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This has been discussed, Cali Doll. It's true, but not in the way presented. Only Direct Loans qualify, and those loans are capped. Nobody is walking away from a $200k private school debt scot-free, which is what the other poster would like people to believe.
There are some select groups who can pay very little as GradPLUS is not capped. Physicians can do well on this plan if they sign up during residency, but they are typically NOT federal employees so that is not really the issue discussed here. For your standard undergraduate with $200K private school loans, the program is not going to cover them all. GradPLUS also didn’t start until 2006 and many people didn’t start taking advantage of them until the feds took over lending in 2009 because the terms prior to that time were often abysmal. I know when I was in grad school the terms for a GradPLUS were something like 8.5% plus another 4% with origination and fees while private interest at that point was at 7% or less and only went down from there. The forgiveness programs didn’t start until after I was in school.
We already have crap employees. Having dealt with a number of 'agencies' over the years, I know that. Government does need cutting down. You can drop the strawman argument.
It's not a strawman argument; it's an economic argument. What do employers do when they want to attract high quality employees? They offer higher pay and benefits.
If you think federal employees are crap now, wait til the ones with education and experience leave to the private sector for better pay.
I'm all for a more streamlined federal government. But letting federal wages stagnate while private sector wages increase will entice good employees to leave. Like everything else Trump does, it's an appeal to his base with zero thought to the long-term consequences.
Lots of people, including some federal employees, gave Trump a chance in 2016. Federal employees who don't receive pay increases while Trump is crowing about how great the economy may change their vote.
I do NOT work for the government because I can make 50-75% more in the private industry doing exactly the same job. In fact, I worked alongside many highly educated and highly skilled federal workers doing the same job... and some made half of what I did.
I get the argument about how maybe a custodian shouldn't make 90k. But the people make 100k+ would likely be earning 150-200k easy in the private sector. If anything that statistic says that the government is doing a lot of work that requires intelligent skilled people who are underpaid.
If you are, in fact, a DSP guy, then your occupation does not exist in the federal government except maybe in very special circumstances.
Sort of makes your discussion meaningless.
Then there is this study that shows government workers make 50% more than their civilian counterparts: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/money...b_8855508.html
Quote:
.........In 2014, the average federal employee salary was $84,153,
There are some select groups who can pay very little as GradPLUS is not capped. Physicians can do well on this plan if they sign up during residency, but they are typically NOT federal employees so that is not really the issue discussed here. For your standard undergraduate with $200K private school loans, the program is not going to cover them all. GradPLUS also didn’t start until 2006 and many people didn’t start taking advantage of them until the feds took over lending in 2009 because the terms prior to that time were often abysmal. I know when I was in grad school the terms for a GradPLUS were something like 8.5% plus another 4% with origination and fees while private interest at that point was at 7% or less and only went down from there. The forgiveness programs didn’t start until after I was in school.
Yeah and you said "I don't get that in the private sector'.. Which is really your problem if you choose to work for an employer with crappy benefits. A lot of private companies DO compensate for tuition.
The federal government hires a lot of professional level folks- in order for them to be competitive they need some attractive benefits, especially given the Federal pay scale is generally a disadvantage for that classification of talent.
Of course that is really a difficult thing to comprehend for some.
This has been discussed, Cali Doll. It's true, but not in the way presented. Only Direct Loans from the Department of Education qualify, and those loans are capped. Nobody is walking away from a $200k private school debt scot-free, which is what the other poster would like people to believe.
Right, and fair enough. I know the majority of us govies are still responsible for our student loans. My point is to disagree with the sweeping generalization that after 10 years, all govies don’t have to pay student loans. That’s not true.
Right, and fair enough. I know the majority of us govies are still responsible for our student loans. My point is to disagree with the sweeping generalization that after 10 years, all govies don’t have to pay student loans. That’s not true.
I get your clarification point, though.
I'm glad others have piped up to add context to the assertion that government workers have their loans forgiven. It's easy for those who don't know any better to jump to conclusions with statements like the one to which you responded, which is what he was likely counting on.
Last edited by randomparent; 08-31-2018 at 09:28 AM..
Reason: missed typing a small word
I get a choice whether to support those companies.
You don't always get a choice to support (or not support) companies that provide tuition assistance to their employees. If you eat food, live in a house or apartment or condo, drive a car or ride a bike, use a credit card, have a bank account or 401k, wear clothing, use toothpaste or soap or shampoo, use a computer, have electric service, use toilet paper, etc....then you are indirectly paying for tuition assistance. These companies provide tuition assistance and/or companies they buy from offer tuition assistance and they indirectly get reimbursed for this by selling goods and services to everyone.
Even companies that pave roads or provide engineering for roads have tuition assistance. Even you if stayed in your home and refused to go out, you'd still be indirectly paying for tuition assistance via electric and garbage service, the products inside the home, your food and water and shampoo, your mail(whether UPS or FedEx or USPS).
If you are, in fact, a DSP guy, then your occupation does not exist in the federal government except maybe in very special circumstances.
Sort of makes your discussion meaningless.
Then there is this study that shows government workers make 50% more than their civilian counterparts: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/money...b_8855508.html
That article is misleading. If you take all wages for civilians and all for fed workers and you average them, of course you'll get a higher wage. There are no federal McDonalds and Walmarts.
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