Brianna is a former columnist and staff writer for NerdWallet who focused on student loans and money management for 20-somethings. Much of her work helping readers with budgeting and debt is featured in her personal finance advice column, "Ask Brianna," which was syndicated by The Associated Press.
There are two types of student loan consolidation: federal and private. Private consolidation is often referred to as refinancing. These processes are often confused, but they’re very different. Here’s how: Federal…
Your student loan debt affects whether you can buy a house, in both direct and indirect ways. Here’s how: Student loan payments make saving for a down payment more difficult…
College-bound high school seniors of America: You are about to embark on one of the most formative periods of your life, full of new friendships, personal growth and overcaffeinated conversations…
You don’t have to choose whether to pay off student loans or buy a house. With the help of first-time home buyer programs, and if you’re able to build up…
Your federal student loan consolidation interest rate is the weighted average of your federal loans’ interest rates, rounded up to the next one-eighth of one percentage point. That means larger…
Sure, your college may allow students to pay for tuition and fees with a credit card. But, like partying the night before a midterm, it’s probably not a good idea.…
If the financial aid award letter you received with your college acceptance doesn’t match your financial situation now, here’s what you can do to get more money. Look for mistakes and…
Applying for financial aid isn’t just for incoming college freshmen. Each year you plan to be in college you need to submit a renewal FAFSA— the infamously lengthy Free Application…
You can estimate how much financial aid you might get so you’re prepared when your financial aid award letter arrives. There are two main tools that can help you gauge…
Knowing your school expenses can give you a better sense of your potential student loan burden. And when you are better informed about the cost of college and your debt, you’ll be…
