What Is Amortization?

Amortization is the elimination of a debt over time with periodic payments. The equal monthly payments of principal and interest over a specified period of time will completely payoff an amortized loan.

For example, assume you make a school loan payment every month. A portion of that payment covers the interest you owe, and a portion of the payment pays down your principal. The majority of each payment at the beginning of an amortization loan pays for interest.

Interest on amortized loans is paid in arrears, and more interest is paid during the early period of the loan than at the end of the loan. As time goes on, more and more of each payment covers your principal. You are then “amortizing” the loan.

If you want to see how amortization works, it’s best to look at an amortization schedule. It will show each payment on one line, and how the payment is applied to the loan. You can also see your remaining balance, and how much total interest you have paid over the life of the loan.

Why Should Students Amortize Their School Loans?

It is usually used in conjunction with a time frame. The longer the term is for a loan the slower it amortizes. This slower amortization means a lower monthly payment. However, it can also mean more interest paid out over the life of the loan.

A typical loan payment involves two components: part of it is the interest payment, and part of it is paying off the principal. Having an amortized loan you can have it spread out over a period of time, which you feel comfortable with, with the payments you also feel comfortable with.

For a graduate, finances are usually very tight and starting out with small monthly payments is a great help at first. As your life changes and salary improves you then can make the necessary adjustments, such as additional payments to this loan. And this is something you really should do.

Now remember, on this type of loan the payments are small because of the wide spread and you are mainly paying on the interest. In the long run this loan can cost you thousands of unnecessary money from your pocket. You have great control on this style of loan that is why it works so well for college students.

Every penny you pay on your loan over the interest-only level is used to pay off the principal (which is really your school loan). Borrowers can shorten the loan period by paying more principal with each payment. Therefore, your loan would be paid off and you would save the thousands you would have been paying in interest.

Incurring debt and making a series of payments to reduce this debt is something we all do in our lifetime, as we are given sufficient time to pay down the amount of transaction. This is referred to as ‘amortizing’ a debt, a term that takes its root from the French term ‘amortir’. Interesting to note, ‘amortir’ is the act of providing death to something.

How Does One Determine Where To Put Their Money First?

This has been an old question from the past. Should you be putting money in savings or investments, or paying off a loan? This is one of the most frequently asked questions that are asked at financial offices throughout the country.

The best way to narrow this down is to examine your debt and separate your good debt from the bad debt. You ask, is there such a thing? It is almost always a good idea to get rid of credit cards and other high interest loans before you set aside cash.

However, it is paramount not to accelerate payments on your mortgage or student loans at the expense of increasing your savings or retirement. This is what we call good debt. We will examine more on this later.

First Step Is To Pay Off Your High Interest Debt

If you have high interest credit card debt, pay that off first. It does not make sense to keep paying that high interest rate and try to save pennies at the same time. You would have to make more than 20% after-tax return on stocks, bonds or mutual funds to make them a better investment than paying off credit card debt.

There is one exception to this. If your employer offers a 401k plan and matches your contribution, fund it up to that level, even if you have credit card debt. This is because you are getting a 100% return on your investment.

Second Step Is to Identify The Good Debt

It is usually not a good idea to pay off your home mortgage unless you have a lot of extra cash. Uncle Sam refunds part of your interest payment if you itemize your deductions on your tax return. Use your money instead to invest in liquid assists.

Do not be in a rush to pay of your student loans either. Qualifying interest on student loans can be written off no mater how long it takes to pay off your loans.

You can ease the burden of repaying your loans. Thanks to recent legislation, you can now shop round for the best terms. For example, lenders may offer a rate reduction if you choose to have your loan payment automatically deducted from your bank account.

And some lenders will knock more off your rate after 24 or 36 months of on-time payments. Also, you can often save quite a bunch of money by looking into consolidation of your loans, which is also a good idea.

Third Step Is To Try Saving And Investing

Once you have eliminated your high interest consumer debt, start saving as much as you can. The best place to begin is a 401k plan if you have one. The next best option is an IRA. In addition to putting money into a retirement account, you need cash that is readily available to you in case of an emergency so you do not have to go back and rely on those darn credit cards.

Try to set aside enough money to tide you over for three months if your job suddenly stops. If you have less-than-steady income, such as from a commissioned sales position, a job that has exposure to economic fluctuations, you definitely need a six month cushion set aside for income.

It is best to put it away in a high-yield saving account or money market fund on a monthly basis until you reach the amount you need.