-Month Loans in London?
WHAT ARE 12-MONTH LOANS?12-month loans are a type of short-term loan that has become increasingly popular in recent times. These are designed so as to last for only a year or 12 months to be precise. They are extremely helpful as they help one to accurately budget for the concerned money that they have borrowed as it is known that it must be fully repaid within a year or 12 months. This is the main difference that makes it stand out from other types of short-term loans offered by various direct lenders.These types of loans allow one to borrow a wide range of different sums of money and these types of loans help break up the borrower’s loan into 12 manageable repayments that must be repaid on a monthly basis. Small loans are a good way of allowing one to budget for anything unexpected.DESCRIPTION OF 12-MONTH LOANSThe approximate calculated interest for borrowing 100 pounds under such a scheme comes around 13 pounds per month. There are many people who may suffer from bad credit history and there are many lenders available who are willing to provide loans to people who have a bad credit rating and who may have been denied loans elsewhere. Most lenders have eligibility checkers that help check the individual’s likelihood of being fully approved for a 12-month loan for bad credit before applying.One can improve his or her credit score by being accepted for a 12-month loan and keeping up to date with the necessary repayments for the concerned loan. This makes it easier for the individual to be accepted for any sort of credit in the near future. Missing out on payments has the opposite effect and can damage the borrower’s credit profile making it difficult for him or her to be accepted in the future for bad credit loans.There are many UK lenders offering 12-month loans with no guarantor as not everyone may have access to that facility. These 12-month loans have become extremely popular in recent years as direct lenders have started offering these types of loans which do not require a guarantor.GETTING APPROVED FOR A 12 MONTH LOANOne is eligible for such loans only if he or she is above 18 years of age and is a citizen of the UK. Having a good income source is advantageous but not necessary. One also needs to have a good credit score to increase approval chances for the borrower. Lenders always prefer people with a good credit score as they can be trustworthy and reliable and are more likely to repay back the loan amount in the stipulated 12 months or 1 year.If the borrower’s credit score is not enough for gaining approval for a 12-month loan, then the borrower can obtain loans by getting into a joint agreement which can be done by convincing a friend or family member to become your guarantor for the 12-month loan. In this case, if the borrower fails to make a repayment to the lender then the guarantor can pay in place of the borrower.Asset pawning is also a good solution for the concerned individual or borrower. In case he or she is unable to find a guarantor then he or she can pawn any asset which may be a land, property or even a vehicle. This asset should have a value equivalent to the value of the loan.BENEFITS OF 12 MONTH LOANMany lenders often provide people with 12-month loans even though they do not have a guarantor to furnish. This type of loan also helps those who are in need of emergency money. These loans are hassle-free and usually, do not carry any extra hidden charges and are also comparatively easier to repay when compared to personal loans or payday loans which have higher interest rates.Most lenders nowadays have an easy loan process that allows them to assess the financial situation of the borrower within a short period of time and since most of the systems are now online, this has reduced a lot of paperwork involved. These lenders offer personalized loans to the borrower depending on their financial situation and state of living.These lenders offering 12-month loans also provide competitive rates of interest to the borrower for people with a poor credit score and this helps a person from any strata of society with any economic background opt for a loan without being financially distressed due to the various competitive rates of interest offered to the borrower by the lender.One can opt for a 12-month loan in case of any financial emergency or an unexpected expense that may be necessary to be cleared immediately. They provide quick loan approval processes and also credit the concerned loan amount directly into the borrower’s bank account making the loan obtaining process smooth and hassle-free. The borrower can easily repay the loan to the lender in simple instalments every month for the 12 months time period of the loan.Even if the borrower has a poor history of credit and is in need of emergency money at the earliest, many lenders exist offering a wide variety of instalment loans for all types of credit score borrowers.CHOOSING A 12 MONTH LOANOne of the top reasons for more and more people opting for 12-month loans is the fact that it offers competitive APR, hassle-free and reliable loans with options for bad credit too, the lack of the need for a guarantor, availability of small and big loans as required, repayment of loans in easy instalments, ensuring that people from all economic backgrounds have a fair chance at securing a loan and many other reasons.Carefully compare and choose the best suited 12-month loan option for your needs.
5 Secrets That Will Thrust Your Small Business Into the Big League
There are 28 million small businesses in the US. The sad reality is that most of them fail within the first few years of operation. The small percentage that survive stay small forever. A select few manage to grow into huge businesses. But why them and not the others? What are the factors that enable unknowns to become household brands? One thing for sure that it takes much more than hard work, luck, and timing. Read on to see if your small business has what it takes to make the leap into the big league?SystemsMany small business owners’ lives are chaotic due to lack of systems. Systems are hard, but they enable small businesses to scale. Systems are not glorious like sales, marketing, or research and development. Some say that systems are boring, after all, it is a back office function. Systems separate struggling small businesses from those that grow by leaps and bounds. Creating systems can be a daunting task, and for many, the prospect of taking on yet another project is out of the question. For some, it is a catch-22 situation. You may say “How do I carve out extra time from my already hectic schedule.” The correct way to think of systems is that creating them is an investment in your business.One of the greatest challenges that small business owners face is that the they are perpetual decision makers. The owner is involved in everything from sales, customer service, research and development, bookkeeping, so an and so forth. Creating systems is the first step toward a business where not every decision is dependent on the entrepreneur. Systems allow people to plug in and go. Systems include operating procedures and manuals that can bring a new team member up to speed in no time. It is what takes small out of small business.Franchise businesses are often more successful than independently operated ones simply because they are built on systems. The franchisee may be paying a premium in upstart costs compared to an independent business, but it makes sense for many because they don’t have to worry about developing systems. Someone already went ahead and created the necessary systems for success. When you buy a franchise you are taking a system that has been proved to work. Does it mean that you have to buy a franchise to succeed? Absolutely not, but you have to think of your own independent business as a franchise. Create procedures for everything. Don’t leave anything to guesswork.Most small businesses do without systems, but it doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea. While you might get away with it in the beginning the lack of systems will create huge bottle necks down the road. The lack of systems will reduce your profits. Why? Because you and your employees will have to reinvent the wheel day in and day out. systems minimize the element of surprise. With systems in place your team is able to deliver consistent service. Businesses with consistently good service will outperform those with fluctuating quality service.In addition to making your life easier, systems also increase the value of your business. Buyers want to buy businesses that are built on systems. The presence of systems tell buyers that the business doesn’t entirely rely on you. Creating systems help you create a turnkey operation, appealing to buyers. Business systems are assets that enable your company to run without you.ScalabilityInvestors love highly scalable companies because they have the potential to multiply revenue with minimal incremental cost. You simply can’t substantially grow a business without cracking the scaling code. Some business are built to scale while others are forever destined for small business status. Unfortunately, many professional service providers are not scalable because they rely on personal output. So, if your goal is to build a big company avoid consulting types of businesses. A software company, on the other hand, is a highly scalable business model. Once the software product has been completed it can be sold millions of times with minimal costs. In other words, their increased revenues cost less to deliver than current revenues. What this means is that a scalable business will be able to increase the operating margin as revenue grows.A highly scalable business requires small variable costs that the company can control. Variable cost changes with the volume of business. Fixed costs do not vary with sales. For example, for a software company fixed costs include the cost of the office location, computers, and furniture. These cannot be quickly added or liquidated. Salaries on the other hand are a variable cost since workers can be hired and fired relatively fast.Most consulting businesses like marketing agencies are not scalable because they are unable to substantially increase their revenue without greatly increasing their variable costs. Such businesses are considered poor investments.To build a scalable business you should start with a scalable idea. Scalable businesses have high margins. They require low support and staff expenses. Scalable businesses allow you to work on your business as opposed to working in your business. If you find yourself constantly working in your business your business is either not scalable or not yet ready to scale.Truly scalable businesses are highly automated. Automation helps you reduce variable costs such as labor. It is at this point when scaling and systems begin to work together. If you truly want to become a market leader or dominate your industry, scalability is the only way to do it without a miracle.Board of advisorsIf your goal is rapid growth, you must have a board that you can rely on for your big audacious goals. The life of an entrepreneur can be a lonely one. Often you feel like you are all alone with all the decisions you have to make. Your board will share some of the burdens of making key decisions and it will tell the outside world that you are systematic about your business, and that you understand that you need to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you. Your board will help you with large strategic goals. It can help with your overall business plan, policy issues, financial questions, strategic partnerships, and more.Your board shouldn’t be utilized to deal with routine tactical challenges. Don’t waste the boards time on daily employee issues or what color the chose for your new office. Rather, let your board help you with strategic advice, or by helping you with making introductions to strategic partners and recruiting talent.Fellow entrepreneurs and business leaders make excellent board members. Before you build your board you should have a clear understanding of what areas you need help with. Ask yourself what skills do you currently lack that you need to take your business to the next level? Is it marketing, intellectual property, or finance? Whatever it is you need help with should influence the ultimate makeup of your board. You could hire a recruiter, but they are expensive. It is best if you perform the search yourself.Your board is not a group of your closest friends. It is a group of professionals, each with a respective specialty. One might be an IP attorney while another a retired CEO. You are not looking for a group of yes men. If you build a great board, each member will have more experience than you and each will know much more than you. If you feel like the dumbest person in the room, you are on the right track.Your board of advisors will not join you for the money, but there are costs involved. It is a good idea to compensate your advisors. At least, you should cover their expenses. Do they need to travel to your board meetings? Are there hotel and other expenses? It is also advisable to pay a per meeting fee that might be a few hundreds or a few thousand dollars. In addition to monetary compensation, you could chose to offer stock as payment.IP (Intellectual Property)Most small business owners care most about time and money. Some understand that IP is as good as money in the bank. It is considered one of the most important assets of some of the most valuable companies in the world. Even though IP is an intangible asset, it’s almost impossible to build a hugely successful business without it. If you are going to dominate your industry or at least be one of its key players, IP is a must. You can often read about huge business acquisition deals structured around IP. Often, IP is the reason companies are bought and sold for huge multiples.Simply put, IP makes your company more competitive. Without IP you end up competing on price and efficiency, a tough way to build your business. When you compete through IP you often set your own price, a luxury most businesses never experience. Since innovation is the main driver in business, developing IP should be a key objective for all companies that want to enter the big league.If you are an early stage company wanting to attract investors, your IP might be what closes the deal for you. Investors look at IP with regard to the level of income it may generate through its life. Some companies bet their futures on IP. Richard Thoman, the CEO of Xerox, declared that the “management of IP is how value added is going to be created at Xerox.” An excellent example of IP management is IBM; it managed to generate about $1 billion from IP by 1990. IP is the intangible asset that can become your free cash flow.When IP is properly managed it can prevent your competitors from copying your products or services. You can avoid wasteful investment in R&D. IP is a revenue generating profit machine that makes your company more valuable and competitive, getting you ever so closer to market domination.BrandMany small business owners, wrongly believe, that brand building is reserved for giant corporations. But, building your brand should be a key focus from the very early stages of your company’s life. Your brand is another intangible asset you can’t build a market leading company without. It is your brand that may enable your business one day to avoid competing on price only. It is your brand that may one day help you dominate your market. It is through the power of your brand that you will be able to minimize your new customer acquisition costs.Successful brands are easily recognizable. Virtually all fortune 500 companies have managed to build a strong brand image. Powerful brands instill certain images in consumers from tradition, to quality, to innovation, to any number of thoughts and feelings. As competition increases, so does the importance of building credible brands.Brands are not born out of thin air, they are strategically developed. Building your brand is no less important than developing your sales strategy or R&D. The process of building your brand is a never ending job. There is no such thing as a finished brand. Finished brands are for businesses that are finished. You can never think of brand building as a project with a beginning and an end.While advertising is important it is not advertising that creates your brand. Your brand is a reflection on everything that your company does. Your brand is the quality of your product or service. It is also the way you treat your customers, and even your employees. Your brand is shaped by how the world perceives you.The value of each brand fluctuates. Your company scores big on your latest product and the value of your brand rises. One of your employees publicly ridicules one of your upset customers and your brand suffers. The good news is that for the most part, you are in charge of your brand’s destiny.Even the worlds greatest brands are not always on an upward trajectory. Strong brands can help your company survive disasters. Recently, the Toyota brand had been plagued by millions of recalls, yet the company managed to come out of it all with an even stronger brand.It is true that not each small business wants to become an industry leader. But, it’s also true that there are no accidental market leaders. Most small businesses are family owned and operated, and there is nothing wrong with that. You can be happy, fulfilled, and wealthy running a small business. But, if your choice is to grow your business into a true market leader you have to build your business on systems. You have to be able to crack the scaling code, so you can dramatically increase your revenue with minimal expenses. You will need trusted advisors that are smarter and more experienced than you. It will be an uphill battle, or perhaps even impossible without proper IP management. Your brand will soften the blow when you are hit with disasters. Of course, there are other factors such as luck and timing that transform small businesses into huge success stories, but the above five make for a good start.
5 Empowering Tracks From Female Icons To Make You Feel Inspired
Sometimes we all need a little lift. Whether you’ve had a recent knock to your confidence, have been going through stress in your personal or professional life, or have always struggled with your self-esteem, music is an essential tool for lifting your spirits and making you feel better about yourself.
According to a study by Heriot-Watt University, the type of music you listen to not only influences your mood, but also your personality, with indie and rock/heavy metal fans reporting the lowest levels of self-esteem, while fans of jazz, blues, opera, classical, pop, rap and soul all reported high levels of self-confidence.
So if you’re having a ‘down day’, why not boost your spirits by listening to some powerful, uplifting tracks? Here are five perfect confidence boosters.
Britney Spears – Toxic
Britney’s own struggles with her mental health and conservatorship have made her an inspiration for many people across the world.
This classic song is timelessly sensual, and the heavy beats throughout make it impossible not to dance to. A welcome blast of nostalgia, this tune has filled dance floors across the globe with fans old and new.
The video features Britney as a female spy playing the sexy flight attendant, seducing her passenger before she makes her escape on a motorbike and breaks into a high-security facility guarded by a laser security system.
This track and video is a guaranteed way to feel invincible, and deserves a place on your playlist no matter your mood.
Kelis – Milkshake
A cheesy classic that is guaranteed to make you feel all warm and gooey inside, Kelis pumps up the heat in this 00’s RnB track. Underpinned by intricate drum beats and electric elements, Kelis’ self-confidence is infectious, and it’s hard not to find yourself smiling at the lyrics.
This track is a great way to get into a flirtatious mindset, making it a great choice before going on a date or heading out for the evening.
And if you’re staying in? It’s a great mood lift. But beware! You may find yourself craving a sweet treat.
Eve (ft. Gwen Stefani) – Let Me Blow Your Mind
This RnB classic will capture your attention with its assertive rhythm and powerful vocals from 00’s icons Eve and Gwen Stefani. Featuring a laid-back – yet self-assured – beat, and catchy guitar riff, this is a great track for driving, and its empowering feel is sure to help you feel motivated.
Got a job interview lined up, or thinking of asking for a raise? This anthemic number is a quick way to feel positive and more assertive.
The video features Eve and Gwen Stefani crashing an exclusive event on quad bikes, causing a stir among the privileged attendants, and shoving the performer off stage to perform their own music, before finally being arrested and taken to the station in a police van.
This ‘baddie’ track helps you to tap into the hidden ‘bold’ side of your personality, and lifts your mood while keeping you feeling calm and cool.
Fergie – MILF$
If you have kids, it can be difficult to feel sexy. When you’re running around cleaning the house, changing nappies, or up to your elbows in dishwater, you can easily forget your sensual side – leaving you feeling frumpy and lacking in confidence and motivation.
Thankfully, Fergie’s comeback track is a quick remedy to your low mood and lethargy.
Featuring attractive mothers dressed in curve-hugging latex and silky lingerie going about their daily life in a dreamy, colourful suburbia, this track is a quick way to transform your self-esteem and transport you to a world where you are not just a mother, but a goddess too.
Why not shake off the day and tap into your feminine energy with Fergie, your sexiest PJs, and a bottle of your favourite wine?
Marina And The Diamonds – How To Be A Heartbreaker
Low confidence after a breakup? You’re not alone. Having your heart broken can leave you feeling depressed, undesirable, and unmotivated. So flip the tables on your ex and become a heartbreaker with Marina’s catchy club classic.
This empowering dance track will make you want to move your body and get in touch with your bad girl side, with its heavy beat and pounding rhythms.
Plus, if your libido has suffered as a result of your low mood, take a sneaky peek at the video – it will get your blood pumping with its steamy shower shots and smoking hot male models.