Student Loan Consolidation

The stress and hassle of having multiple student loans have led many to seek out student loan consolidation. The process can be a bit confusing so here are a few things to remember. 

Identify which type of loan you have. 

The type of loan you have, federal or private, will determine what type of interest rate you will receive should you choose to consolidate. Federal loans have government backing so they usually carry a lower interest than an unsecured private loan. Because of these differences, never consolidate the two types of loans together; you could be cheating yourself out of the lowest possible interest rate and would be losing the benefits that each loan has to offer. If you have both federal and private loans consolidate the loans by type. 

Understand the Timeline

Consolidation of your federal loans cannot begin unless you are actively repaying your loan, are in the “grace” period, or have dropped below half-time status. For private loans you may not have these stipulations. Know where you stand in this regard so you can get started with consolidation as soon as possible. 

You Only Get One Shot at the Rate.

The interest rate you have when you first consolidate your student loan is the rate you keep. If in the future you refinance because of cleared loans the rate will stay the same. 

If you have a considerable amount of loan debt, consolidation may be for you. Streamlining your school debt through student loan consolidation can save you time and money. 

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