Dr. Tony Bartels on the latest student debt information borrowers need to know as we start 2024

Listen in as student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. This episode we covering the following 4 topics:

1. Consolidation deadline extended
2. Loan servicers continue to be terrible
3. Recertification dates
4. The new SAVE plan
5. Common mistakes made while using the Student Loan Repayment Simulator

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, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie.

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

Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim

VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt

VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/

VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/

VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give

VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:

• • Veterinary student loan repayment: trends from the trenches: https://vinfoundation.org/youre-running-out-of-time-to-consolidate-your-loans/
  • A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/
  • Common Student Loan Consolidation Questions and Answers: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/

• I have federal student loans. When do I need to recertify my income? https://vinfoundation.org/i-have-federal-student-loans-when-do-i-need-to-recertify-my-income/

• • 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/

• Student Loan FAQs: The one-time forgiveness count adjustment https://vinfoundation.org/faq-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/

• Student Loan Forgiveness Planning: Preparing for the Tax Bill: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-forgiveness-planning-preparing-for-the-tax-bill/

Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/

Infographic ONE-TIME FORGIVENESS COUNT ADJUSTMENT: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-student-debt/student-debt-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/

One-Time Forgiveness Count Adjustment Video Case Study, 1999 DVM may save more than $65,000 in student loan costs: https://youtu.be/6gp7cXvEy8c

Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857

Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/

Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/

New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/

Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/

SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan

Loan Servicers Having Trouble:

• https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-withholding-payment-student-loan-servicer-part-accountability-measures-harmed-borrowers
• https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-takes-additional-action-hold-student-loan-servicers-accountable-failing-meet-contractual-obligations

One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment

Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (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, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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