Student Loans/Refinancing
3 Take-Aways That Optometrists Should Know About Biden’s Student Loan Debt Relief
On Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022, President Biden, along with the US Department of Education announced a three-part plan to help student borrowers with federal loans transition back to regular payments. In addition, we do want to let our members know that it took us a little while to gather our thoughts after the dust settled to address our community.. So let’s begin with the facts first and any questions that optometrists might have. PART 1: Final extension of the student loan repayment + 0% Interest pause forbearance until 12/31/2022
Read More$182K in 2.75 years | Balancing Residency, Future Goals and Aggressive Loan Payoff with Dr. Andreas Zacharopoulos O.D
When we think about paying off student loans, it is hard to couple the ideas of finishing a residency and also knocking out student loan debt quickly. Simply put, a residency provides great experience but comes at a cost – a year of well-below average wages. Despite this hurdle, our Student Loan Success Story and active ODs on Finance member Dr. Andreas Zacharopoulos was able to knock out his debt and start setting himself up for financial success. In this article, Andreas gives us a detailed account of how he paid off his student loans and some helpful strategies for overcoming some common struggles in the quest for financial freedom.
Read MoreThe Optometrist’s Guide To Student Loan Refinancing
Optometrists often accumulate multiple loans from federal and private lenders to fund their doctor education, which results in an average debt load of $220,000. The majority of these loans are federal loans which have an average interest rate of 5.5-6.8%.Then the majority of doctors will end up refinancing their student loans to save thousands of dollars in interest. Here is your comprehensive guide to the student loan refinancing process and understanding how underwriting works.
Read More7 Optometry Student Loan Updates Before End of 2022
I cannot believe that it is the end of 2022. It has definitely been a crazy past 2 years with a lot of ever-changing federal legislations regarding student loans. As we approach the federal 0% interest benefit expiration date on January 31, 2022, here are some 7 new updates in the world of optometry student loans.
Read MoreWhat Happens to My Optometry Student Loans if I Die, Become Permanently Disabled, or Become Bankrupt?
Optometrists graduate with an average of $200,000+ in student loan debt, usually at a federal interest rate of 6.8%.. It is no wonder why many optometrists are worried about not being able to pay off their massive debt if they are unable to take home a large doctor’s salary. Even more fearful, a lot of ODs are worried that their loved ones will be stuck with their debt upon their passing or permanent disability.In this article, we will clear up some misconceptions around student loans (both federal & private) in regards to death and permanent/total disability.
Read MoreWhat Should I Do First? A Complete Guideline Step-By-Step
Personal finance is called personal for a reason; it is just as much a science as it is an art (similar to prescribing glasses). But seriously, this is probably one of the most difficult decisions that a lot of doctor investors will face and has starved me of sleep a lot – simply deciding which…
Read MoreHow Dr. Kala Brown Eliminated $180K While Dealing with Husband’s Leukemia in 7 years #InspirationalStudentLoansSuccess
When it comes to loan debt elimination, Dr. Kala Brown Brewer’s story of eliminating $180,000 in student loan debt over 8 years is especially inspiring and heart wrenching. As a newly minted SCO grad in 2013, Kala first did a residency and then embarked on a career at an ophthalmology practice in North Carolina. Upon arriving at her new job, Kala found out that her husband had a relapse of leukemia.
Read More6 Massive PSLF Changes + 3 Student Loan Tips for Optometrists
On Wednesday Oct 6, 2021, the US Department of Education announced a massive overhaul to their 10-year Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, essentially affecting all optometrists working for non-profit clinics like VA, IHS or non-profit universities.
Read More7 Updates on Managing your Student Loans in Mid-2021
We are halfway through 2021 and close to 1.5 years since the COVID pandemic lockdown; but most importantly, we are approaching the end of the federal 0% student loan interest relief (set to end September 30th). Here are 7 important updates in the world of student loans to help every OD be financially successful!
Read More8 Financial Mistakes that New Optometrists Make
The average new optometrist graduates at an average age of 28 year old (significantly behind non-OD peers in terms of income generation), with an average student loan debt of over $220,000+, with little or no retirement investments. Often new grad optometrists find themselves practicing in oversaturated cities and most importantly without any formal financial education. This is the perfect storm that often leaves many doctors mentally overwhelmed and prone to devastating financial mistakes. In this article, we will address 8 common financial mistakes that new OD graduates make and how you can avoid them to be financially successful.
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