How Student Loan Refinancing Can Save You Thousands of Dollars

Introduction

The more student loans you owe, the more money you may save by refinancing. Student loan refinancing will save you money if you qualify for a lower interest rate and either retain or receive a shorter term length. A reduced interest rate might result in lower monthly payments, a shorter payback time, or both.

Let’s have a look at some math.

Even if you’re not a math whiz, you’ll like the equations we’re about to reveal.

Explanation 1:

Assume you had a $50,000 loan with an interest rate of 6.5 %.
Refinancing at 5.5 % would save you $500 in interest in the first year.
Refinancing at 4.5 % would save you $1000 in the first year.

Explanation 2:

If you had a $50,000 loan with a 25-year payback period and a 6.8% interest rate, you’d pay $350 each month in interest, totalling $54,000. Yes, by the time you paid it off, the loan would have cost you over six figures.
If you qualified for a 15-year refinancing of that $50,000 loan at 4.0 %, you’d pay approximately $20 more each month, but you’d save nearly $37,000 in interest and pay it off ten years sooner.
Instead of $100,000, the total cost of the new loan would be a little under $67,000.

Get a free estimate of how much you may save on your student loans.

You’ll need actual rates based on your financial profile to estimate savings and determine whether or not to refinance. Because each lender has its underwriting requirements, which decide who is given a loan and at what interest rate, you’re likely to obtain different rates at each one.

Here’s how to compare different lenders’ offers:

Get an estimate of the rates: To obtain a feel of the interest rate you may expect from each lender, go to the websites of several prominent student loan refinancing lenders. Some lenders provide pre-qualification, which entails a mild credit check to determine the interest rate you’ll be eligible for. Soft credit pulls have no negative impact on your credit score.

If your lender doesn’t provide pre-qualification, you’ll have to fill out an application before seeing customized interest rates. Applications result in a severe credit draw, which might harm your credit slightly. When you apply for several refinancing loans in a short period, the credit bureaus usually see it as a single hard draw, which helps to keep your credit score intact.

Compare the APRs offered by different lenders:

Compare prices apples-to-apples by looking at yearly percentage rates if you have multiple estimates or offers. APRs reflect the real cost of borrowing, including any fees.

Take into account other loan characteristics as well:

You will save the most money if you obtain the lowest available rate. Pay attention to the loan’s repayment choices and terms as well. Choose the same term length as your present loans — or a shorter one — to save money both monthly and over time. See whether you may get a bonus for refinancing your student loans.

How much money might you possibly save?

You might save “thousands” if you refinance your student loans, which isn’t always an empty promise. They usually arrive at this figure by comparing the average amount of interest paid by a group of their clients with and without refinancing.

Assume that the average customer owes $100,000 in student loans at an interest rate of 8%. On a 10-year repayment schedule, the borrower would pay over $46,000 in interest over the course of the loan’s life.
If the same client refinances with a 5% interest rate and retains a 10-year loan term, they would save approximately $18,000, bringing their total interest payments down to around $27,000.
Of fact, you might owe a lot less or a lot more, and your interest rate is determined by your credit score, income, and financial situation. That is why you shop: to obtain accurate figures.

Refinance rates for student loans today:

Student loan interest rates have been down for some years, but your current rate on your previous loans is more significant. How does it compare to what lenders are already offering?

“With interest rates at all-time lows, it makes perfect sense for individuals to look at the current interest rate on their student loans and see if they can refinance to a cheaper rate,” said Randy Lupi, regional vice president of Equitable Advisors, also an Assignment Help and essay writing help provider.
Even a half-percentage-point savings is nearly always worth refinancing.”
When it comes to refinancing, Credible can tell you what rates you qualify for. Without impacting your score, you may compare student loan refinancing rates from up to ten lenders. Plus, it’s completely free!

Your income and credit score

Before refinancing student loans, it’s also essential to have a firm grip on your finances. “A borrower’s financial position is significant,” said Craig Borkovec, a financial counsellor with Miracle Mile Advisor. A lender wants to know that the money they’re providing will be repaid, plus interest.”

Before you begin the application procedure, there are two things you should check:

Credit rating
Income

Credit rating: If you have low credit, you should focus on improving it before applying for refinancing, or at the very least, consider a co-signer release with a good credit score.

According to Kevin Walker, CEO of CollegeFinance.com, “student loan refinancing loans are considered super-prime.” “They’re only offered to those with good credit and a steady salary. Borrowers would generally require a credit score of at least 680, and their score will likely need to be close to 800 to receive the best rates.”
Matt Logan, a Greensboro, N.C.-based certified financial advisor, concurred.
“Currently, student loan rates and refinancing alternatives for students with strong credit can be found in the low threes, which is extremely competitive for borrowers,” Logan previously stated.

Income: Having a consistent and verifiable source of income, as well as avoiding additional debt (loans, credit cards, etc.) in the six months leading up to applying for the loan, is another method to ensure you’ll be accepted to refinance your student loans, according to Borkovec.

What kind of student debts have you taken out?
Finally, be aware of the several types of student loans available to you: federal and private student loans.
If you have a federal student loan — or one issued by the United States government — you’ll want to consider the benefits (which private student loans lack).
Loan forgiveness if you work in public service, income-based repayment programs, and the current payment and interest waiver provided by the CARES Act are all examples of these benefits. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, federal student loan borrowers will be able to defer their monthly payments until at least December 31, 2020.

If you refinance your federal loans into a private loan, you’ll lose those perks. “Many student loan borrowers choose to refinance to obtain a better interest rate or lower monthly payment,” said Lauren Anastasio, a certified financial planner with SoFi and essay help and Essay Writing Service provider, “but those benefiting from the waiver won’t find a rate better than 0% or a payment lower than $0, which is what they temporarily have today.”

When it’s not a good idea to refinance your student loans:

If you can save money and time by refinancing; but it’s not for everyone. You should avoid refinancing in these situations.

You have low-interest loans available to you. You may wind up paying more altogether if you can’t guarantee a lower interest rate on your student loans than what you’re presently paying. Refinancing isn’t worth it at this moment. Keep your present loans until you can locate a lender who offers a cheaper interest rate.
You owe money to the federal government. If you have federal student loans, refinancing will result in you losing some advantages, such as your eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness or federal student loan deferral. If you’re having trouble paying back your federal student loans, you could consider switching to an income-driven repayment plan, which based your payments on your income and household size. This does not apply to private student loans, even those that have been refinanced.
You’ve gone into default on your loans or filed for bankruptcy. Before refinancing, many lenders demand that your debts be in good standing. You won’t be able to refinance if you’ve defaulted on your debts or recently filed bankruptcy. You should instead concentrate on getting your loans back on track with your lenders.
The costs outweigh the benefits. When you refinance, you may be charged origination or application costs, which are often a percentage of your total loan amount, as well as a prepayment fee if you pay off your previous loan early. If you just have a little amount left to pay on your student loans, those fees might end up costing you more than the interest you’d save.

Consequences in Practice

Although refinancing a student loan at a lower interest rate saves money, most of the savings come from the higher monthly payment associated with a shorter payback term.
Borrowers might save money by making a larger monthly payment instead of refinancing their loans. Making an additional payment to principle each month makes up for the difference in the monthly payment. Furthermore, the savings are considerably higher if the extra payment is made to the loan with the highest interest rate.

Are you able to refinance your home?

There is no one qualifying criterion that all lenders follow when it comes to refinancing. Prequalify with a few lenders to discover whether you’re qualified to refinance, and think about factors like:

Your credit rating. With a good credit score, you’ll be able to refinance with a variety of lenders and pick the ideal one for you. Some lenders will lend to people with excellent or bad credit, but you may have to pay a higher interest rate. This may end up costing you more in the long run, so refinancing may not be worthwhile.
The debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the amount of debt you owe compared to your total income. The lower your debt-to-income ratio, the more appealing you are to lenders. It implies that even if you have an emergency, you will be able to meet your monthly loan payments. The higher your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), the riskier you appear to lenders.
Your monthly earnings. Many lenders have a minimum income requirement, even if they don’t publicize it. For lenders to evaluate you, you will most likely need to produce pay stubs or other proof that you have stable work.

Conclusion:

Refinance the student loan and enjoy a fulfilling education opportunity like no other. If you need any assistance with assignments, seek the assistance of the professionals and let them work their magic on you.

About Author:

Jake Thomson is a contributing writer to MyAssignmentHelpAu. He is a podcaster, style coach and has been a blogger and a professional blogger writing about educational skills, personal development and motivation since 2010. He has her own blogging website and well-established blog.