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I've got some debt that I would love to pare down during school.

I don't need the full amount for cost of living that comes with a Grad Plus loan...can I use the extra to pay off that debt? The interest rate is much better.

Are there any restrictions on what you can do with the money?

kalvano wrote:I've got some debt that I would love to pare down during school.

I don't need the full amount for cost of living that comes with a Grad Plus loan...can I use the extra to pay off that debt? The interest rate is much better.

Are there any restrictions on what you can do with the money?

Of course...nobody cares what you do with the money...

starsong wrote:

kalvano wrote:I've got some debt that I would love to pare down during school.

I don't need the full amount for cost of living that comes with a Grad Plus loan...can I use the extra to pay off that debt? The interest rate is much better.

Are there any restrictions on what you can do with the money?

Of course...nobody cares what you do with the money...

When you sign your MPN you agree to use it only for certain things (tuition and living expenses associated with attending school). Does paying off other loans fall into one of those categories? My gut says no, though I could be wrong.

bees wrote:

starsong wrote:

kalvano wrote:I've got some debt that I would love to pare down during school.

I don't need the full amount for cost of living that comes with a Grad Plus loan...can I use the extra to pay off that debt? The interest rate is much better.

Are there any restrictions on what you can do with the money?

Of course...nobody cares what you do with the money...

When you sign your MPN you agree to use it only for certain things (tuition and living expenses associated with attending school). Does paying off other loans fall into one of those categories? My gut says no, though I could be wrong.

I'm no lawyer, but "living expenses associated with attending school" seems like a very, very broad definition. A typical COA budget includes "Personal", "Miscellaneous", and sometimes "Travel" expenses. If those are "associated with attending school".....

Seems to me like the point of that limitation is to prevent people abusing the education loan system, i.e. taking gradplus loans to buy cars, etc. Paying down debt can actually be a very legitimate education-related expense: by converting prior debt to gradplus loans, you're enabling yourself to take on a lower-paying job via IBR. That seems totally kosher to me, since you were entitled to the money anyway (i.e. I was entitled to a gradplus loan of $50,000/year, but I lived frugally so I could pay down credit card debt with some of that money, meaning I can now take a public interest job b/c all my debt is repaid via IBR). That seems very related to a legal education. Besides, what else is someone with prior debt (when LS starts) supposed to do? Live the high life and exploit the full COA? Or live frugally with the de facto discrimination of less funds than his/her classmates? That seems unfair, and either way, it leaves the individual crippled by the repayments in a manner that arguably contradicts the purpose of a legal education.

If you're concerned about it, though, get legal advice.

bees wrote:

starsong wrote:

kalvano wrote:I've got some debt that I would love to pare down during school.

I don't need the full amount for cost of living that comes with a Grad Plus loan...can I use the extra to pay off that debt? The interest rate is much better.

Are there any restrictions on what you can do with the money?

Of course...nobody cares what you do with the money...

When you sign your MPN you agree to use it only for certain things (tuition and living expenses associated with attending school). Does paying off other loans fall into one of those categories? My gut says no, though I could be wrong.

Nobody will even know unless she fucks it up and ends up needing to take out more loans.