"You can still borrow money, whether it's a mortgage or a home-equity loan, a car loan or a student loan," Kiplinger reports. "But you'll find that the rules have changed. Congress came to the rescue with the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act, which allows the government to buy back the loans, if necessary, to keep the loan program going. Parents with bad credit, however, could have trouble qualifying for a PLUS loan, the parental equivalent of the Stafford. Borrowers with little or no credit history will need a co-signer who meets [high] standards to qualify for a [private] loan."