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☆ Student loan forgiveness application is in a beta period. Here's what to know if you apply
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Wpadington | Istock | Getty ImagesWithout much fanfare, the U.S. Department of Education made available on Friday evening an early version of its student loan forgiveness application. A number of Republican legal challenges have been brought against the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan, risking to put the policy in jeopardy. Any borrower who has already received forgiveness will likely get to keep it, even if the courts block the President's plan. After a borrower applies for forgiveness, they'll receive an email confirmation from the Education Department, Kantrowitz said. Make sure your servicer, as well as the Education Department, has the most recent contact information for you.

☆ Education Department begins beta testing for student loan forgiveness application
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Kelli Grant | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Student loan borrowers gather near The White House to tell President Biden to cancel student debt on May 12, 2020. The Education Department began beta testing the student debt forgiveness application Friday night. The portal will be open available on and off during the beta test, according to The Washington Post, which was the first to report on it. "This testing period will allow the Department to monitor site performance through real-world use, test the site ahead of the official application launch, refine processes, and uncover any possible bugs prior to official launch," a Department of Education spokesperson told CNBC in an emailed statement. A preview of the application earlier this week suggested a full rollout of the application could come as soon as next week, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.

☆ What we know so far about the student loan forgiveness application coming soon from the Education Department
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Delmaine Donson | E+ | Getty ImagesThe U.S. Department of Education has said that its student loan forgiveness application will go live in "early October." The Education Department will be considering people's so-called adjusted gross income, or AGI, which may be different than your gross salary. The White House also says borrowers won't need their FSA ID to apply for forgiveness and that they can request the cancellation on a desktop computer or on their mobile phone. Some borrowers may need to verify incomeAlthough you won't be asked prove your income on the main forgiveness application, some borrowers may later need to provide documentation at the Education Department's request. "In addition, a borrower who lied on the form might be subject to wire fraud or mail fraud [charges]," he said.

☆ Here's why more than 7 million student loan borrowers could miss out on federal forgiveness program
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Annie Nova | Nicole Webb | Senior Vice President Financial Advisor At Wealth Enhancement Group | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Freshsplash | E+ | Getty ImagesThe White House has repeatedly said that its application for student loan forgiveness, which is expected to go live within days, will be simple. Still, consumer advocates say that any red tape around the relief is likely to cause millions of borrowers to miss out on it. Applicants may miss out due to mistaken beliefsA big reason some eligible borrowers may not apply is that they'll mistakenly believe their income disqualifies them, Kantrowitz said. However, the vast majority of people with student debt fall under these income caps, Kantrowitz said. Some borrowers, meanwhile, may have outdated contact information on file with their student loan servicer, and therefore not be getting updates about the relief, according to Kantrowitz.

☆ 'The f—ing party is over.' Big Tech companies are scaling back ambitions and canceling projects. Here's what to expect from Silicon Valley as a global recession looks increasingly unavoidable.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-30 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | Big Technology | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

As interest rates rise, big tech companies are being pushed to cancel projects and rearrange staff. Rising interest rates have focused investors on short-term profitability and companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, and Snap are responding. This trimming signals the start of a new era for Big Tech, one where runaway spending on tomorrow gives way to unrelenting attention on today. In this era, Big Tech will become more efficient and profitable, but also more vulnerable. These startups' funding sources are drying up and many don't yet have good business discipline, taking some heat off Big Tech.

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty ImagesAs part of President Joe Biden's historic student loan forgiveness plan, up to 8 million people could get automatic debt relief, according to the White House. Those who will get automatic loan cancellation are those for whom the U.S. Department of Education already has income data on file and can therefore verify eligibility without waiting for an application. Who qualifies for the automatic loan cancellation? Review your recent tax returns to confirm your income fell below those thresholds in 2020 or 2021 (either will work). The Education Department will be considering people's so-called adjusted gross income, or AGI, which may be different than your gross salary.

☆ Everything parents need to know about student loan forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

More from Personal Finance:How student loan forgiveness will be applied to your debtsKey events on the path to student loan forgivenessHow to calculate your bill for student loan forgiveness Currently, more than 600,000 parents take out student loans for their children each year, up from around 450,000 in 2000, according to data provided by higher-education expert Mark Kantrowitz. The average outstanding Parent PLUS loan is about $30,000, he said. What if I have Parent PLUS loans and my own student loans? Currently, Parent PLUS loans come with an interest rate near 8%, compared with under 5% for undergraduate student loans. If you're still in debt after student loan forgiveness, you'll want to be prepared for the bills to resume in January.

☆ Piper Sandler's Kantrowitz likes stocks with Regeneron and General Mills
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPiper Sandler's Kantrowitz likes stocks with Regeneron and General MillsMichael Kantrowitz, Piper Sandler chief investment strategist, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the companies he thinks investors should buy, the names to avoid and what will happen to companies with poor earnings reports next year.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Piper Sandler's Michael Kantrowitz
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Piper Sandler's Michael KantrowitzMichael Kantrowitz, Piper Sandler chief investment strategist, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the companies he thinks investors should buy, the names to avoid and what will happen to companies with poor earnings reports next year.

☆ Big Tech's experimental projects won't be funded, says Big Technology Newsletter's Kantrowitz
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBig Tech's experimental projects won't be funded, says Big Technology Newsletter's KantrowitzAlex Kantrowitz, Big Technology founder, joins 'TechCheck' to discuss whether there's an advantage for proven technology companies, if there's a silver lining in the labor market and if Microsoft is in a stronger position to put incumbents out of business.

☆ Pro Picks: Watch all of Friday's big stock calls on CNBC
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Christina Falso | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPro Picks: Watch all of Friday's big stock calls on CNBCScott Nations of NationsShares, Tom Forte of D.A. Davidson, Joe Terranova of Virtus Investment Partners, Shannon Saccocia of SVB Private Bank, Michael Kantrowitz of Piper Sandler, and Andrew Slimmon of Morgan Stanley Investment Management on why they are buying, selling, or holding specific stocks and ETFs.

☆ 3 steps to take now to get ready for student loan forgiveness, so you can apply ASAP
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Polina Lebed | Istock | Getty ImagesIn just a few weeks, tens of millions of Americans may be able to apply for student loan forgiveness. It said its application will be simple, but the federal student loan system is famously complicated. The Education Department will be considering people's so-called adjusted gross income, or AGI, which may be different than your gross salary. 2. Review your loan detailsMost federal student loans qualify for the cancellation. Recent news that some Republicans may bring a legal challenge against student loan forgiveness means the relief could be thrown in jeopardy.

☆ A judge might force Elon Musk to buy Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | Big Technology | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The trial between Twitter and Elon Musk will begin on October 17 at the Delaware Chancery Court. The Delaware judge hearing Twitter's case vs. Elon Musk listened incredulously as Musk's lawyers asked her to postpone the trial. The DecoPac deal, like many acquisitions, had a clause called "specific performance," which allows the courts to force the deal to close. It didn't take long for McCormick's life at the Chancery Court to get interestingElon Musk agreed to buy Twitter in April 2022. And Twitter then sued Musk for specific performance in Delaware Chancery Court later that month.

☆ Here's how many people will get student loan forgiveness in each state
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The White House released an analysis on Tuesday of how many people in each state stand to benefit from its student loan forgiveness plan, including a count of borrowers who received a Pell Grant. There is no precedent for the sweeping loan relief President Joe Biden announced last month, which may cost up to $1 trillion. More from Personal Finance:How student loan forgiveness will be applied to your debtsKey events on the path to student loan forgivenessHow to calculate your bill for student loan forgivenessMost Pell Grant recipients come from families with incomes of less than $60,000, says higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. The relief is limited to individuals earning no more than $125,000 a year, or households making less than $250,000. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a longtime advocate for student loan forgiveness, said she became emotional looking at the numbers.

☆ Google AI may not be sentient but it is really powerful. Here's how it might actually revolutionize the way we use technology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-04 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | Big Technology | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

When I sat down with Blake Lemoine last week, I was more interested in the chatbot technology he called sentient — LaMDA — than the sentience issue itself. As our conversation began, Lemoine revealed Google had just fired him (you can listen in full on Big Technology Podcast). But now, one week later, I can't stop thinking about how LaMDA — conscious or not — might change the way we relate to technology. As LaMDA-like technology hits the market, it may change the way we interact with computers — and not just for customer service. LaMDA technology is a big leap forward.

☆ Student loan payments are set to resume in September — should you pay now or wait for loan forgiveness?
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-04 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Borrowers who can afford to pay say it's a 'big deal' to chip away at their principal loan balance. But it's unclear what the government's next steps will be on loan debt and time is running out for students. "One recent study shows that student loan borrowers were more likely to have taken out a first mortgage while payments have been frozen compared with those who have no student loans," Leondis wrote. With the current interest rate at zero, student loan repayments would go directly toward the borrower's principal balance. One Tiktoker who typically posts about student loan forgiveness has advised viewers to "pay attention to communication from (their) loan servicer" in the coming weeks.

☆ I was in El Salvador, where bitcoin was accepted everywhere. Here's why their risky crypto experiment just might work.
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-16 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Bitcoin enthusiasts are waiting to see if if the bitcoin experiment will succeed, or tragically implode. Right after I hopped out the back of a pickup in El Zonte, El Salvador, I recognized I wasn't in an ordinary beach town. The bitcoin movement in El Salvador began in El Zonte when a California surfer named Mike Peterson received an anonymous $100,000+ bitcoin donation for the town's residents. For bitcoin's true believers, there's a ton riding on the El Salvador experiment. El Salvador's bitcoin experiment may not work, it could implode, but there's a chance it succeeds, and that makes it worth trying.

☆ Instagram reels aren't dead yet — here's why Meta's battle with ByteDance has only just begun
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-15 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | Big Technology | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Instagram still has double the usership of TikTok and TikTok's growth has slowed. "But then I realized they weren't using TikTok, they had discovered Instagram Reels." That said, Instagram Reels could be a gateway drug for younger users, who may find TikTok after experimenting with Reels. Without India, TikTok's download growth has slowed. TikTok, however, is still out-downloading Instagram, and people are spending more time on TikTok than on Instagram.

☆ Congress needs to stop day trading, says Senator Mark Warner, a former VC and entrepreneur
▼ + stars: | 2022-01-14 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | Big Technology | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner says members of Congress shouldn't be allowed to trade individual stocks. "The ability to trade, and particularly on a day trade basis, even if you're not doing anything wrong, it looks bad," said Sen. Warner. Nancy Pelosi's argument for allowing stock trading is that federal representatives should not be restricted from participating in the economy. His transactions took place just a week before the House Judiciary Committee advanced its slew of antitrust bills aimed at Big Tech. As he leaned back in his chair in his Washington DC office, Sen. Warner, a seasoned investor, brought the point home.

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