Support a legislative change to require mandatory use of institutional certification of private loans by lenders. This will help ensure that students
and families fully utilize state and federal grants and less expensive financing options, such as subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans, before securing more costly private loans. According to the College Board, estimated private education loan volume declined to 8 percent of the total education loan volume in 2009-2010 and 7 percent of the total education loan volume in 2010-2011. Private loan borrowing totaled approximately $6 billion in 2010-2011 (66 percent lower than in 2005-2006).
According to the College Board, estimated private education loan volume declined to 8 percent of the total education loan volume in 2009-2010 and 7 percent of the total education loan volume in 2010-2011. Private loan borrowing totaled approximately $6 billion in 2010-2011 (66 percent lower than in 2005-2006).
For the first time since Sallie Mae's national study How America Pays for College began, more families reported filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) than in the previous study year. Eighty percent of families surveyed filed the FAFSA in 2010-2011, as opposed to 72 percent in 2009-2010. But the study also indicated that the low-income families surveyed paid 14 percent more for college in 2010-2011 than in 2009-2010—and paid more for college than the middle-and high-income families surveyed.
Support revising the bankruptcy code to permit the discharge of private educational loans in bankruptcy proceedings to provide greater protection to borrowers faced with unmanageable student loan debt burden. For the first time since Sallie Mae's national study How America Pays for College began, more families reported filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) than in the previous study year. Eighty percent of families surveyed filed the FAFSA in 2010-2011, as opposed to 72 percent in 2009-2010. But the study also indicated that the low-income families surveyed paid 14 percent more for college in 2010-2011 than in 2009-2010—and paid more for college than the middle-and high-income families surveyed.
Private non-federal student loans (also known as “alternative loans”) are offered by private lenders, institutions and state guaranty agencies and are not backed by the federal government. These private loans often have much higher fees and interest rates than federal loans, and may lack many benefits such as cancellation provisions and alternative repayment plans offered to federal student loan borrowers.
Support the extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) as established in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in order to assist needy students, which provides a tax credit up to $2,500. Taxpayers receive a tax credit based on 100 percent of the first $2,000 of tuition, fees and course materials paid during the taxable year, plus 25 percent of the next $2,000 of tuition, fees and course materials. Up to a maximum of 40 percent of the amount of the credit is “refundable.”
Advocate for a provision in AOTC that exempts Pell Grants from being applied toward tuition and fees used to determine the tax credit, in order for low-income individuals to take full advantage of the credit. According to the College Board, the refundability of the AOTC meant the percentage of total tax savings (from both education credits and deductions) for filers with an Adjusted Gross Income below $25,000 increased from 5 percent in 2008 to 17 percent in 2009.
According to the College Board, the refundability of the AOTC meant the percentage of total tax savings (from both education credits and deductions) for filers with an Adjusted Gross Income below $25,000 increased from 5 percent in 2008 to 17 percent in 2009.
Support the establishment of a federal tax exemption for loan forgiveness proceeds for borrowers in the Income Contingent Repayment and Income Based Repayment programs.