Home Blog Page 845

Wingman CSGO: Operation Hydra War Games with Friends

By
PVP Team
-
0
csgo-wingman

After waiting over a year for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s next Operation, Hydra is finally here. CSGO’s Operation: Hydra features new game modes, such as War Games, Weapons Expert, and Wingman. However, actually playing these modes with friends is confusing, and the official website doesn’t explain the process well. Here’s how it’s done.

War Games

Within War Games, you can play six different modes including Heavy Assault Suit, Headshots Only, Hunters-Gatherers, Stab Stab Zap, Flying Scoutsman, and Trigger Discipline. Regardless of the game mode you prefer, there’s only one way you’re able to play the game mode with friends, and it’s going to be a grueling process to do so.

Unfortunately, even if you create a lobby and invite your friends before you start, there’s no way for you to queue together for War Games. One player on your team will have to solo-queue and join an existing War Games match. After successfully connecting, every friend you want to play with has to be invited through the Steam Overlay. You could also right-click their name in the main menus and hit “Join.”

You and your friends are likely going to have to wait until a slot opens up in the match before you’re able to connect to the chosen server, and this process might take a while.

This is the only method to play War Games with friends.

Weapons Expert

Weapons Expert places you and your team in a competitive match, with heavy restrictions. You’re only able to buy weapons a limited amount of times per match. Say your team buys four AK47s, but you die and lose the round. You will no longer be able to buy AK47s for the rest of the match.

Playing Weapons Expert with friends, however, is much easier. When Weapons Expert is the featured Operation: Hydra game mode, you can click the play button to start a lobby instead of being forced into queue immediately like War Games.

Invite your friends and start your match.

Wingman

Wingman is the ultimate CSGO game mode to test you and your friend’s coordination. In the 2v2, single bombsite game mode, you’ll need solid teamwork to win. Or maybe just really amazing aim. Either way, playing Wingman with a friend is much easier than War Games.

Similar to Weapons Expert, you may start a lobby before actually queuing up. That said, you’ll be limited to one teammate due to the nature of the game mode. Invite your chosen ally and queue up.

CSGO’s Operation: Hydra, including all three new game modes, is available now for all players and will end in October.

Nintendo Switch Going For Absurd Prices on eBay

By
PVP Team
-
0
Nintendo Switch eBay

With the hype of launch day for the Nintendo Switch, the furor to own the newest and hottest piece of technology has arrived with it – and as always, scalpers are looking to take advantage of the situation.

Even a cursory look at eBay confirms what most could probably predict – that people are overcharging for their preorders:

This comes as some suppliers are reporting massive delays with the Nintendo Switch, such as the UK retailer GAME:

The listing on eBay for some posts was as high as $1000, but most total prices hovered around the $400 range – still a 33% markup compared to the retail price. That might be steep, but some folks are desperate to play the new console.

Nintendo has a track record of creating false shortages at the launch of their new systems but assured the world that would not be an issue this time around – despite only making 2 million consoles available at launch worldwide. Nintendo America boss Reggie Fils-Amie told Wired back in January on the potential shortages:

What we’ve said publicly is that there will be 2 million units that will be shipped worldwide for the launch, essentially through month one.

I know, because I read the boards and I read the comments, that there is concern about supply. From what I’ve read, the concern seems to stem from the lack of ability to buy NES Classic. So what I would say is this: two million for essentially the first month is a huge number, especially when you look and see that this is not peak seasonality. This is essentially the first three weeks of March. Our focus is making sure that the consumer who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch can buy a Nintendo Switch. That’s how we build our supply chain, that’s how we think through the amount of product that’s available.

What happened with NES Classic is that was a situation where the global demand was well in excess of anything we had anticipated, and that’s what created shortages. The good news, at least for consumers in the Americas, is we’re going to continue to make the NES Classic available. With the ongoing level of supply, the ongoing demand is going to be met. We know the concern.

Given that the worldwide launch number was divided across all regions, there could potentially be plenty of people left without a Switch in their hands come launch day – something that could potentially hurt sales for the console overall.

Analysts have been disagreeing on how many units the Switch will move in the first year – estimates have ranged between around 4 and 10 million.

Overwatch Mercy Memes

By
PVP Team
-
0
overwatch-mercy-memes

Here’s the list of best Overwatch Mercy memes circling around the internets

overwatch-mercy-meme-10 overwatch-mercy-meme-9 overwatch-mercy-meme-8 overwatch-mercy-meme-7 overwatch-mercy-meme-6 overwatch-mercy-meme-6-2 overwatch-mercy-meme-5 overwatch-mercy-meme-4 overwatch-mercy-meme-3 overwatch-mercy-meme-2 overwatch-mercy-meme-1

r6 Update: Rainbow Six Siege Update

By
PVP Team
-
0
r6 update

With the test run of Rainbow Six Siege Title Update 2.2.1 finally over, the patch will enter the live servers tomorrow June 6. Within Update 2.2.1, Glaz received several nerfs to his weapon and kit, while the majority of the patch is dedicated to Operation: Health. One Step Matchmaking and Interactive Matchmaking are included in the coming update, but more importantly, the first phase of the hitbox rework will be implemented.

Rainbow Six Siege Update 2.2.1 rolls out on June 7 first on PC, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will receive the patch once it’s approved by Sony and Microsoft, respectively. You can find the patch notes below and you can find a compendium of the bug fixes here.

One Step Matchmaking

One Step Matchmaking will be introduced in Rainbow Six Siege Update 2.2.1 focusing on streamlining the service with greater stability.

Stability and performance is one of the primary goals for the dev team, and this is one giant step towards better performance and faster queue times.

In addition to the new matchmaking service, Ubisoft also introduces the Interactive Matchmaking feature which allows you the freedom to access the in-game store, unlock new operators, and adjust your loadouts as you continue to search for a game. Ubisoft is also implementing a new match-flow system so so you or your party can choose to re-enter matchmaking to find a new game, return to the main menu, or continue to queue with the current players.

Hitbox Rework

Likely the highest impact change in Update 2.2.1 is the implementation of Siege’s hitbox rework. The new design of the hitboxes only includes what you would think of as the human body. This means that baggy clothing, pouches, headgear, bags, accessories, or anything else of the sort will not be included in the hitbox of all Operators.

This change will impact present and future operators, and will allow for a full artistic freedom on character models and customization without a heavy impact on gameplay balancing.

newhitboxespatch-3415927

Game Balancing

Glaz

Glaz’s effectiveness is currently too high in high level organized games and in the current Pro League meta. This is especially seen in rapid short distant pushes, which is not how we intend Glaz to be strong. While we’re very happy that his scope change brought him back to the forefront of competitive play, there’s not a balanced counter to him yet on the defense side.

In order to scale Glaz back a notch, Ubisoft made two changes:

  • Reduce his gun effectiveness. Chaining shots while being accurate is going to be tougher, and overall damage of each bullet has been reduced. At short distance especially, defenders will take more body shots before dying to the Dragunov.
  • Make smoke grenades availability a tougher choice in organized matches by swapping them with other Operator’s loadouts.

Dragunov Changes Detailed

  • Glaz’s Dragunov recoil and re-centering time have been increased.
  • Glaz’s Dragunov damage has been decreased.

Before:

Damage Falloff over Distance 0m 5m 15m 35m 40m
Normal 160 160 85 85 85
Suppressed 140 140 65 65 65

After:

Damage Falloff over Distance 0m 5m 15m 35m 40m
Normal 85 85 65 65 65
Suppressed 70 70 55 55 55

There are many more balancing changes Ubisoft has on hold right now, but the developers felt this was important enough to push during Operation: Health.

Loadouts

  • Ash and Thermite’s Smoke Grenades are replaced by Stun Grenades.
  • Fuze and Jackal’s Stun Grenades replaced by Smoke Grenades.

Game Health

Spawn Kills

Ubisoft identified three locations where players can be spawn killed on Chalet by the Campfire spawn, on Kanal with the line of sight from Control Room, and on Consulate where defenders could jump out of a window and get a line of sight on a spawn. Each of these received adjustments and the developers plan on addressing other maps in upcoming updates.

spawnkilla-2924858

spawnkillb-7364546

spawnkillc-3863805

Exploits

Ubisoft fixed a number of design issues that could be exploited, such as Mira’s One Way Mirror or Kapkan’s EDD. In addition, there are destruction changes that were implemented, so players can no longer destroy a part of the map for a one-way line of sight.

Error Codes

  • We’ve fixed an error that relates to timing out on servers. We are identifying fixes for other errors as well and making them a priority in Operation: Health.

Player Comfort Changes

New Post-Match and Pre-Match Squad Flow

There are now new menu options that allow you to choose when to re-enter matchmaking from the After Action Report screen, which also works if you’re in a party.

The squad leader can choose when the squad enters matchmaking, re-enters the matchmaking flow from the AAR screen, propose a rematch to the other team, or return to the main menu. From a squad member’s perspective, they will have the option to leave the squad and matchmaking loop.

Keep Playing as a Team Option

Part of this new flow also means you will not be immediately re-queued for a match, as the default option will send you back to the main menu screen. At the end of the matches, you will have to opt-in to re-queue. However, there will be an option to keep playing with the same team if you prefer to stay with the teammates you were matched with.

Rainbow Six Siege Update 2.2.1 rolls out on June 7 first on PC, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will receive the patch once it’s approved by Sony and Microsoft, respectively.

For Honor: How to Play the Centurion Class

By
PVP Team
-
0
for-honor-centurion

Alongside Update 1.07 and Season Two of the Faction War, the Centurion charges into For Honor with no less fury than you’d expect. With a number of unblockable moves, the Centurion can pierce through his opponent’s defenses and find creative ways to throw them off. Furthermore, the new Knight class has the ability to finish any attack chain with an unblockable heavy attack.

Here are some tips on playing For Honor’s Centurion, as well as several tricks you should learn to master the new class.

Openers

Unfortunately, the Centurion does not have many great openers to lead into greater chains. You can start off the fight with Eagle’s Fury, which has similar attack animations as the Peacekeeper’s lunging overhead attack.

for honor centurion moveset

Most of the time you’ll have to counter your opponent or open them up with a guard break or feint. If you feint one of your heavy attacks, you can follow up with a charged heavy attack which can lead to a guaranteed guard break or jab combo.

Reliable Moves

Unfortunately, For Honor’s Centurion is heavily momentum-based. Most of your greatest attacks are at the end of moveset chains or are mixups from other chains. Try to end your chains with a heavy attack to abuse Imperial Might.

for honor centurion moveset

On any hit or blocked heavy attack with Imperial Might you can get guaranteed to follow up damage with light attacks or a guard break chain.

One of your best counter-abilities is the Parry Counter and you should use this move as much as you can. In other classes, you can generally get a free guard break off of a parried heavy attack. However, with the Centurion you can parry any attack, light or heavy, for a guaranteed guard break. There’s an extremely small window for your opponent to counter out of your Parry Counter.

Skills

As for choosing your Centurion’s skills, there are a couple of routes you can take, one for Dominion and one for every other game mode.

Dominion

  • Tier 1: Body Count
  • Tier 2: Inspire
  • Tier 3: Pugio
  • Tier 4: Phalanx or Catapult

With this build you should generally stay around the soldier-infested objective. You can continue to farm the infantry as players contest the other two points. However, whenever anyone tries to attack your point you’ll often be able to hold your own. The Centurion plays extremely well when he’s not the one focused with an enemy’s guard stance, so take advantage of your numbers.

Phalanx should come in extremely clutch for any sudden-death situation.

Everything Else

  • Tier 1: Bounty Hunter
  • Tier 2: Haymaker
  • Tier 3: Second Wind
  • Tier 4: Phalanx

Assuming you earn your tier two skill, you’ll begin pumping out much more damage naturally. The Centurion has many moveset options that revolve around quick jabs and kicks that normally do no damage. However, when you have Haymaker unlocked, you will be doing light attack equivalent damage on each of those moves.

Phalanx in Elimination and Skirmish can be used at the start of rounds for a free shield to all teammates.

For Honor’s Centurion is currently available for Season Pass holders and will be available for purchase for standard players on May 23.

All the Skills for Destiny 2’s Titan Striker Classes

By
PVP Team
-
0
destiny-2-classes

Following the Destiny 2 gameplay reveal, attendees were able to preview the first level of the game as well as grab first looks at all the skills for each new subclass. As announced during the live stream, these subclasses feature all-new Supers and skills. What’s more, the existing subclasses received heavy changes coming into Destiny 2 with some abilities being reworked or replaced altogether.

For the Titan Striker subclass, the available grenades, Increased Height, Increased Control, Catapult, and Shoulder Charge all remain the same in Destiny 2. That said, there are new skill changes, such as Reversal, Frontal Assault, and the increased options for your Fists of Havoc Super, that refresh the Titan subclass and provide more ways to utilize the character.

destiny2titanstriker-8375111

Here are all the skills for the Titan Striker subclass:

Super Ability

Fists of Havoc: While Fists of Havoc is active, press R2 to slam the ground with the force of a maelstrom, and press R1 to smash shoulder-first into your enemies.

Super Ability Modifiers

Reversal: Melee kills immediately trigger health regeneration.

Frontal Assault: A powerful Melee punch that grants you increased weapon stability.

Trample: Fist of Havoc lasts longer while Sprinting. Killing enemies with Fist of Havoc extends its duration.

Knockout: Breaking enemy shields increases your melee range.

Subclass Abilities

Shoulder Charge: After sprinting for a short time, press R1 to slam shoulder-first into your target.

Aftermath: Fist of Havoc disorients enemies and leaves a damage-dealing field in its wake.

Aerial Strike: Fist of Havoc deals more damage the longer it’s in the air.

Magnitude: Increases the duration of Pulse Grenades, Lightning Grenades, and Aftermath.

Grenades

Flashbang Grenade: An explosive grenade that disorients the enemies it damages.

Lightning Grenade: A grenade that sticks to any surface and emits bolts of lightning.

Pulse Grenade: A grenade that periodically damages enemies inside its explosion radius.

Class Abilities

Towering Barricade: A large barrier that can be used for cover or to seal off dangerous areas for a short time.

Rally Barricade: A small barrier that allows you to peek over it while aiming down sights and instantly reloads your equipped weapon when you take cover.

Jump Modifiers

Increased Height: Upgrades Lift to travel to greater heights.

Increased Control: Upgrades Lift for better directional control while in the air.

Catapult: Upgrades Lift to provide a strong initial burst of momentum.

Bear in mind that these Titan Striker subclass skills were available during an early playtest of Destiny 2 and are subject to change before the game launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Best Overwatch Custom Games Rulesets So Far

By
PVP Team
-
0
overwatch-custom-games

The new custom game browser is already a hit with Overwatch players on the Public Test Realm – and that’s no surprise, as the new game sets give you nearly infinite ways to play the game when you’re tired of Competitive, Quick Play, or the official Arcade maps.

Here are some of my favorites so far, along with the settings, so you can give them a shot yourself — both now on the PTR and when the mode comes to live servers.

Rocketwatch

Reinhardt’s charge is one of the most satisfying in the game to use – so what happens when you create a map where players can only choose Reinhardt, and remove the CD on Charge? You get the ultimate game of bumper cars.

While this mode doesn’t really serve any practical purpose, it is hilarious to see players fly into a control point and pin 4 players, only to get one-shot by Reinhardt’s hammer.

Global Offensive

If there’s one thing that I’ve wanted for Overwatch since it began, it’s a true 6v6 elimination mode. We can do that with the custom game editor, but we’ve taken it one step further with what we’re calling Global Offensive.

Based off of Valve’s CS:GO, Global Offensive allows players to only pick McCree (for pistol players), Soldier: 76 (for your entry fraggers), and Widowmaker (for you AWPers out there).

To add to that, only headshots do damage, and playing those modes should train you to be great at headshots, no matter what game you’re playing.

Tower Offense

Tower defense games are a classic game type – but what about Tower Offense? Turn on control maps only and strategically push forward as teams of Symmetra and Torbjorn only. Symmetra will help your team stay alive slightly longer and can place more turrets, but Torbjorn players have the advantage in that their Molten Core ability will let players truly shred the competition.

Wee!

Think Tracer’s a bit annoying and hard to hit when her movement speed is at base? Try hitting her at 200% and with no Blink CD – you’ll have to be ace at predicting where she’ll end up and stop blinking in order to hit her.

Plus, players could just as easily rewind across the map when you do get them cornered, and you’re likely to be zipping around the map quite effectively.

What this mode will be good for, however, is practicing movement with Tracer. You’ll be able to see exactly where you can zip to with blink and rewind without having to wait for any cooldowns.

Hook Training

One of the more difficult parts of learning to play Roadhog is learning how to land hooks and predicting where your opponent is running. With this mode, it becomes the ultimate game of cat and mouse as Roadhog’s hook CD is lowered by 50%, but Lucio’s speed is also buffed by three times. You’ll be able to get plenty of practice predicting where he’ll be, and should even make you a bit smarter about how you’re throwing your hooks in normal game modes.

And if you’re Lucio? This gives you a chance to learn how to move unpredictably and avoid Roadhog’s hook.

But what do you think? Any modes you’ve been enjoying? Let us know in the comments.

Nintendo Switch Brings Major Concerns For The Smash Community

By
PVP Team
-
0
super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-switch

The big news is out! The Nintendo Switch is coming, and if their trailer is any indication – the era of Nintendo esports is beginning.

With that comes Smash

The Smash community prefers in-person interactions online. Sure, it’s the fact that it is lagless experience, but being able to sit next to someone and talk and interact – it creates a fun environment that cannot be replicated easily.

The Switch really encourages that proximity with its mobile platform. Outside of being able to play friendlies easier – this is a TO’s dream.

No More Extra Lifting

The fact that we could potentially run tournaments on an all in one console makes for an optimized experience. We could add the extra work and bring the monitors if we want for pools, or we could just simply wait for the top 8.

It will be a nice convenience, where we could create put in the extra work if we want, not because we have to.

Can You Plug Me In?

Most of the smasher’s initial reaction would probably be the same as mine, “Where can I plug in my GameCube controller?”

My fears were eventually quelled when I saw there were two USB ports on the console. So if it is anything like the WiiU – it will have an adapter. At the very least it is money on the table for Nintendo.

But this also leaves questions for the games we love and have become a part of our competitive circuit.

Smash’s Switch

The first problem is the lack of Smash in the trailer leaves us hanging for how they will approach our beloved title. Will it be a port of Wii U? Will we still have the DLC characters that were licensed out? Or will it be an entirely new game?

The only thing that is for sure, every console Nintendo since N64 has released a Smash title, so we can expect something.

Smash 4 has finally started to piece together the meta and is starting to become exciting. Having to swap to a brand new title and rebuild from scratch would be pretty frustrating. But then again, this is something Call of Duty players have been doing – and mastering – for years. It could work for us.

Nintendo spent a lot of time and money into developing Smash 4, so I see a direct port likely, but with a few changes potentially. I could see the Smash 4 community adapting and swapping pretty easily, but Melee is a different story.

The Dream – Melee HD

This could be the perfect opportunity to bring Melee HD to the Switch and unify the community on a single console. But if I’ve learned anything about the community, it’s that they can be stubborn and unwilling to change.

I can understand why. There is a type of magic you get with fast, furious, fluid Melee that cannot be replicated easily.

If Melee HD were to happen, it would have to be just that: HD. Not a remake, rebalance, or a remastering. It would have to be the same exact game mechanically, flaws and all. The community has spent 15 years building towards the meta we have today, I can’t see them giving that up easily. And if the game is not exactly perfect, we will continue to be lugging the CRTs until our backs break.

People would also argue about which version would be recreated, NTSC or PAL? Most that I’ve spoken to would want to see NTSC, but ultimately it is Nintendo’s choice.

There Is Hope

All in all, things look good for Smash. The reception I’ve seen from smashers is mostly positive. Nintendo accepting esports may be the best marketing move they have done in years.

How Mobile Play has Overtaken Online Poker

By
PVP Team
-
0
telephone-mobile-call

The public certainly loves their smartphones. Since the first smartphones came out around 2006-2007 we have not been able to get enough of them. We demand more and more out of these devices every year, and now people even want to play all of their favorite online casino games (see this South Korea Casino Site – 카지노 사이트) from their phones as well.

Many factors have helped increase the popularity of mobile poker over online poker. First, the rise of mobile phone availability and mobile phone usage means not only do more people have smartphones, but they are also spending more time on them. Additionally, an increase in data plans allows individuals to spend more time on their mobile devices both at home (on wi-fi) and on the go when using data.

Finally, the rise of all mobile games has helped mobile poker games grow. The mobile gaming industry is estimated to be valued at $50 billion and continues to grow. Mobile poker games are a huger player in the space and are now one of the most streamed of all mobile games. In addition to these macro factors, there are many reasons why consumers are flocking to mobile poker play.

Mobile Gaming Is Growing

Part of the rise of mobile poker play is due to the overall rise of all mobile games. Mobile gaming is a trend that has been growing for several years. It is estimated that the average American plays 3.6 mobile games a month. And, in 2017 over $6.9 Billion was generated in mobile gaming alone. Live streaming of poker on a mobile device is also picking up which will only grow the mobile gaming base. Expert estimate that nearly 64% of Americans will be regularly playing a mobile game in 2020.

Mobile poker gaming is definitely on the rise, but the exciting thing about it is that it is just beginning. The sites behind these mobile apps have a lot of investment still to do in mobile gaming, and they are just getting started. Most have made their mobile gaming site an offshoot of their main website, but most of their new resources are going towards mobile gaming as they find more and more players appreciate that.

Today’s Generation Plays For Real Money

There have always been plenty of free online poker games available to the public. These were largely games played for tokens or small prizes (where allowed by law). However, times have changed now, and it is easier than ever for players to compete with one another on mobile poker games for real cash prizes.

Players can log in to one of the many poker sites that they enjoy and see if that site offers a mobile version of itself. The vast majority of them do anymore, and this means that more players than ever get to have the poker action that they crave right on their smartphone.

States Opening Up To Legalized Online Poker Rapidly

States are quickly opening up to legalized online poker. One-by-one states have been opening up their laws to allow for legalized poker. They do this because they know that there is a lot of tax money that can be collected from plays that enjoy the online poker action.

Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware have thus far opened their doors to legal online poker, and many other states have begun to follow suit including West Virginia which may open online poker in 2020. They have finally opened their eyes to the reality that many people will play these games regardless of their legality, and that means that the states ought to go ahead and collect on some of that revenue.

Tech Advances Are Helping Poker Apps

Another reason poker gaming is taking off is that it has benefitted from technology advances. Newer and newer technology has blurred the line between online gaming and playing in real life. Better streaming and video options have brought the excitement and energy of real play to an online community.

Additionally, new technology is presenting more ways to play poker on a mobile device. While poker was once only thought of as a game played over hours, mobile devices now allow for more ways to play. Customers can now play a short cash game session while on the bus to work or waiting for an appointment. Technology also allows for long-form games played with people across the world.

Finally, while televised poker tournaments once brought large audiences, more and more people are tuning in to live streaming poker games. Poker is among the most live-streamed games in the U.S. and quickly growing across the world. Both novices who want to learn the game as well as seasoned pros, tune in to watch people play poker via live-streamed on their mobile devices. Live-streams also help one of the disadvantages of online poker playing- missing body signals and facial expressions. Live-streaming on mobile devices solves this problem and can bring real-life experience online.

Unregulated Sites Use Mobile Gaming Too

It is true that even the unregulated gambling websites in the United States use mobile as a big way to draw in more people than ever to their websites. They understand that this is the way that things are moving, and they aren’t about to stand aside while some other website makes money that could have been theirs.

People marvel at the speed of technology and how fast the world around us is moving. It certainly is impressive. The gambling industry is among the earliest adopters of the newest technologies on the planet, and they are a good place to look to for what the next chapter in the technology story will be. They stop at nothing to make sure their customers are taken care of, and providing those customers with mobile gaming is simply a no-brainer for them.

Poker is leading the world in mobile gaming. Riding the wave of growth for all mobile games, poker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the rise of mobile devices, streaming, and other technologies which will help it continue to be a leader in the gaming industry. The experience between playing poker on a mobile device and in real life is continuing to be more and more similar which will continue to help it grow in popularity.

Student Loan Refinancing, Forgiveness & Payoff Calculators – Here’s What you Need to Know

By
PVP Team
-
0

If you are a student and are struggling with your student loan debt, there are a couple of options you ought to be aware of that can ease that debt. These two provisions are student loan refinancing and student loan forgiveness programs.

What is Student Loan Refinancing?

Fundamentally, student loan refinancing refers to the acquisition of a new loan at a brand new interest rate. You can refinance your federal loans and private loans. Student loan refinancing involves the clearing of previous loans and getting a new loan instead, with all new loan repayment terms and a more favorable interest rate.

Do you need to refinance your student loan?

Before you actually go through with it, you should stop to ask yourself if you really need to refinance your student loans. If you find yourself in one of the following situations, consider refinancing your student loans:

Having High-Interest Student Loans

It is no secret that student loans are more expensive than ever, with interest rates soaring ever-so-quickly. Since the interest rates vary, making monthly repayments is an arduous and taxing task. Student loan refinancing could help you save substantial amounts of money.

Having a Solid Credit Score

If you have managed to develop a fantastic credit score and credit history, unlike most other borrowers, student loan refinancing will help you.

What should you keep in mind before Refinancing Your Student Loans

It has been established that student loan refinancing is an excellent idea given the right circumstances. However, there are a few things you ought to take note of before you opt for it. Refinancing federal student loans will result in you losing certain privileges that come with federal loans. Here are those privileges:

Forbearance

Forbearance refers to the option to delay your loan repayments should you find yourself in a position where you are failing to make monthly payments. When in the forbearance period, your loans will accrue interest. This means that your overall repayment balance will increase when you resume loan repayment. Ultimately, this is an excellent short-term solution that you should use only if you have no other choice.

Income-Driven Repayment Plans

The federal government is known to offer the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan. The point of this protection is to enable borrowers to handle their student loan repayments with some amount of ease. This plan takes your monthly income level into account and develops a repayment plan accordingly. IDR plans excel as a viable break from continuous loan repayments.

How do you Qualify for Student Loan Refinancing?

If you are considering opting for student loan refinancing, you ought to find out if you are eligible first. Bear in mind that private student loan refinancing lenders generally set challenging eligibility terms compared to federal loan lenders. Be sure to dig deep and find out what the exact eligibility terms are from the lenders that interest you. Consider Purefy for this. They can help you compare rates from top lenders with no impact on your credit score.

One cannot emphasize the importance of having an excellent credit score. An above-average credit score can do well to set you apart from the hordes of other borrowers. In addition to having a great credit score, you may have to submit some proof of regular income that tells them that you can refinance your loan. If you do not have an adequate credit score or monthly income, you will have to get a cosigner to be able to apply for student loan refinancing.

You will need to submit the following: Credit score, your savings and assets, yearly income, or your potential annual income if you are a doctor, and degree.

What are Payoff Calculators, and How do you use them?

A loan payoff calculator can help you accurately plan out how to fend off your loan faster. Be sure to have the following information ready before you use a payoff calculator

  • The precise federal or private loan amount
  • The loan’s rate of interest
  • The loan amount that you have to pay every month

When you have these details ready, you can open a payoff calculator and fill in the required details. Be sure to recheck the details you fill in before you hit ‘calculate,’ and you should have your results displayed after that.

These results should give a general idea of approximately how long you may take to make the loan repayments on your private or federal loan, along with the total amount of interest that you will have to pay. It is highly recommended that you do your research and look for a payoff calculator that works best for you, and do the same to find the most appealing student loan refinancing options for you.

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Student loan forgiveness programs can release you from the obligation of having to repay a chunk your loan or the entire loan itself, given the right circumstances. While it may sound dream-like, very few people qualify for such a provision. There are a variety of student loan forgiveness programs that may suit your fancy, but the most commonly utilized program is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

This forgiveness program is specifically tailored for public sector employees. The PSLF program allows you to apply after having made 120 loan repayments towards your current loan. To qualify, you ought to be employed full-time in a state agency, local agency, or federal agency. Most government agencies and companies under the 501(c)(3) fall in this category.

1...844845846...864Page 845 of 864

Recent Posts