Personal Finance Buzz

Student loan debt is growing rapidly. Graduates are crippled by payments their new jobs can't support and that's if they get a job. Is this the next bubble?

With outstanding student loan debt now surpassing credit card debt in the U.S., it has become clear that most of us accept student debt as a normal cost of a higher education. But does it really have to be that way? Is there a way to attend college without borrowing?

Student loan debt is so common now that we pretty much assume that we “need” it in order to get a higher education. But what has been causing the rise of student loan debt and what can you do about it?

Once you have high interest debt, like credit cards, paid off, it’s a good idea to turn your attention to student loan debt. Supplemental income can help you save money by paying down your student loan debt faster.

Refinance student loans: Consolidate student loan to reduce student debt and loan payments. When you refinance student loans, it may help you save money on the overall cost of the loan.

Does it surprise you that 86% of 4-year undergraduate students who apply for federal student aid will borrow money to go to school? With average student loan debt hovering over $23,000 for graduating seniors, it’s easy to see how so many people can be affected by the burden of student loan debt.

If your child is accepted to number of great colleges that's awesome. But she should understand the costs and how student loan debt will affect them later on.

Late in 2011, according to estimates by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, total student loan debt in the United States passed the $1 trillion mark. That’s a lot of student debt.

Last summer, the amount of outstanding student loan debt surpassed the amount that Americans owe outstanding on their credit cards. If you are trying to figure out how to repay your student loans, you do have options.