Post-graduation glow — er, owe

Gearing up to start tackling student loans? Here’s how to prepare [Image] ThePennyHoarder.com August 6th, 2019 Happy Tuesday, Penny Hoarder! We’re feeling fierce and focused this week, and we’re ready to crush whatever comes our way. We’re hoping you feel the same — especially if “whatever comes your way” is student loans. Today, we’re talking about exactly that — student loan repayment strategies — because before too long, that grace period for new grads will be a thing of the past. But first... Facts on ‘Fax The Equifax data breach exposed 147 million Americans’ Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, dates of birth and more. Chances are, your data was stolen — but you might want to think twice before taking the $125 cash settlement. Here’s how to find out if your data was hacked, what to do if it was and [what to consider before claiming the settlement payout](. Got an Eye for Design? Not all work-from-home jobs require you to sit on the phone taking calls from disgruntled customers. This remote gig at Jabil, a global manufacturing company, is for a graphic designer who’ll create marketing materials for print and the web. If you have an eye for detail and a knack for graphic design, [this could be the job for you](. That Post-Graduation Glow — Er, Owe [Paying off student loans]( The glow of graduation has barely worn off, we know, but it’s time to start thinking about your student loans. OK, so technically you should have been thinking about them for a while now — long before the grace period started drawing to a close — but if this is the first time you’re really confronting your impending repayment duties, don’t panic. We know student loan repayment can be a scary, overwhelming process, so we laid some of the groundwork for you so you can start making your plan. Here’s how to figure out [how much you owe, who you owe it to and when to start paying](. [Image] WORD OF THE DAY Income-driven repayment plan (n): A type of student loan repayment plan that can lower your monthly payment requirements based on factors like your income or the size of your family. The standard repayment term for federal student loans is 10 years, but if you have difficulty making payments, you have four main options for lowering them that take your income and expenses into account. And while technically each of these plans allows you to apply for loan forgiveness at the end of a certain period of time, they aren’t actually forgiveness plans — they’re repayment programs with a forgiveness option. Not sure if you qualify? You can learn more about these types of plans here, plus check out [10 other things to know if you’re in the thick of student loan repayment](. [The Penny Hoarder] [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( The Penny Hoarder | 490 1st Ave S, Suite 800 | Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701 | United States You can [update your mailing preferences here]( or [unsubscribe]( from all email from The Penny Hoarder. Questions? View our [Privacy Policy](. Having trouble reading this email? You can [view it online](.