FINANCIAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR LAW STUDENTS

The Federal Student Aid Portal
In addition to being the site where you complete financial aid applications and loan promissory notes, http://studentaid.gov offers a wealth of resources about student loan repayment.  You can calculate your potential monthly payments under various repayment options using the Loan Simulator, you can complete online counseling to learn more about your loans, and you can learn about and apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.  And these are just a few examples. There is a lot to explore!

MAX by AccessLex
AccessLex Institute has created a curriculum of financial education programs specifically for law students.  These free resources can be found here.  You can access the asynchronous online lessons by creating your Ask Edna account.  You can attend free webinars presented by Accredited Financial Counselors.  You can access student loan planning calculators.  You can even access free financial coaching through the AccessConnex program.

Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center
The Sokolov-Miller Center, located on the University Park Campus, is available to the entire Penn State Community to provide financial education about a variety of topics.  You can learn on your own using their self-study modules.  You can attend one of their many webinars.  You can participate in their mentoring program.  Currently enrolled students can use Starfish to schedule a one-on-one meeting with a trained professional.

Free Credit Reports
It is a good idea to examine your credit report regularly to check for fraudulent charges or incorrect information.  Federal law guarantees free access to each of your credit reports once a year at http://annualcreditreport.com.  During the Covid pandemic this coverage has been expanded to allow free credit reports weekly.  You can learn about why credit reports matter, how to protect yourself from identity theft, and how to request your credit report.

Penn State Law Financial Aid Office
The law school’s financial aid office is located in room 105B of the Lewis Katz Building.  The financial aid director is available to help you with financial aid questions, student loan counseling, VA Benefits certification, and just about anything else that may have you concerned.  Email Susan Bogart at sab36@psu.edu, call at 814-863-0469, or just stop in during normal business hours.