Aug
04
2020
man looking at laptop

Understanding Student Loan Amortization

By | Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan, Terminology | No Comments

When deciding on a student loan repayment schedule, some folks might think the one with the lowest possible monthly payment is best.

What these same folks might not realize is that often the lowest monthly payment means the loan is stretched out over a longer time frame, which results in the borrower paying more in interest than they otherwise would have with a shorter loan term and a higher monthly payment.

Why does this happen? Because of a process called amortization. Amortization is the process of paying back a loan on a fixed payment schedule over a period of time.

With a loan, such as a student loan, each monthly payment is the same, but a calculation is done to determine what proportion of each payment is allocated to a loan’s interest and to its principal balance. This schedule of payments is called a student loan amortization schedule.

You may have heard people complain about how much of a loan payment goes toward interest during the beginning stages of a loan. This is what they’re referring to; the process by which interest is spread out over the life of the loan according to an amortization schedule.

Over the course of making monthly payments on your student loans, the payments are often applied primarily to the interest especially toward the beginning of your repayment timeline.

We’re going to get into some of the nitty-gritty amortization info, but before we go there, we just want to be straight with you: This is an incredibly complex topic.

We’re going to try to break it down the best we can, but please understand that this info is general in nature and does not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs; it should not be considered advice. SoFi always recommends that you speak to a professional about your unique situation.

Below we’ll do our best to cover how and which loans amortize, take a closer look at student loan amortization, and explore some ways a student loan borrower might be able to lower the amount that they’ll pay in interest over the course of their loan.

Exploring Amortization

First, it’s important to understand how to calculate the cost of a loan. You’ll need to know these three variables:

  1. The value of the loan, also known as the principal

  2. The interest rate and annual percentage rate (APR)

  3. The duration, or term, of the loan (usually given in months or years)

Using this information, it is possible to determine both the monthly payment on the loan and the total interest paid on the loan. An online student loan interest calculator can help you figure this out.

The next step is to determine how much of each monthly payment is going toward both interest and principal. That’s when the amortization schedule comes into play. You can calculate amortization using this calculator to get an idea. But we want to understand what’s going on behind the calculator, and it helps to understand that amortization happens only on “installment” loans—and all student loans are installment loans.

There are two types of loans: installment loans and revolving credit. A mortgage, student loan, or car loan are all examples of installment loans. With an installment loan, the borrower is loaned an amount of money (called the principal) to be paid back over a designated amount of time, with interest.

Revolving credit, on the other hand, is not a loan disbursed in one lump sum, but is a certain amount of credit to be used as the borrower pleases, up to a designated limit. A credit card and a line of credit are forms of revolving credit. A borrower’s monthly payment is determined by how much of the available credit they are using at any given time; therefore, minimum payments can change from month to month.

Student Loan Amortization Examples

Because student loans are an installment loan—meaning a specific amount of money is disbursed to the borrower—student loans are amortized. Parts of each payment are applied to both the loan’s principal and its interest. But at the beginning of the loan, a much larger proportion is typically allocated to interest on student loans, per the lender’s requirements.

Due to the way compounding works, the effect is more dramatic the longer the length of the loan. Take, for example, a $30,000 loan at 7% interest rate amortized over a 10-year repayment period.

The borrower’s monthly payment should be around $348. Each year, the borrower will pay $4,180 total towards their loan. This doesn’t change, although the proportion that is allocated towards principal and interest does change.
(All examples calculated above were from using this student loan calculator. Example calculations below are from Bankrate’s calculator .)

Example Amortization Schedule Student Loan $30,000, 7% interest over 10 years starting January 2019

Date

 Interest Paid

 Principal Paid

 Balance
Jan, 2019 $175 $173 $29,827
Feb, 2019 $174 $174 $29,652
Mar, 2019 $173 $175 $29,477
Apr, 2019 $172 $176 $29,301
May, 2019 $171 $177 $29,123
Jun, 2019 $170 $178 $28,945
Jul, 2019 $169 $179 $28,765
Aug, 2019 $168 $181 $28,585
Sep, 2019 $167 $182 $28,403
Oct, 2019 $166 $183 $28,221
Nov, 2019 $165 $184 $28,037
Dec, 2019 $164 $185 $27,852
2019 $2,032 $2,148 $27,852
           
2020 $1,877 $2,303 $25,852
           
2021 $1,710 $2,470 $23,079
           
2022 $1,532 $2,648 $20,431
           
2023 $1,340 $2,840 $17,591
           
2024 $1,135 $3,045 $14,546
           
2025 $915 $3,265 $11,281
           
2026 $679 $3,501 $7,780
           
2027 $426 $3,754 $4,026
           
Jan, 2028 $23 $325 $3,701
Feb, 2028 $22 $327 $3,374
Mar, 2028 $20 $329 $3,045
Apr, 2028 $18 $331 $2,715
May, 2028 $16 $332 $2,382
Jun, 2028 $14 $334 $2,048
Jul, 2028 $12 $336 $1,712
Aug, 2028 $10 $338 $1,373
Sep, 2028 $8 $340 $1,033
Oct, 2028 $6 $342 $691
Nov, 2028 $4 $344 $346
Dec, 2028 $2 $346 $0
2028 $154 $4,026 $0

Using this estimated example, during the first year, the borrower’s monthly payments would be made up of about half interest and half principal. At the end of the year, the hypothetical borrower has paid $4,180 towards their student loan, and $2,032 of that went to interest, while $2,148 went to paying down the principal. The loan is now valued at $27,852 (that’s $30,000 minus $2,148).

With each passing month and year paying down debt, more of each payment is allocated towards the principal. By the ninth and final year, the imaginary borrower above pays only $154 to interest and $4,026 to principal.
(P.S., we got this rough estimation using the amortization calculator we mentioned above.)

Let’s look at another example of a hypothetical student loan amortization schedule, but along a longer timeline, such as twenty years. It should be noted that a twenty-year payback period isn’t “standard” for federal student loans, but the important takeaway here is the impact of time on amortization calculations.

Here’s a table with the results of a hypothetical $60,000 student loan at a 7% fixed rate, paid back over 20 years.

Amortization Schedule Student Loan $60,000, 7% interest over 20 years:

Date

 Interest

 Principal

 Balance
Jan, 2019 $350 $115 $59,885
Feb, 2019 $349 $116 $59,769
Mar, 2019 $349 $117 $59,652
Apr, 2019 $348 $117 $59,535
May, 2019 $347 $118 $59,417
Jun, 2019 $347 $119 $59,299
Jul, 2019 $346 $119 $59,179
Aug, 2019 $345 $120 $59,060
Sep, 2019 $345 $121 $58,939
Oct, 2019 $344 $121 $58,817
Nov, 2019 $343 $122 $58,695
Dec, 2019 $342 $123 $58,573
2019 $4,155 $1,427 $58,573
           
           
           
Jan, 2038 $31 $434 $4,942
Feb, 2038 $29 $436 $4,506
Mar, 2038 $26 $439 $4,067
Apr, 2038 $24 $441 $3,626
May, 2038 $21 $444 $3,182
Jun, 2038 $19 $447 $2,735
Jul, 2038 $16 $449 $2,286
Aug, 2038 $13 $452 $1,834
Sep, 2038 $11 $454 $1,379
Oct, 2038 $8 $457 $922
Nov, 2038 $5 $460 $462
Dec, 2038 $3 $462 $0
2038 $206 $5,376 $0

In this example, each monthly payment for the 20-year duration is $465.18 (again, rounded down to $465 for simplicity’s sake above). In January 2019, the first month of the first year of the loan, $350 is paid towards interest, and just $115 is paid towards the principal. That’s less than 25% of the total payment, compared to 50% in the previous example.

By the end of the hypothetical loan, hardly any of the payment is allocated towards interest, and the majority is applied to the principal. In the very last monthly payment in the last year, only $3 goes towards interest and $462 to principal. In the last year, only $206 total goes towards interest versus $4,155 in the first year.

If you’re interested in expediting your loan payoff, it may inspire you to play around with a student loan repayment calculator to get your own estimate of just how much you could save on interest if you shorten your loan term.

Alternative Repayment Plans and Amortization

Some borrowers may be using one of the alternate repayment plans for federal student loans, which are generally referred to as “income-driven repayment plans.” There are several different options, including Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Driven Repayment (IDR), but all of these similar repayment plans use your monthly income and family size to determine what you’ll owe each month.

Depending on discretionary income and family size, monthly payments are generally lower than with the standard, 10-year repayment plan because repayment is stretched out over 20 or more years.

Not only will you likely pay more in total interest over the course of a longer loan, but it is possible that your payments will dip into what is called negative amortization. Negative amortization happens when your monthly payment is low enough that it doesn’t even cover the interest for that month.

When this happens, it is possible that this unpaid interest will be capitalized, which means that it will be added to the principal balance of the loan. All interest calculations thereafter will be made on the new principal balance, which means that the borrower could be paying interest on top of those previously unpaid interest payments.

This is not ideal, of course, but utilizing an income-driven repayment plan is a much better option than missing payments altogether or defaulting on a federal student loan. Using an income-driven repayment plan is also necessary if the borrower plans on utilizing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Managing Student Loan Amortization

If an amortized student loan payment seems frustrating to you, that’s because it is. One way to alleviate the pain is to pay your student loans back faster than the stated term.

Making additional payments on your loan can do a lot to lower what you’ll owe in interest because knocking out the interest can prevent it from capitalizing on your loan. Furthermore, paying off the loan before the stated term can allow you to pay less interest over the life of the loan.

If you opt to pay more than your minimum payments or consistently make additional payments on your loans, it’s a good idea to let your lender know that the additional payment is to be applied to the principal of the loan, not the interest, so you can be sure your extra payments are working towards lowering the principal amount you’re paying interest on.

If you are mailing a check, you might want to include a note. If you’re making a payment online, you can call your loan service provider to make sure that they apply for the money correctly.

For borrowers with multiple federal or private student loans who want to expedite their debt repayment, it can be hard to know where to start. If your goal is to reduce the overall amount of interest you owe , you might want to consider the “debt avalanche” method of debt repayment.

Using this method, you would choose the student loan debt with the highest interest rate and work on “attacking” it first. You would do this while making the minimum payment on all other loans or sources of debt. After the highest interest rate loan is paid off, redirect any additional funds you were paying toward the first loan to the loan with the next highest interest rate.

Graduates can also consider refinancing their loans. When you refinance, you’re essentially paying off your old loan or loans with a new loan from a private lender, like SoFi. Ideally, you refinance in order to get a lower rate on the loans than you currently have.

Student loan refinancing companies are generally able to offer a lower interest rate or more favorable loan terms to graduates who have met their lending criteria, which may include having a strong financial history and income among other things.

It’s usually worth checking to see if you qualify for a lower rate than you’re currently paying. With refinancing, you’re also usually able to adjust other aspects of your loans, such as the repayment schedule. You may be able to extend it, if you’re looking for lower monthly payments, or shorten it, if you want to pay less in interest—and outsmart amortization—on your loan.

When deciding to refinance, borrowers should consider their current financial situation and any benefits their federal student loans currently have, such as an income-driven repayment plan or Public Service Loan Forgiveness option. When you refinance with a private lender, you will lose access to these federal programs.

Want to spend more money on the things you love, and less on student loan interest? See if refinancing your loans with SoFi is right for you.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.


SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SLR8228

Read more
Aug
04
2020

Student Loan Grace Periods: What You Need to Know

By | Debt Payoff, Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan | No Comments

With graduation comes a fair share of celebration and changes. From grad parties to finding your first job to possibly a major move, life moves pretty fast during that first year out of school. While you’re busy setting up a new life, you may not even have time to think about those student loans you might’ve taken out for school.

When it comes to student loans, however, it’s not as easy as out of sight, out of mind. You might be busy setting up the next phase of your life, but don’t forget that your loan repayment will come calling, and likely sooner than you think.

But one possible avenue for relief is that many student loans come with a grace period. A student loan grace period can be a helpful tool—especially if you don’t have a steady source of income after college—but it’s important to pay attention to the specifics of your student loans so that you understand if you have a grace period, how long your grace period is, and what it entails.

What is a Student Loan Grace Period?

You might not have to pay your federal student loans back immediately after you graduate college. Depending on the loan type, former students may be given a six-month grace period before loan repayment starts. This “grace period” gives new graduates some breathing room before they start making student loan payments.

Without a grace period, you’d need to pay student loans back immediately. This could be challenging if you’re not yet on your feet with a steady income, post-college.

Remember, it’s not just graduation that kicks off the grace period. Grace periods for federal student loans can apply to anyone who has graduated, left school entirely, or dropped below half-time attendance.

If you have one, a grace period won’t magically end one day without notice and leave you scrambling to find out where to send your monthly loan payment. Your student loan servicer is obligated to provide you with the following information:

•   Your loan repayment schedule.
•   The date of your first payment.
•   The number of payments.
•   The frequency of payments.
•   The amount of each payment.

A grace period can provide an opportunity for borrowers to plan for the future. How you use your grace period can make a difference in your ability to pay down your student loans later on. Establishing yourself in the workforce and earning a regular income can be helpful, but try not to worry so much if that doesn’t happen immediately after college.

Finding a job after college might require a bit of hustle. Some people may find themselves filling out countless job applications, networking, participating in a post-graduation internship, or relying on side hustles to start earning money.

As you prep your resume and polish off your interview skills, it can be tempting to push the thought of student loans to the back burner. But your grace period can provide a valuable reprieve that could give you a bit of breathing room to sort through financial obligations and determine a repayment plan.

Here are a few more ins and outs of student loan grace periods so you can enter the “real world” with your best foot forward.

You May Have a Longer Student Grace Period Than You Think

Not all grace periods fall within the six-month range. Your grace period could be longer than six months or you might not have a grace period at all. It all depends on your lender and the types of loans you have.

Direct Unsubsidized and Direct Subsidized student loans have a six-month grace period. Interest accrues from the time the loan is disbursed and will continue to accrue during the grace period on unsubsidized loans. Borrowers with subsidized loans generally will not be responsible for accrued interest during the grace period.

The grace period on Federal Perkins loans can vary. The Perkins loan program expired in 2017. Borrowers with existing Perkins loans can check with their loan servicer or the school that made the loan to get more information about the repayment plans available to them.

Federal PLUS loans for graduate or professional students don’t have a grace period, but graduate or professional student borrowers receive an automatic six-month deferment when they drop below half-time enrollment, leave school, or graduate. During this deferment, borrowers are not required to make payments but interest will continue to accrue.

Parents who borrowed PLUS Loans to pay for their child’s education are able to request a six-month deferment when their child drops below half-time enrollment, leaves school, or graduates.

Some federal student loan grace periods can be extended even longer, for active duty military for instance.
What about private student loans? Typically, private lenders don’t offer grace periods, but options will vary from lender to lender. Some lenders, however, may offer a six-month grace period.

For example, SoFi will honor the first six months of any existing grace period of the loans you refinance. With other lenders, payments may begin as soon as the loan is disbursed. The terms of the loan should specify what grace period, if any, is available.

You Might Not Owe Interest During Your Student Loan Grace Period

A grace period can be a welcome break from making payments, and on some loans, hitting pause won’t lead to additional interest. But depending on the type of loan you have, this isn’t always the case. Certain loans will continue to accrue interest during the grace period.

Direct Subsidized Loans (sometimes known as Stafford Loans), Grad PLUS, and Perkins loans don’t accrue interest during the grace period. That means that you won’t have six months’ worth of interest added to the life of your loan that accrued during your grace period.

But if you have Direct Unsubsidized Loans, your interest will begin to accrue when the loan is disbursed and will continue to accrue while you are in school and during your grace period.

By the time you’re ready to make your first payment, your balance will be slightly higher than it was when you took out your loan (unless you’ve made interest-only payments).

At the end of the grace period, any unpaid interest is capitalized on Direct Subsidized loans (same goes for Grad PLUS loans and their deferment period). This means that the accrued interest is added to the total outstanding balance of these loans.

Interest payments calculated after this will use the new, capitalized balance. This means you’d be paying interest on top of interest, unless you make interest payments of course! For private loans, check with the specific lender regarding their policy.

Extending Your Student Loan Grace Period is Possible (in certain situations)

There are certain situations in which your grace period on a federal student loan may be extended. These depend on the loan type, but generally include:

•   If you’re serving in the military and are deployed on active duty for more than 30 days before your grace period ends. In that case, you’ll receive a reinstated six month grace period when you return from active duty.
•   If you re-enroll in school even part-time before your student loan grace period ends, you won’t be required to pay your student loan back while in school. When you finish or drop below half-time attendance, you’ll receive a six month grace period.

Consolidating your federal student loans with a Direct Consolidation loan during the grace period will eliminate the time remaining on the grace period. You’d then be responsible for repaying the Direct Consolidation when it’s disbursed. Generally, the first payment is due about two months after the loan is disbursed.

There are options available to federal student loan borrowers who might want to pause repayments after the grace period ends. During certain periods of financial hardship, borrowers might consider applying for deferment or forbearance. These options allow borrowers to temporarily pause payments on their loans.

Depending on the type of loan you have, interest may or may not accrue during deferment. You can take a look at this article for an in-depth explainer of the differences between deferment and forbearance.

Choosing How to Handle Your Student Loan Grace Period

If you decide that the pros of the student loan grace period outweigh the cons, you could use that payment-free time to start setting aside funds for later. During your grace period you can:

•   Use a student loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments.
•   Work with your lender/servicer to see what your actual payments will be.
•   Make it a goal to try and put away at least a partial amount each month.

If you get used to living on a budget that doesn’t include your student loan payment, you may be setting yourself up for future stress. Instead, you could consider:

•   Waiving the grace period and starting student loan payments immediately. If you have enough wiggle room in your budget, you can start paying your loans down immediately. Since your loan wouldn’t be accruing unpaid interest during the grace period, it could lead to savings in the long term.
•   Setting aside a part of your monthly paycheck to start paying down the interest. If your budget doesn’t allow for monthly payments yet, you could try saving what you can to pay off some of the interest on your student loans during the grace period. Even a small contribution can make a difference.
•   Making payments that even just cover your loan’s interest during that time could help you avoid having a higher balance than when you graduated (due to pesky capitalized interest, discussed above).

Finding your federal student loans can be a challenge in and of itself. If you want to track down your loan to confirm the grace period or make interest-only payments during it, you can take a look at the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

This site is operated by the U.S. Department of Education and can provide a comprehensive overview of a borrower’s federal student loans, including the loan servicer assigned to each loan.

Grace periods are all about giving you some financial space. If you have the room in your budget to make interest-only payments during the grace period, it could help keep you on track to pay off your loans even sooner. It’s a small sacrifice now that could potentially make a difference later.

But if your budget doesn’t allow for any payments during your grace period, don’t sweat it. Your grace period is there for a reason, to give you some breathing room while you sort things out financially.

Some Ways Student Loan Refinancing Can Help

Unlike using a Direct Consolidation Loan, refinancing your student loans doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll have a shorter grace period.

Refinancing is when a private lender pays off your loans and gives you a brand new loan. Refinancing with a private lender could potentially result in a lower interest rate or more favorable terms.

If you are managing a number of student loans, refinancing may help to simplify your life by giving you one loan to pay, instead of multiple loans to remember.

However, not all private lenders will honor your federal student loan grace period—if you choose to refinance during your grace period, you may have to begin repayments as soon as the refinance loan is disbursed.

Some private lenders will still honor your six-month grace period, and SoFi is one of them. If you want to get ahead of those student loan payments, and are searching for a lower rate and more flexible terms, refinancing might be worth considering.

A grace period can be a helpful time to pause and consider your finances. As a recent graduate, you probably have a lot on your plate as you find your footing in your career and figure out how to become an adult in the working world. Part of adulting might include creating a student loan repayment plan.

If you’re considering refinancing, take a look at SoFi. You can find out if you prequalify in a few minutes.
An important thing to note: Refinancing your federal student loans with a private lender will eliminate them from federal benefits and protections—like deferment, forbearance, and income-driven repayment plans—so refinancing won’t be right for everyone.

Don’t let your grace period’s end catch you off guard. If you plan ahead, and plan for future payments, you could end up on more solid financial footing.

Thinking about refinancing, but don’t want to eliminate the loan’s grace period? SoFi honors the first six months of any existing grace periods on refinanced loans. Find your rate today!

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.


SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs. SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SLR17109

Read more
Apr
09
2020

Student Loan Options: What Is Refinancing vs. Consolidation?

By | Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan, Terminology | No Comments

Student loans can have a way of making you feel like a hamster in a wheel—spinning like crazy but getting nowhere fast. And while knowing that around 44 million Americans carry student loan debt might offer some comfort in a “misery loves company” kind of way, the magical loan-forgiveness fairy is still—as far as we know—a myth.

In the meantime, though, there’s a bit of good news—you may have more control than you think. We are here to help illuminate some options available to student loan holders, so they can make decisions that fit best with their financial goals.

Have you been considering one of those options—choosing whether to consolidate or refinance student loans?

But what is consolidation, what is refinancing, and how do you know which one (if either) may be right for you?

This could be a somewhat complicated question, especially since these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. For example, consolidation simply means combining multiple student loans into one loan, but you have different options and can end up with different results by consolidating with the federal government vs. consolidating with a private lender.

Student loan refinancing is when you receive a loan with new terms and use that loan to pay off one or more existing student loans.

Consolidate vs. Refinance. Let’s break it down.

Here’s a simple overview of the different types of student loan consolidation, how they differ from student loan refinancing, and some tips for evaluating whether one of these options might work for you.

Federal Student Loan Consolidation

Federal student loan consolidation is offered by the government and is available for most types of federal student loans—no private loans allowed. When you consolidate with the government, your existing federal loans are combined into one new loan with a new rate, which is a weighted average of your old loans’ rates (rounded up to the nearest eighth of a percent).

This option may not save you any money, but there are still a few potential benefits:

1. Fewer bills and payments to keep track of each month.

2. The ability to switch out older, variable rate federal loans for one, new, fixed rate loan, which could protect you from having to pay higher rates in the future if interest rates go up. (Note: the last variable rate federal student loans were disbursed in 2006. Since then, all federal student loans have been fixed-rate.)

3. Lower monthly payments. But beware—this is usually the result of lengthening your repayment term, which means you might pay more interest over the life of the loan.

Private Loan Consolidation

Like federal consolidation, a private consolidation loan allows you to combine multiple loans into one, and offers some of the same potential benefits listed above. However, the interest rate on your new, consolidated loan is not a weighted average of your old loans’ rates.

Instead, a private lender will look at your track record of managing credit and other personal financial information when deciding whether to give you a new (ideally lower) interest rate on your new consolidation loan.

Bottom line: when you consolidate student loans with a private lender, you are also in fact refinancing those loans. When federal student loans are consolidated or paid off using a private loan, however, it’s important to know you will lose access to certain benefits such as income-driven repayment plans, forbearance and deferment options, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (among others).

Student Loan Refinancing

As noted above, student loan refinancing is when a new loan from a private lender is used to pay off one or more existing student loans. If your financial situation has improved since you first signed on the dotted line for your original student loans(s), you may be able to refinance student loans at a lower interest rate and/or a different loan term, which could potentially allow you to do one or more of the following:

1. Lower your monthly payments.

2. Shorten your loan term to pay off debt sooner.

3. Reduce the money you spend in interest over the life of the loan.

4. Choose a variable interest rate loan, which can be a cost-saving option for those who plan to pay off their loan relatively quickly.

5. Enjoy the benefits of consolidation, including one simplified monthly bill.

Unlike federal loan consolidation, student loan refinancing is only available from private lenders. However, SoFi will refinance both private student loans and federal student loans, so well-qualified borrowers can consolidate all of their loans into one with loans and/or terms that work better for them.

Things to Consider

While there are advantages to both consolidation and refinancing, sometimes the answer—depending on timing, your budget, or other outside factors—could be to leave well enough alone. As you research your options, consider asking yourself these questions:

What kind of student loans do you have?

Refinancing federal student loans through a private lender might result in a lower interest rate, but you will also lose access to the benefits that come with federal loans, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), flexible repayment plans, the ability to pause payments, and an interest rate that’s determined by Congress—not your credit score.

If your loans are private, they were issued based on creditworthiness to begin with, so a refinanced loan will follow similar qualifications, and each private lender will have its own underwriting criteria.

What is the loan payoff amount?

While the amount of a monthly payment is important, especially if a refinance could reduce it, it’s wise to read through all the terms of the loan to understand the big picture.

Are the monthly payments lower because the loan is now on a 20-year term instead of a 10-year term? Are there loan origination fees rolled into the payment? Knowing the full, total repayment amount can help ensure that short-term gains don’t bite you in the long run.

Named a Best Student Loan Refinance Company
by U.S. News and World Report.

What’s the goal?

Consider your reasons for a refinance or consolidation—lowering monthly payments, keeping better track of due dates, or paying off debt as quickly as possible will likely lead to different strategies.

Your monthly budget and what you can (and can’t) afford to put toward your loan repayment will also play a factor here. One way to help ensure the right decision for you is to play with your budget a bit to see which loan options might benefit you most.

What factors do lenders review?

This isn’t typically an issue when it comes to consolidating loans through the federal government. But people interested in refinancing student loans with a private lender will likely need to meet various lender requirements, much like they would for a mortgage or personal loan.

Lenders generally review information like the borrower’s credit history, income, debt-to-income ratio, and other factors to determine what type of interest rate and loan terms they may qualify for.

You may not be able to change the fact that you have student loans, but you can make smart decisions about them. And that’s what ultimately gives you power over your debt. For more information about student loans, you can explore SoFi’s student loan help center to find guidance and gain knowledge to help point you in the right direction.

Ready to refinance your student loans? Start today!



$500 Student Loan Refinancing Bonus Offer: Terms and conditions apply. Offer is subject to lender approval, and not available to residents of Ohio. The offer is only open to new Student Loan Refinance borrowers. To receive the offer you must: (1) register and apply through the unique link provided by 11:59pm ET 11/30/2021; (2) complete and fund a student loan refinance application with SoFi before 11/14/2021; (3) have or apply for a SoFi Money account within 60 days of starting your Student Loan Refinance application to receive the bonus; and (4) meet SoFi’s underwriting criteria. Once conditions are met and the loan has been disbursed, your welcome bonus will be deposited into your SoFi Money account within 30 calendar days. If you do not qualify for the SoFi Money account, SoFi will offer other payment options. Bonuses that are not redeemed within 180 calendar days of the date they were made available to the recipient may be subject to forfeit. Bonus amounts of $600 or greater in a single calendar year may be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as miscellaneous income to the recipient on Form 1099-MISC in the year received as required by applicable law. Recipient is responsible for any applicable federal, state, or local taxes associated with receiving the bonus offer; consult your tax advisor to determine applicable tax consequences. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate the offer at any time with or without notice.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.


External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

SLR16101

Read more
Apr
09
2020

Here’s How Lawyers Really Tackled Their Law School Loans

By | Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan | No Comments

If the most exciting part of finally graduating from law school and passing the bar is getting your bar card in the mail, the least exciting part may well be making the first payment on your student loans.

Despite the fact that law school may be a sound investment—after all, the median lawyer salary in the United States was $120,910 annually in 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics —it certainly comes with a hefty price tag.

The average young lawyer now carries over $140,000 in student debt, and figuring out how to set up a loan repayment plan can be daunting. After all, a six-figure debt is nothing to take lightly.

Finishing law school already comes with a lot of responsibility: you may find yourself moving or changing cities, starting a new job, or just adjusting to the new responsibility of dishing out legal advice for a living.

On top of that, starting to pay off your student loans can feel like a challenge. Unfortunately, student debt is not an uncommon barrier to face after graduation; in fact, it’s becoming the norm. And yet, there are reasons why being a newly minted lawyer with debt could put you in a better position than graduates in other fields.

For one, the good news is that you’ve chosen a profession where even your starting salary likely puts you well above the median American household income —which was at $61,937 annually for 2018.

Not just this, there are a ton of debt repayment options available to law school graduates, including attractive student loan repayment programs and forgiveness programs that could have you saying goodbye to your debt—if you’re in the right sector.

Ultimately, once the initial sticker shock of your student loan debt wears off, you may realize that you have numerous options at your fingertips that could help you move out of the situation you’re currently in and into one that’s much more financially comfortable.

Sure, tackling student loan debt is a challenge—for anyone. But it is a challenge you can rise to, especially with the help of other lawyers who have been in your shoes.

Whether you’re a legal services attorney or a first-year associate, a good first step on your road to career fulfillment could be creating a plan to tackle your student debt.

Ahead, we take a look at some of the options that may be available to you and uncover some tips for those attorneys who are saddled with high student loan debt—plus ways to move forward.

Taking Advantage of Your Law School’s Loan Repayment Program

New graduates with large debt loads may find themselves obsessing over the amount of debt they owe, instead of focusing on available repayment options. It’s basically the same advice that driving instructors give to new drivers: If you spot a car wreck on the side of the highway, the best way to avoid it is to keep your eyes on the road—not on the accident.

So, how can you shift your thinking and develop a more solutions-based approach when you’re facing a mountain of debt? When it comes to significant student loan debt, the answer may lie in taking the time to do your research and focusing your attention on the resources you may already have at your disposal:

One option to explore is the sort(s) of loan assistance offered by your law school. Some schools may have helpful loan repayment programs, including Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs) , which can make it easier for law school graduates to work at public interest jobs, which typically pay less than private firms, by offering income-based repayment assistance.

That said, it’s important to pay careful attention to your student loan terms. For instance, Columbia University suggests a 10-year repayment term is the best option to take advantage of their LRAP, which would likely mean bigger monthly payments, but over a shorter period of time.

Looking Into Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs

Imagine this: You find your dream fellowship, internship, or job right after graduation, and not only does it put you on a path towards gaining valuable experience in your field, but it also comes with an unexpected added perk—debt payoff assistance.

Student loan forgiveness programs aren’t altogether uncommon for those in the legal field. In fact, there are many possible scenarios in which you could find yourself getting some help paying off your debt—or having the remainder forgiven altogether.

Typically, law school loan forgiveness is reserved for lawyers working in the public sector. Many times, public service lawyers earn lower salaries than those in the private sector, and so forgiveness programs are usually geared towards lower earners who may need more help shouldering their debt.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), for example, is a federal loan forgiveness program that eliminates federal student loan balances for eligible borrowers who make on-time loan payments for 10 years while they’re working for a qualifying nonprofit or in a government sector.

In addition to this, some states also offer loan forgiveness for attorneys through LRAPs. LRAPs typically require that you graduate from the academic institution that awarded you LRAP initially, work around 30+ hours per week, and start paying off your loans immediately.

These aren’t the only options available. Added bonus: Typically, loan forgiveness programs can be used as long as you qualify, so you may be able to “double-dip” if you qualify for more than one. Be sure to check the criteria for each program to confirm; there are some, such as teacher loan forgiveness programs, that do not allow “double-dipping.”

One tip: Search for and fit your repayment plan to your personal circumstances and situation. For instance, if you’re going into public interest law, there are loan forgiveness, assistance, and deferral programs. And you’ll want to ensure that your job meets the requirements for those programs.

Considering Consolidating or Refinancing Your Student Loans

If you find yourself dealing with more than one student loan, a possible option may be to consolidate or refinance your loans so that you can just worry about paying off one lump sum.

Depending on your exact circumstances, student debt consolidation may provide some peace of mind and the ability to more easily manage your repayment, given that consolidation means combining existing student loans into one.

(Note: If you refinance federal loans with a private lender, you will no longer qualify for federal loan benefits, such as PSLF, discussed above, or federal income-driven repayment plans.)

If you decided to consolidate your federal student loans into one Direct Consolidation Loan, you can always consider refinancing in the future once you are in the market for a better interest rate.

One tip: instead of treating your repayment plan as if it’s set in stone, consider ways it may need to (and could) change if your financial situation changes.

Reallocating Your Debt (If Possible)

Depending on which stage you are at in your debt repayment process, there may be options available for you to reallocate your debt. Sometimes, if you come to own property, you can use this to your advantage by borrowing or reallocating existing debt against the value of the property.

However, converting unsecured debt (like a student loan) into debt on a secured lien such as your home can come with risks. For example, if you were unable to pay your mortgage and went into loan default, you could lose your home. So, as with anything, it’s important to weigh the costs and benefits.

One tip: Take the time to research and fully understand ways to tackle law school debt. And if you have the opportunity to borrow money from, for instance, home equity, you may be able to obtain more favorable terms on your mortgage while paying off your student loan at the same time. Some mortgage lenders actually offer loans specifically tailored to pay off student loan debt.

Serious savings. Save thousands of dollars
thanks to flexible terms and low fixed or variable rates.

And a Favorite Tip: Throw Some Extra Money at Your Loans When You Can

If you’re looking to find tips to conquer your student loans the old-fashioned way, you can always tighten your belt and put every available dollar towards your debt. Of course, this strategy can be used in conjunction with just about any other plan, and it’s a valuable thing to consider. After all, extra money can add up quickly. And you can always make prepayments on student loans—federal or private—you have the right to pay off your student loans as fast as you want .

Debt can be an overwhelming thing to face, but by being proactive and funneling any and all extra cash into your student loan repayments—yes, that includes that unexpected bonus or inheritance money—before you know it, you may realize that your mountain of student loan debt has, over time, become a molehill.

Here are some tips to get started:

When you’re still in school, if you have leftover loan money at the end of the semester, you can pay it back into your loans to avoid compounding interest.

If you’re doing pretty well financially for a few years out of school, you might allocate some of your high salary to pay off your loan, or pay as much extra as possible. Ditto with getting a raise: although it may be tempting to upgrade your lifestyle, sticking to the same budget and using that money to pay down your law school loan debt might be a good option—potentially saving you money and worry.

If you’re ready to get ahead and tackle your debt from law school, SoFi is here for you. Refinancing your student loans with SoFi may even save you money in the long run.


SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.


Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SLR17160

Read more
Apr
09
2020

Student Loan Mistakes that Could Make Interest Soar

By | Debt Payoff, Fresh Out of School, Student Loans, student_loan | No Comments

If you’ve taken out student loans to invest in your education, you know that paying interest on those loans is simply part of the deal. But while “interest” can seem like an abstract notion when you first take out loans, over time it can become a force to be reckoned with—particularly for the many MBA, law, and med school grads with six figures worth of education debt to repay.

For example, using a student loan calculator to get a rough estimate, you can see that a borrower with $100K in student loan principal at a 6.8% weighted average interest rate and a 10-year term can expect to pay an estimated $38K in interest over the life of the loan. And that’s if they make every payment on time.

Paying interest on student loans may be unavoidable, but there are a few mistakes that can cause some borrowers to pay more interest than they need to. Read on for tips on how to help prevent these blunders from affecting your bottom line.

Mistake #1: Using Forbearance When It Isn’t Absolutely Necessary

Most federal loans and some private loans may allow borrowers to use forbearance to temporarily reduce or suspend loan payments in the event of qualifying financial or medical difficulties.

But in most cases interest continues to accrue while payments are on pause—which means that the longer borrowers remain in forbearance, the more they may have to pay in the long run. (See Mistake #5 below.)

So if the goal is to minimize interest expenses, forbearance is typically an option best reserved for extreme financial hardship. Resuming regular payments as quickly as possible could be another way to minimize accrued interest.

If the borrower has federal student loans, enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan might be another option to consider. The monthly payment for an income-driven repayment plan is based on the borrower’s discretionary income and family size.

In certain cases (qualifying unemployment or the inability to work because of an illness, for example) payments could be as low as $0. After the period of financial hardship has passed, the borrower re-certifies the loan using new income information. (Recertification is required every year.)

Mistake #2: Unnecessarily Extending the Repayment Period

Federal student loan consolidation with a Direct Consolidation Loan allows borrowers to combine two or more eligible federal loans into just one loan, helping to streamline their monthly bills.

When borrowers consolidate, they’re typically given the option to lower their monthly payment by extending their repayment period. (With federal loan consolidation, the new interest rate is the weighted average of the borrower’s existing loans, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of a percent. So extending the repayment period is the only way to lower the payment.)

For those who are struggling to make payments, that may be tempting. However, those smaller monthly bills can come at a price. Extending the payment term from 10 to 30 years, for example, would mean the borrower has to pay considerably more interest over the life of the loan. (Because the borrower would be accruing 20 additional years of interest.)

Mistake #3: Not Prepaying When Possible

All education loans, whether federal or private, allow for penalty-free “prepayment,” which means borrowers can pay more than the minimum required and pay off their loan balance early, without incurring any extra fees. Even paying an extra $100 per month could go a long way.

Whether it’s increasing monthly payments after receiving a raise or putting half of a bonus toward student loans each year, every little bit helps to drive down total interest.

Student loans are amortized, which means a portion of each payment is applied to the principal each month and a portion goes toward interest.

Early on, a larger portion typically goes toward interest, so the principal balance goes down pretty slowly. Usually, it isn’t until the borrower has made years of payments that a noticeable amount starts being applied toward the principal. One way to speed up that progress—and knock down the debt faster—is to pay more than is required each month.

(Borrowers should be sure to tell their lender what they’re doing and verify that their prepayments will be applied to their loan principal.) Borrowers can use this calculator to see how prepayment could help them get out of student loan debt sooner.

Mistake #4: Starting Accelerated Repayment Efforts with the Wrong Student Loan

Borrowers who have more than one student loan may choose to make extra payments on one loan at a time. It can be tempting to start on the loan with the smallest balance, put extra payments toward it while making timely minimum payments on other loans, get the emotional boost from eliminating that bill, and then move on to the next.

This approach is sometimes referred to as the “snowball method,” and it can be useful for borrowers who need the gratification of a faster payoff to stay motivated. But it might not save the most interest.

Prioritizing the loan with the highest interest rate (the “avalanche method”) can make more sense mathematically and might be more efficient for those who have the discipline to stick with it. And borrowers still can be excited as they watch the balance on that high-interest student loan go down.

There are a few online calculators that could be used to compare the avalanche method to the snowball method . Comparing the estimated interest payments and debt free dates could help borrowers determine which method will work best for them.

Mistake #5: Underestimating the Impact of Interest Capitalization

Deferment and forbearance periods may feel like a helpful option to escape making federal student loan payments when a borrower is struggling financially. But taking a break can be tricky.

The federal government will pay the interest on subsidized loans during deferment periods, but it won’t pay the interest on unsubsidized loans during deferment or on any loans during forbearance.

Unpaid interest also may accrue if a borrower is repaying federal student loans under an income-driven repayment plan and the monthly payment is less than the amount of interest that accrues between payments.

If a borrower doesn’t pay the interest as it accrues, that interest can be capitalized, or added back onto the principal balance of the loan. And any interest payments made after that will be calculated based on this new balance.

Interest also can capitalize when a student loan enters default, or when the six-month grace period ends. So, if it’s at all possible, borrowers who choose to press pause on their loans may want to try to make interest-only payments during that time.

Mistake #6: Failing to Claim the Student Loan Interest Deduction

OK, technically, this isn’t a way to save money on interest. But it can help alleviate some pressure for borrowers with qualifying student loan debt, since this student loan interest deduction can potentially reduce the amount of income that is subject to tax. (Reminder: Taxes can be tricky, and we are not here to provide tax advice. This is just a high-level look at a potential tax deduction, and isn’t a definitive accounting of the information available. Always consult with a tax professional about tax deductions and any questions around them.)

Borrowers may be able to deduct up to $2,500 on federal and student loans on their federal return each year. That’s $2,500 per return, so those who are married and file a joint return have the same $2,500 cap even if both spouses have student debt.

The deduction begins to decrease at a certain income threshold, depending on the taxpayer’s filing status. For the 2019 tax year, the deduction starts to phase out at a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above $70,000 for single and head of household filers, and it’s eliminated entirely at a MAGI above $85,000.

For those who are married filing jointly, the phase-out starts at a MAGI above $140,000 MAGI and is eliminated for those with a MAGI above $170,000.

For a student loan to qualify under the IRS’s rules , it must have been obtained with the sole purpose of paying for qualified education expenses for the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, or someone who was the taxpayer’s dependent at the time he or she took out the loan.

The person for whom the loan was taken must have been enrolled at least half-time in a program that leads to a degree, certificate, or other credential. The loan can’t have been from a relative. Qualified education expenses can include things like tuition, books, supplies, equipment, and, in some cases, room and board.

Because this deduction is claimed as an adjustment to income, taxpayers don’t have to itemize to take it, but it does require proper documentation. If the loans are officially referred to as student loans—whether they’re federal or private student loans—the lender would send a Form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement. Borrowers can claim the interest from some other types of loans but will have to track those amounts on their own.

Again, taxes can be tricky, so definitely consult with a licensed accountant or tax professional to get the low-down on all the details of this or any other tax deduction.

Mistake #7: Not Signing Up for Autopay

With automatic payments, student loan payments are transferred directly from a borrower’s bank account to the lender, which reduces the chances of a late payment and gives the borrower one less thing to worry about.

There’s often another important perk: Some lenders will reduce the interest rate on the student loan by a certain percentage.

For those who keep enough funds in their account to cover their bills every month, it’s another potential way to save. And if the situation changes, and a manual approach becomes necessary, a borrower should be able to stop automatic payments at any time.

Borrowers who like the idea of making extra payments could set up their autopay to make a half payment every two weeks, or 26 half payments each year. That option adds up to 13 full payments instead of 12—or one extra payment. (This can be done manually, as well—it’s just that autopay typically makes it easier.)

Mistake #8: Making Late Payments or Going into Default

Failing to make payments can have several negative repercussions, including legal consequences if the borrower defaults on the loan. Both delinquency and default can also negatively impact the borrower’s credit score.

A lower credit score may reduce a borrower’s chances of getting a competitive interest rate on a refinancing loan, or on other types of loans or credit cards in the future.

Mistake #9: Neglecting to Explore Refinancing Options

Another opportunity that could allow borrowers to stick it to student loan interest is to refinance student loans at a lower interest rate and, possibly, a shorter repayment term. And some lenders, including SoFi, offer both variable and fixed rate loans, so borrowers can choose what best suits their needs.

Refinancing can typically be an attractive option to borrowers who have a solid financial situation—for example, a comfortable debt-to-income ratio (among many other possible considerations). However, before refinancing federal student loans, borrowers should check to see if they qualify for any forgiveness programs or other federal benefits (like income-driven repayment plans) and other repayment options that are forfeited when refinancing federal student loans with a private lender.

Bottom line: Refinancing to a shorter term with a lower interest rate can help eligible borrowers take a big bite out of total interest.

If you’re interested in seeing what your student loan interest rate could be after refinancing, you can check in two minutes or less with SoFi.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.


SLR14100

Read more

CATEGORIES

  • All
  • No categories
Close modal

See what SoFi can do for you and your finances.

Select a product below and get your rate in just minutes.

Student Loan
Refinancing

Personal
Loans

Online
Investments

Other

Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2023 was around $33K. Information current as of 2/26/24. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions.

✝ To check the rates and terms you may qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

©2024 Social Finance, LLC All rights reserved.
TLS 1.2 Encrypted
Equal Housing Lender