Tag: student loans

The Case for Rapid Repayment of Student Debt

New entrants to the workforce need to prioritize student debt reduction over contributions to 401(k) plans.

The first of eight essays in my new paper Financial Decisions for a Secure and Happy Life makes the case that new entrants to the workforce must often delay savings for retirement to quickly eliminate most if not all their student debt.  There are several reasons for this finding.

Reason One:  Failure to reduce student debt to a manageable debt level often leads to poor credit and higher borrowing costs on auto loans, credit cards, private student loans, and mortgages.

Reason Two:  A person using a short maturity loan will pay substantially less in interest than a person using a long maturity loan.

Reason Three:  The decision to enroll in an Income Driven Repayment loan and only pay the minimum balance will often result in increased loan balances and substantially higher lifetime interest payments. 

Reason Four:  The quick reduction of student debt frees up cash for other financial priorities including increased savings for retirement.

Reason Five:  Most young student borrowers choosing to immediately save for retirement on their first job will raid their 401(k) plan and pay tax and penalty.

Reason Six:  The rapid elimination of student debt facilitates the purchase of a first home, lower mortgage costs, and higher house equity, an important source of wealth. 

The succinctly written eight essays in  Financial Decisions for a Secure and Happy Life can be obtained for $7.00.  I suspect you will find the financial strategies and tips outlined there worth much more.

Student Debt Policy Proposal #1: Eliminate or substantially reduce first-year student debt

The elimination of student loans during the first year of college would lower total student debt incurred by most borrowers and provide the largest benefits to people most likely to default.

Potential Policy Changes:  The proposals outlined here involve restrictions on student debt for first-year students, increased financial assistance for first-year students, and new programs to expand access to higher education prior to college.

Specific Proposed Policy Changes:

  • Design and provide funding and incentives for creation of financial assistance packages leading to a debt-free or tuition-free first year at both community colleges and four-year institutions.
  • Eliminate federal student loans until students have 9 credit hours of college credit from AP courses, community colleges or accredited on-line programs.
  • Provide federal, state, and private funds for programs that increase college-level work prior to college.
  • Increased incentives for quick transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions.

Comments:

  • Students who take out loans and do not complete college are around 3 times more likely to default on their loan than student borrowers who get a degree.   The reduction of first-year debt will reduce the debt burdens of people who leave school early and are most likely to experience payment problems.
  • The stipulation that people complete some college level courses prior to full-time college will reduce initial access to higher education by low-income and minority students.  However, these groups with higher student debt burdens would gain the most reduction of first-year debt.
  • The stipulation for some college level experience prior to full-time college would better prepare people for college and would reduce dropout rates.
  • The elimination or reduction in debt among people who leave college after a year or two could facilitate reentry to college after people get some job experience.
  • Low-income and minority students also stand to benefit the most from new programs that increase access to and use of higher education courses prior to full-time college.  For some students, access to a community college or high-quality on-line course would be preferable to access to an AP course with a high fail rate.
  • Universities would be encouraged to increase off-semester admissions to facilitate the admission of more students after a single semester at a community college.
  • The proposed increase in financial assistance at both four-year and two-year institutions will allow more qualified students to choose a four-year alternative.  By contrast, the Biden Administration free-community college proposal would encourage some qualified applicants to delay or forego four-year options.
  • Private schools and historically black colleges could also benefit from changes in financial assistance packages depending in part on the incentives tied to use of federal funds.
  • The changes in financial assistance programs could differ across institutions depending on the level of tuition and the level of state or private support.

Concluding Remarks:  Many people are unprepared for full time college and the burdens of student debt immediately after graduating college.   The proposals outlined here would help many young adults become better prepared for higher education before taking on any debt.