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- Mar 17, 2012
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med student debt sucks...and I have too much of it.
To tell you a little about myself, I am a late 20s medical student who is starting a 5 (1+4) year radiology residency this upcoming July. I have no assets and I am nearly $260,000 in debt due to school loans (principal plus accrued interest thus far). Not the best situation and it totally sucks.
All figures include principal + interest thus far
133,000 of it is at 6.8%
87,000 of it is at 7.9%
40,000 of it is at 8.5%
I have a 6 month grace period until December when all of the accrued interest thus far will capitalize.
I think I have some saving grace but want to get your opinion on how to proceed. What I am thinking:
My father owns a paid off home in the city I am doing my residency so I will be able to save a large chunk of money per month on rent. My dad has proposed that he is willing to take a HELOC (at ~4.75%) on his primary home to help me pay back my 7.9% and 8.5% loans and I would be making those payments to pay off my loans rather than rent. In addition to this, I would be paying my 6.8% loans based on IBR. This wouldn't decrease the principal I have to pay but would substantially decrease the total amount of money that I have to pay back over time.
Do you think this is a good idea? I figure as a radiologist, the likelyhood of finding a job in the public sector for the loan forgiveness program is nil and I dont want to be in academics.
My other option is to just pay everything at the same interest rate it is at now and end up paying a much higher loan amount. I would be paying based on income—so ~400/month during residency, and ~3-4k/month afterwards.
Thank you so much, I know it is a long post but your input will be super helpful!!!
To tell you a little about myself, I am a late 20s medical student who is starting a 5 (1+4) year radiology residency this upcoming July. I have no assets and I am nearly $260,000 in debt due to school loans (principal plus accrued interest thus far). Not the best situation and it totally sucks.
All figures include principal + interest thus far
133,000 of it is at 6.8%
87,000 of it is at 7.9%
40,000 of it is at 8.5%
I have a 6 month grace period until December when all of the accrued interest thus far will capitalize.
I think I have some saving grace but want to get your opinion on how to proceed. What I am thinking:
My father owns a paid off home in the city I am doing my residency so I will be able to save a large chunk of money per month on rent. My dad has proposed that he is willing to take a HELOC (at ~4.75%) on his primary home to help me pay back my 7.9% and 8.5% loans and I would be making those payments to pay off my loans rather than rent. In addition to this, I would be paying my 6.8% loans based on IBR. This wouldn't decrease the principal I have to pay but would substantially decrease the total amount of money that I have to pay back over time.
Do you think this is a good idea? I figure as a radiologist, the likelyhood of finding a job in the public sector for the loan forgiveness program is nil and I dont want to be in academics.
My other option is to just pay everything at the same interest rate it is at now and end up paying a much higher loan amount. I would be paying based on income—so ~400/month during residency, and ~3-4k/month afterwards.
Thank you so much, I know it is a long post but your input will be super helpful!!!