~Kate & Russ

- Montana

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Russ and Kate Case Student Loan Re-Cap
Russ:  Served in Desert Storm, Marine Corps Infantry, Honorable Discharge, First Generation college graduate. Kate’s father also served in the Coast Guard. Both Russ and Kate have worked on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation for over 4 years, even with student loan help for the IHS we are unable to make a dent in our loan debt. In 2020 we paid $41,112.41 in interest see attached 1098-E In 2021 we paid $107,011.98 See attached 1098-E for 2021. 

Original Loan Consolidation in 2005 – Spousal Consolidation 
Russ Stafford and $74,000   @ 7.720%
Kates Loans: $104,528.00 @ 8.250%
Since 2005 we have tried to reconsolidate our loans, after serving 10 years in the public sector and being enrolled in the Federal Student Loan Repayment program for 10 years, we were informed that we had to consolidate our loans into a DIRECT LOAN, when attempting to re consolidate to a direct loan we were denied, we were told the Spousal Consolidation loans that the government once provided are no longer provided and also no longer recognized by the lending institutions. 

See our story at  Forbes.com.

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