Skip to main content

Student Loan Crisis and Lack of Knowledge of Financial Aid for Students

We hear it everyday the student loan crisis. People can't find jobs and cannot pay their student loans.  Everyday we get calls asking us if students can discharge their school loans in bankruptcy; which is an unfortunate no. What does surprise me is that people in New Jersey don't apply for financial aid. I went to high school in New York when I was applying for college we knew that there was help available for people who could not afford to pay for college.  If I was going to stay in the State of New York in addition to the Federal Aid from the government I was also entitled to State grants such as TAP. Plus whatever the school decided to grant me based on merit.  I have to say it must be that New York does a great job in educating students once they are about to go to college. 

I talked to my clients about their economic situation everyday.  They always comment about school. What always shocks me if that they have never heard financial aid.  I end up having to educating then about the available aid for students such as the FAFSA which is the application you will use to apply for the federal student aid programs provided by the department of education.   There is also TAG which is the Tuition Aid Grant for the State of New Jersey and New Jersey Stars, etc.

People have borrowed 40K to 50K student loans per year without even applying once for financial aid.  We have to take responsibility and do our research before getting seduced into taking a student loan. Below you will find some links hopefully they are helpful. Please comply with deadlines the early you apply the better. You have to apply every year.

Federal
https://fafsa.ed.gov/ (you need to get a pin first. Apply as early as possible)
New Jersey
http://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJGrantsHome.aspx

Once last piece of advise when you get your financial aid package from your institution appeal it .
You can also ask for a waiver of the school's application based on need.

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are of general nature and not intended to be a substitute for legal advice or the formation of a lawyer-client relationship. In order to be properly represented, please contact your local professional. In addition, the information given on this web site has been composed by a New Jersey attorney practicing exclusively in New Jersey. None of the information contained herein should be deemed to apply in other states, nor should this website be construed as an attempt by the author to practice law in any state other than New Jersey. If you have any question regarding this website please contact our office directly at (201) 880-5563.
ADVERTISEMENT: This website contains attorney advertisement within the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct governing the practice of lawyers in the State of New Jersey.  This website is considered an “advertisement.” Before making your choice of an attorney, you should give this matter careful thought. The selection of an attorney is an important decision. If the representations made on this website are inaccurate or misleading, you may report this to the Committee on Attorney Advertising, Hughes Justice Complex, P.O. Box 037, Trenton, NJ 08625.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harassment and Domestic Violence in New Jersey

Harassment can constitute a basis for the issuance of a restraining order if the statutory elements are satisfied. See N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4. The statute defines harassment: Except as provided in subsection e., a person commits a petty disorderly persons offense if, with purpose to harass another, he: a. Makes, or causes to be made, a communication or communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm; b. Subjects another to striking, kicking, shoving, or other offensive touching, or threatens to do so; or c. Engages in any other course of alarming conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously annoy such other person. [N.J.S.A. 2c:33-4 (emphasis added).] As provided by the statute, a finding of harassment requires proof of an intent or purpose to harass. State v. Hoffman , 149 N.J . 564, 576-77 (1997). An assertion by a plaintiff that he or she felt ha...
Post a Comment
Read more

NEW JERSEY EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION

New Jersey is an Equitable Distribution State. This means that marital assets will be divided in a manner that is considered fair but not necessarily equal for the parties. Below we have developed an outline to give a general overview on Equitable Distribution in New Jersey. Equitable Distribution in New Jersey an Outline Overview. I.         Assets subject to Equitable Distribution a.         Assets that are Acquired During the Marriage b.       Assets acquired in contemplation of marriage II.       Assets Immune by Statute a.        Premarital – except the increase in active assets value due to efforts of non-owner. b.       Inheritances c.         Gifts from third parties III.     Specific Assets: Subject to Equitable Distribution a.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Service of Process in New Jersey: Court Allowed Service of Process by Facebook.

In the recent case of   K.I.A.  v. J.L. Docket No. C-157-15 (Ch. Div., April 11, 2016), the court held that when service of process cannot be done by traditional means the rules of civil procedure allow an alternate form of service, like Facebook.  Rule 4:4-4(b)(3) permits a court to enter an order permitting service by means other than those provided by rule “consistent with due process.” This is the case of an adoptive parents filed a cause of action against the defendant to enjoin him from contacting their adoptive son, remove information about their son from social media and to contact their family. Defendant an out of State individual contacted plaintiffs’ child through Facebook, disclosed that he was the biological father and contacted the family. In their attempt to serve the summons and complaint to the defendant, plaintiffs’ made reasonable, good-faith attempt to effectuate personal service but were unsuccessful.  The plaintiffs made a request for the c...
Post a Comment
Read more