With over 43 million Americans carrying more than $1.75 trillion in student loan debt, borrowing for higher education is clearly a massive financial challenge for many students and graduates. As interest accrues and loans come due, borrowers can find themselves struggling under the weight of unaffordable monthly payments that hold them back from other goals. This crisis has prompted growing interest in solutions for managing education debt – one of which is student loan refinancing.
What Is Student Loan Refinancing?
Student loan refinancing involves taking out a new private student loan with better terms to pay off your current student loans. Ideally, the new loan has lower interest rates or more favorable repayment options that reduce your monthly payments or total lifetime costs.
It essentially gives borrowers a “reset” button to line themselves up with improved loan terms compared to those they qualified for when they first borrowed as teenagers or young adults with little credit history. By refinancing, those with now good credit and stable finances can access better private student loan rates available today.
Who Is Eligible to Refinance Their Student Loans?
Refinancing federal and private student loans with a private lender involves meeting strict eligibility criteria. While low credit scores disqualified most borrowers in the past, requirements have relaxed somewhat as competition increased between online lenders and banks.
Here is an overview of some typical eligibility standards:
Credit Scores: Minimum scores between 650-690 required, with 720+ scores accessing better interest savings
Income: Lenders usually want income high enough for borrowers to comfortably afford new loan payments. Many require at least $35,000-$40,000 in annual gross income.
Debt-to-Income Ratio: Income measured against total monthly debts, with ideal ratios below 30-50% based on individual situation
Work History: Stable full-time employment usually expected for at least 2 years with same employer
Types of Loans: Most private lenders refinance private student loans. Few refinance Parent PLUS federal loans. None refinance other federal loans.
Graduates who have built solid careers, incomes, and credit are generally the best candidates for refinancing their student loan obligations. Having either a strong single application or boosted credentials through a creditworthy cosigner can increase chances of approval as well.
The Step-By-Step Student Loan Refinancing Process
Refinancing student loans may sound simple on the surface, but behind the scenes involves a complex series of steps and financial determinations. Here is the basic play-by-play:
1. Research lenders and compare loan terms
Prospective borrowers start out researching the growing list of private lenders offering student loan refinancing from online sites like Splash, Laurel Road, and CommonBond to banks and credit unions. Comparing variables like rates, fees, minimum credit scores, and cosigner release options is key. Prequalifying without a hard credit check shares estimated terms.
2. Gather documents and complete full application
After selecting a lender, borrowers provide documents to verify their identity, income, employment, and current student loan details. Supplying everything upfront accelerates approval.
3. Get matched to new loan terms and discuss details with lender
Lender evaluates comprehensive profile based on eligibility criteria and matches applicant to new loan terms for paying off current student debt through refinancing.
4. Sign paperwork to finalize the new private student loan
Closing process formalizes the legal agreements committing borrower to repay the new private refinanced student loan and releasing prior obligations once existing loans are paid off.
5. Lender pays off old student loans and begins new repayment terms
Lender directly pays remaining balances due on old loans, and borrower begins making payments on the refinanced loan under new interest rate and repayment term.
While refinancing student loans, borrowers must continue making normal payments until the switch goes through to avoid late fees or score damage. Expect the full cycle to take 30-60 days on average.
The Pros of Student Loan Refinancing
When suited borrowers refinance their student debt, they open doors to several major benefits:
Lower Interest Rates
Qualifying for reduced private market interest rates provides opportunity for significant savings on both monthly payments and total lifetime costs. Even small rate drops pay off over years of payments.
Flexible Repayment Terms
Refinancing empowers eligible borrowers to reconfigure terms to balance affordability today with faster loan payoff. Extending a standard 10-year plan out to 15 years lowers payments. Shortening from 10 to 5 ramps up repayment. Borrowers optimize terms for their situation.
Consolidating Multiple Loans
When balancing payments across many loans, consolidation via refinancing combines everything neatly into one new loan and payment. Reduces burden of tracking status on several debts.
Removing Cosigners
After diligently paying down refinanced loan for 1-2 years, lenders may agree to release cosigners from legal liability if primary borrower now meets solo eligibility criteria through income and credit improvements.
By tapping the reset button, those struggling with debt through no fault of their own gain power to reclaim their financial futures.
Potential Cons and Risks of Student Loan Refinancing
However, refinancing also comes with some notable drawbacks to weigh against benefits:
Losing Federal Loan Perks
Access to income-driven repayment plans, forgiveness programs, deferment, flexible options for hardships all disappear when refinancing turns federal loans private. Weighing exact value of federal benefits borrower would forfeit is essential before refinancing loans originated through William D. Ford Direct program. Having a mix of federal and private loans adds intricacy to the decision calculus.
Variable Rates Could Increase Payments
While starting out with low fixed rates, some private lenders reset interest to fluctuating variable rates after a set number of years. Unpredictable increases could raise monthly payments over time. Weighing budget carefully even during intro periods.
Origination & Application Fees
Upfront loan origination and processing fees ranging 0.5-5% of total debt add costs that may counteract long-term savings from lower rates, especially with shorter remaining repayment horizons. Crunching exact numbers a must.
Like with any complex financial move, borrowers should carefully calculate worst-case scenarios and have informed discussions with financial advisors before moving ahead with refinancing.
Alternatives to Refinancing Student Loans
While refinancing opens doors for some eligible borrowers to get out of debt faster and cheaper, others may be better helped through alternative strategies:
Income-Driven Repayment Plans
Federal borrowers struggling with monthly payments can enroll in IDR plans like REPAYE and PAYE tying payments to disposable income, with added forgiveness after 20-25 years of payments. Best opportunity to mitigate unaffordable federal loans.
Federal Direct Student Loan Consolidation
Consolidating multiple federal loans remains available through government at no closing costs and with federal perks intact. Rates rise to weighted average but stretches term out. Savors benefits for federal loan borrowers.
Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Those working long-term in public service or specific underserved regions may earn partial forgiveness over time through programs like Teacher Loan Forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Refinancing loans makes borrowers ineligible for these federal options.
Key Takeaways: Who Does and Doesn’t Benefit From Refinancing Student Loans?
Overall, graduates meeting eligibility criteria who stand to achieve interest rate reductions of 2% or more and/or need flexible repayment term options may find refinancing an avenue to accelerating payoff dates and reducing costs through savings. Exact crossover analysis must incorporate amount paid already, years left, federal perks forfeited, and more.
However those currently benefiting from or needing federal protections should avoid refinancing whenever possible. Losing access to alternate repayment plans, forgiveness, and other options severely reduces flexibility to manage hardships down the road.
Borrowers must reflect thoroughly on their personal situations, loan mix, risk factors, and intended careers before determining if refinancing student loans will unlock savings and flexibility or trap them by trading essential safeguards for elusive financial benefits.
In Summary
Refinancing student loans serves as a double-edged sword – right for some eligible borrowers yet extremely risky for others. Graduates along with financial advisors must carefully weigh all variables of their situation, future plans, risk factors and exact dollars and cents tradeoffs when considering if refinancing makes sense. While marketing offers enticing stories of savings and freedom, the devil hides in details that could severely cost those refinancing without full understanding.