Attention 2020, 2021, and 2022 veterinary graduates with student loans! You have some special homework to maximize all of the recently announced benefits. If you have federal student loans and you graduated into the pandemic forbearance period, here are the things your graduating classes need to know and perhaps DO soon to ensure you take …
Class of 2020, 2021, 2022 Income-Driven Repayment Renewal Note Read More »
New features and resources help veterinary colleagues navigate significant changes in student loan repayment options The VIN Foundation announces multiple updates to the critically acclaimed Student Loan Repayment Simulator. The VIN Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, providing tools and resources to support pre-veterinary students, veterinary students, and veterinarians throughout their careers. Listen to the recent …
VIN Foundation Student Loan Repayment Simulator Adds Crucial Proposed Changes Read More »
Common questions and concerns around the most recent student loan announcements
Changes are coming to income-driven repayment: Updates to REPAYE, PAYE and ICR phased out Below is a the comment I plan to submit to the Department of Education on the proposed changes to income-driven repayment. I encourage you to review the changes that we have detailed here. Consider how the propsed changes will impact your …
Comments to the Department of Education on proposed IDR changes Read More »
What a crazy busy year in the world of student debt! It appears some of these changes and opportunities to possibly diminish your debt and shorten your repayment period will continue into 2023. As you’ve probably heard by now, on November 22nd the Department of Education announced another extension of the pandemic forbearance benefits for federal …
Listen in as Executive Director Jordan benShea chats with student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and the newest student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series.
In this episode we’re discussing the latest news of student loans and covering these four topics:
Student Debt Relief Application/Status
Consolidation – Should you? Why? When?
PSLF Limited Waiver
Bonus – upcoming changes
As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.
GUEST BIO:
Dr. Tony Bartels
Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie.
Dr. Rebecca Mears
Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and has been an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.
LINKS AND INFORMATION:
VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter
Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details — VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans
VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt
VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/
VIN Foundation Blog posts:
Common Student Loan Consolidation Questions and Answers: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/
Special Cancellation of Up to $20,000 of Student Debt. Are You Eligible?: https://vinfoundation.org/special-cancellation-student-debt/
Got Federal Student Debt? You’re Now Closer to Forgiveness Than You Think: https://vinfoundation.org/got-federal-student-debt-youre-now-closer-to-forgiveness-than-you-think/
Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/
StudentAid.gov: https://studentaid.gov/
Student Debt Relief Application: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application
Student Debt Relief Information: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation
Department of Education press release: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs
StudentAid.gov https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment
Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers
StudentAid PSLF: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service
Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/
Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org
Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.
You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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On August 24th, 2022, the White House announced the news of a special one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 of federally held student loan debt. The amount of debt cancellation will depend on your income and whether you received a Pell Grant in college.
Over the last couple of years, a common question has come up regarding capital gains taxes on student loan forgiveness planning investments. Capital gains on forgiveness planning is an excellent observation and a great thought experiment for anyone using an income-driven plan and anticipating forgiveness. I’m glad people are turning their wheels on how all …
Student Loan Forgiveness Planning: Capital Gains Taxes Read More »
Special time-limited expansions to PSLF Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a compelling student loan repayment benefit for many veterinarians, but understanding the rules for this program can be a challenge. Borrowers must be an employee of a federal, state, tribal entity or 501c3 nonprofit while using an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan to repay their federal …
Have you ever worked for a nonprofit? Act fast to benefit from the Limited PSLF Waiver Read More »
Numerous recent reports reveal FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA) is choosing to no longer service federal student loans at the end of this year. Specifically, their contract with the Department of Education expires on December 14, 2021, and will not be renewed.
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