Student Loan Deferment
A student loan deferment is something that allows you to move your payment obligations off to a later time for legitimate reasons. It is at the discretion of the lender to determine if your need for a deferment is valid or not, and if they do decide that you qualify for a deferment the period of the deferment can also vary.
Your student loans all start off with a form of student loan deferment right from the first moment that you get them. You are not obligated to pay back your student loans until six months after graduation. However during the time you are in school interest will accrue on your student loans and, depending on what kind of loan you have; you may be responsible for that interest when you begin paying back your loans. If you are granted a deferment after you have started to make payments, or if you ask for an extension on your initial deferment right after you graduate from school, then you need to find out if interest will keep accruing even while you are in deferment. More than likely you will still be racking up interest charges, so be prepared to have them added to your loan when you start paying again.
One of the more common reasons for a student loan deferment is the inability to secure a job after graduation. Finance companies and the federal government are looking for any kind of employment after graduation, so if your degree is in psychology but you wind up waiting tables as your first job then you are still obligated to start paying back your student loans. However some people find it difficult to gain any kind of employment immediately following graduation, and that is why it may be possible to defer student loan payments for up to three years after graduation depending on the programs offered by your lender. If you are having a hard time finding a job, then contact your lender and ask for a deferment.
In some cases it is possible that you have secured a job, but it does not pay enough for you to be able to afford paying back your student loans yet. There are programs for student loan deferments available through lenders for what is known as severe economic hardship. The time after graduation can be difficult and that is why the deferment program was created. If you have secured a job but it is not a sufficient amount of income for you to start paying back your student loans, then contact your lender and discuss the possibility of a deferment on your student loans until your financial situation improves. The amount of time you will be given can vary depending on the lender, and the determination as to the severity of your hardship is also at the discretion of your lender.
You may choose to continue your education after graduation with part-time studies, or by taking up a higher level degree program such as a Masters or Doctorate degree. In many cases you can apply for a student loan deferment for your current student loans if you are going to school after graduation. Contact your lender before you decide to go back to school and see if a student loan deferment is possible if you choose to continue your education.