know before you get yourself in a financial pickle COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

know before you get yourself in a financial pickle COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has issued a report that revealed a number of improper and possibly illegal tactics being used by service providers promising student loan borrowers that they can help reduce their loan burden by consolidating student loans or entering into alternative repayment plans such as the Income Based Repayment or Pay As You Earn plans…for a fee.   While such strategies are perfectly legitimate â€" the US Department of Education offers a number of different options that borrowers can use when in repayment â€" under no circumstances should a qualified student loan borrower have to pay a fee to take advantage of these options.   They are available as part of your rights as a borrower. To read the NCLC’s report, go to http://www.nclc.org/issues/searching-for-relief.html.