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Should I Refinance My Student Loans?
If you can qualify and have stable finances, consider refinancing student loans if it will save you money.
Student loan refinancing means swapping your current student loans for a new loan with a lower interest rate. That could save you big money over time.
- Your finances are rock solid. If you refinance federal loans, they won’t be eligible for benefits like loan forgiveness and student loan relief related to the coronavirus pandemic. Think twice if it's possible you won't be able to make payments consistently.
- You would save money. There is no reason to refinance your loans unless you end up paying less in interest. Use the student loan refinancing calculator below to find out how much you could save.
- You can qualify. You — or a co-signer — generally need a credit score at least in the high 600s and enough income to consistently pay your debts and other expenses.
Student loan refinance calculator
Note: This calculator assumes that after you refinance, you’ll make minimum monthly payments.
How much will refinancing save me?
- You can get a lower monthly payment, freeing up cash for other expenses.
- You can pay off your loan faster, saving you money in interest.
- A lower monthly payment decreases your debt-to-income ratio, which can make it easier to qualify for a mortgage.
Unlike refinancing a mortgage, refinancing student loans doesn’t cost money. There are generally no origination, application or prepayment fees. But read your loan agreement carefully to make sure you understand costs you could incur in the future, like late fees.
If you decide to refinance student loans, compare multiple lenders to see which offers you the best rate. If you have similar offers, give greater weight to lenders that offer the most flexibility with payments and the longest possible forbearance options. Consider which offers the best student loan refinance bonus as well.
Will I qualify for student loan refinancing?
- Have good credit. At a minimum, you’ll need a score in the high 600s. Many borrowers who are approved for refinancing have FICO scores in the 700s.
- Have enough income to afford your expenses. Lenders consider your total income and your debt-to-income ratio, which is the amount of money you owe relative to your income. The required debt-to-income ratio for student loan refinancing varies by lender. Many lenders look for DTIs at least less than 50%, but a DTI below 20% is excellent.
- Attended an eligible school. Most refinance lenders require that borrowers attended a school authorized to receive federal aid dollars. Only a few lenders will refinance your loans if you don't have a degree.
If you don’t meet the credit and income requirements for refinancing, you may still qualify if you apply with a co-signer who does. Contact the lender to find out why your application was rejected, then take steps to meet that requirement, if possible. That may mean building your credit score or paying off one of your student loans to lower your debt-to-income ratio.
Are my finances stable enough to refinance?
If you have private student loans, you have nothing to lose by refinancing because private loans aren’t eligible for federal loan programs. You also can't transfer private loans to the federal loan program.
To find out whether your current student loans are federal or private, log into the government’s online Federal Student Aid portal or the National Student Loan Data System. Any student loans that don’t appear in these two places are private. They will most likely be listed on your credit report.
Haven't graduated yet?
Lender | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Min credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed APR 4.45-14.60% Fixed | Variable APR 4.99-14.40% Variable | Min credit score 650 | on Earnest Private Student Loan's website | |
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Fixed APR 4.49-13.80% Fixed | Variable APR 5.49-13.07% Variable | Min credit score Mid-600s | on SoFi Private Student Loan's website | |
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Fixed APR 4.99-14.25% Fixed | Variable APR 5.10-14.72% Variable | Min credit score Does not disclose | on Citizens Private Student Loan's website | |
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Start saving (a ton) on your student loans.
