Student loan debt is a hot topic among the current crop of presidential candidates, and with good reason. The graduating class of 2015 has the most student debt ever in U.S. history.
[Related: Students With Lowest Debt Most Likely to Default]
And African American students fare worse. Black Enterprise Senior Finance Editor Stacey Tisdale writes, “More than 40% of African American families have student loan debt. African American families also carry more student loan debt than other groups: $10,295 on average compared with $8,020 for white families…â€
Debt from student loans is not only a financial burden, but can negatively affect the debtor’s future. More than 20 states have laws that could revoke borrowers’ professional licenses if the loans slip into default. The laws affect lawyers, teachers, nurses, and other professionals who need licenses to work in their fields. Some states can even revoke driver’s licenses.
The best course of action is to tackle loan debt head on. Fortunately, there are several great technology tools that can aid in managing student loan debt. Here are some of the best tech tools for managing student loans:
On Mobile Devices:
Developer: OxBowSoft LLC Finance
Available for Android and iOS
Average Rating: Google Play (4 stars), App Store (4.5 stars),
Free
Debt Payoff Planner helps users determine the best payment plan for student loans and calculates how long it will take to pay off
the debt. The app also offers advice on how to pay loans off faster, how to transfer credit card balances and more.(Next page)
Developer: Parabola LLC Finance
Available for Android and iOS
Average Rating: Google Play (5 stars), App Store (No rating average)
Free
My Parabola users enjoy the app’s game-like interface and user experience. The app lets users link up to 40 different financial accounts (including student loans) and then automatically tracks them. Any time a financial goal is reached, users are awarded badges. My Parabola integrates with 15,000 financial institutions.
(Next page)
Developer: iontuition
Available for Android and iOS
Average Rating: Google Play (4 stars), App Store (No rating average)
Free
Iontuition provides a unified dashboard for viewing and managing Federal loans, grants, and private loans. The app also provides loan status updates and other notifications. Iontuition is the compact app version of iontuition.com, a web-based student loan management portal which provides access to live, loan counselors, payment optimization guidance, repayment calculators, document storage, and more.
(Next page)
Student Loan Relief
Developer: Isaac Perach
Available for iOS
Average Rating: App Store (No rating average)
Free
Student Loan Relief
provides information on both State and Federal loan Relief and Forgiveness programs.(Next page)
On the Web:
Free
Student Loan Hero’s CEO graduated college with over $70,000 in debt. The site is run by people who know the squeeze of student loans. The site helps with organizing, managing, and repaying student loans. Features include providing in-depth loan summaries; financial analysis; and advice on private and federal loan repayment. In its review of Student Loan Hero, TheCollegeInvestor.com says, “If you’re having trouble dealing with your student debt, Student Loan Hero might be just what you need.â€
(Next page)
Free, for those with loans to manage
Tuition.io is a service that’s considered the “401(k) of student loans.†Tuition.io is not only a web app that lets you manage and view students loans from one central interface–but your employer can use the service to
contribute to paying off your student loan as a job benefit. Some companies are using tuition.io’s service as a way to attract and retain millennials. Lifehacker wrote that tuition.io, “provides a very comprehensive set of tools for you to easily track and manage your student loan debt, all available for free.(Next page)
Free
LearnVest helps users create a customized, personal plan for tackling student loan debt. Certified financial planners will help you in this endeavor. It’s not just for managing student loans; it’s a great site for learning how to budget, save, and invest money. In her review of LearnVest, PCMag’s Jill Duffy wrote, “It’s a great solution if you also happen to be on the hunt for a personal financial planner.†LearnVest also has a companion iOS app.