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If you've gotten a letter or call from a company called NelNet related to your student loans, you might have wondered if the company was legit or if you were being scammed. While it's good to use caution with your financial info, rest easy on this one. NelNet is legit. 

About 20% student loan payments funded through the U.S. Department of Education are serviced by NelNet. Here's what you need to know about NelNet and how to confirm that they're your provider. 

When it comes to paying off your student loans, there are all kinds of ways to go about tackling your debt. Two methods that seem to come up often are the snowball and avalanche strategies.

The debt snowball method involves paying off your smallest balances first to create momentum. On the flip side, the debt avalanche method involves paying off your balances with the highest interest rates first. There are pros and cons to both. 

The internet is full of stories about college grads who paid off their loans in record time. But when you're saddled with debt, it often seems impossible. How exactly does someone go about not only taking control over their student loan debt, but eliminating it all together—especially when you don't even have a grasp on your day-to-day finances? 

I was in the same boat. Post college, I struggled for years to make ends meet and avoided the elephant in the room (i.e. student loan debt). Eventually, I decided that I was ready to be debt-free. And within a year of making the decision, I paid off more than $16,000 in student loans. 

Paying extra on your student loans every month can make a big dent over time—even if you only tack on as much as the price of a movie ticket. 

How can a few extra bucks a month make a difference? Let's talk about how this works. 

Student loans can be a huge financial burden. If you’re struggling to handle your monthly payment, you have some options. 

AES is one of the lenders that services federal student loans. If you have federal loans serviced through them, here are four steps you can take to reduce your monthly payment.

Despite rising tuition costs, getting a college education is the best possible way to make a better living. On average, college graduates earn 56% more than those who only get a high school education, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute.

But post-college graduation, there tends to a rude awakening: Graduates today are saddled with an average of $37,172 of student loan debt, and it takes the average borrower 19.7 years to pay off their loans.