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What Is a Dead Cat Bounce and How Can You Spot It?

A “dead cat bounce” is a colorful way of describing an unexpected price jump that occurs after a long, slow decline — and typically just before another price drop.

A dead cat bounce carries that morbid name because the price spike in a particular stock or market sector isn’t “live” (i.e. it’s not a real rebound), and characteristically it doesn’t last.

The danger can be that the apparent rebound creates false value, or optimism. That said, some investors may be able to take advantage of a dead cat bounce to create a short position. Unfortunately, it’s hard to identify a dead cat bounce until after the fact.

Nonetheless, investors may want to know some of the signs of this price pattern, as it can help them gauge certain market movements.

Key Points

•   A dead cat bounce refers to a temporary price jump after a decline, often followed by another drop.

•   It is difficult to identify a dead cat bounce in real-time, making it challenging for investors to take advantage of it.

•   Dead cat bounces can occur in individual stocks, bonds, or entire markets.

•   Investors should be cautious when interpreting price movements and consider other factors before making investment decisions.

•   Active investors may use technical analysis and market indicators to help identify potential dead cat bounces.

What Is a Dead Cat Bounce?

The meaning of “dead cat bounce” comes from a bleak saying among traders that even a dead cat will bounce if it’s dropped from a high enough height.

Thus, when a security or market experiences a steady decline, and then appears to bounce back, only to decline again — it’s known as a dead cat bounce. The “recovery” doesn’t have a rhyme or reason; it’s merely part of a short-term market variation, perhaps driven by market sentiment or other economic factors.

Sometimes what appears to be a dead cat bounce can turn into a stock market crash.

A Dead Cat Bounce Is Specific

If you’re learning how to invest in stocks, bear in mind that a dead cat bounce is not used to describe the ups and downs of a typical trading day — it refers to a longer-term drop, rebound, and continued drop. The term wouldn’t apply to a security that’s continuing to grow in value. The revival must be brief, before the price continues to fall.

It’s also important to point out that this financial phenomenon can pertain to individual securities such as stocks or bonds, to stock trading as a whole, or to a market.

Why Identify a Dead Cat Bounce?

Even for experienced traders or short-term investors using sophisticated technical analysis, it can be difficult. Sometimes a rally is actually a rally; sometimes a drop indicates a bottom.

The point of trying to distinguish whether the rise in price will continue or reverse is because it can influence your strategy. If you have a short position, and you anticipate that a rally in stock price will end in a reversal, you may want to hold steady. If you think the rally will continue, you’ll want to exit a short position.

Example of a Dead Cat Bounce

To illustrate a dead cat bounce, let’s suppose company ABC trades for $70 on June 5, then drops in value to $50 per share over the next four months. Between Oct. 7 and Oct. 14, the price rises to $65 per share — but then starts to rapidly decline again on Oct. 15. Finally, ABC’s stock price settles at $30 per share on Oct. 16.

This pattern is how a dead cat bounce might appear in a real-life trading situation. The security quickly paused the decline for a swift revival, but the price recovery was temporary before it started falling again and eventually steadied at an even lower price.

History of Dead Cat Bounces

There are countless examples of the dead cat bounce pattern in stocks and other securities, as well as whole markets. One of the most recent affected the entire stock market during the Covid pandemic.

The U.S. stock market lost about 12% during one week in February 2020, and appeared to revive the following week with a 2% gain. But it turned out to be a false recovery, and the market dipped back down again until later that summer.

Why Does a Dead Cat Bounce Happen?

A dead cat bounce is often the result of investors believing the market or security in question has hit its low point and they try to buy in to ride the turnaround. It can also occur as a result of investors closing out short positions.

Since these trends aren’t driven by technical factors, that’s why the bounce is typically short-lived — usually lasting a couple of days, or maybe a couple of months on the outside.

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How to Spot A Dead Cat Bounce

Because a dead cat bounce is often an illusion of actual intrinsic value, investors may be tempted to jump on an investment opportunity before it makes sense to do so.

The following typical sequence of events may help an investor correctly identify a dead cat bounce as it might occur with a specific stock.

1. There is a gap down.

Typically the stock opens lower than the previous close, usually a significant amount like 5% (or perhaps 3% if the stock isn’t prone to volatility).

2. The security’s price steadily declines.

In a true dead cat bounce scenario, that initial gap down will be followed by a sustained decline.

3. The price sees a monetary gain for a short time.

At some point during the price drop, there will be a turnaround as the price appears to bounce back, close to its previous high.

4. A security’s price begins to regress again.

The rally is short, however, and the stock completes its dead cat bounce pattern with a final decline in price.

Dead Cat Bounce vs Other Patterns

How do you know whether the pattern you’re seeing is really a classic dead cat bounce versus other types of movements? Here are some clues.

Dead Cat Bounce or Rally?

One way to stay alert for a dead cat bounce with a particular stock is to consider whether the now-rising stock is still as weak as it was when its price was falling. If there’s no market indicator as to why the stock is rebounding, it might make sense to suspect a dead cat bounce.

Dead Cat Bounce or Lowest Price?

Since investors are looking for opportunities to profit, they try to find investment opportunities that allow them to buy low and sell high.

Therefore, when assessing investment opportunities, a successful investor might try to recognize emerging companies, and buy shares of their stock while the price is low and before other investors get wind of the lucrative company.

Since companies go through business cycles where stock prices fluctuate, pinpointing the lowest price point might be hard to determine. There’s no way to know if a dead cat bounce is happening, until the prices have resumed their descent.

Dead Cat Bounce or Bottom of a Bear Market?

Investors may also confuse a dead cat bounce for the actual bottom of a bear market. It’s not uncommon for stocks to significantly rebound after the bear market hits bottom.

History shows that the S&P 500 often sees substantial gains within the first few months of hitting bottom after a bear market. But these rallies have been sustained, and thus are not a dead cat bounce.

Investing Strategies to Avoid a Dead Cat Bounce

For investors who want a more hands-on investing approach — meaning active investing vs. passive — it’s generally better to use investing fundamentals to evaluate a security instead of attempting to time the market (and risk mistaking a dead cat bounce for an opportunity).

Investors who are just starting may want to consider building a portfolio of a dozen or so securities. Picking a few stocks allows investors to monitor performance while giving their portfolio a little diversification. This means the investor distributes their money across several different types of securities instead of investing all of their money in one security, which in turn can help to minimize risk.

Active investors could also consider selecting stocks across varying sectors to give their portfolio even more diversification instead of sticking to one niche.

Investors with restricted funds might consider investing in just a few stocks while offsetting risk by investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

For investors who would prefer not to execute an active investing strategy alone, they can speak with a professional manager. Working with a professional manager may help the investors better navigate the intricacies of various market cycles.

Limitations in Identifying a Dead Cat Bounce

As noted several times here, a dead cat bounce can’t really be identified with 100% certainty until after the fact. While some traders may believe they can predict a dead cat bounce by using certain fundamental or technical analysis tools, it’s impossible to do so every single time.

If there were a way to accurately predict market movements or different patterns, people would always try to time the market. But there are no crystal balls in investing, as they say.

The Takeaway

With 20-20 hindsight, investors and analysts can clearly see that an individual security or market has experienced a steady drop in value, a brief rebound, and then a further drop — a phenomenon known as a dead cat bounce.

Unfortunately, though, it can be too hard for most investors to distinguish between a dead cat bounce and a bona fide rally, or the bottom of a given market or security’s price. Still, knowing what to look for may help investors make more informed choices, especially when it comes to making a choice around keeping or closing out a short position.

For investors who want to take an active role in investing, an online trading platform like SoFi Invest® offers the opportunity to manage your money the way you want. When you open an Active Invest account with SoFi, you can trade stocks you’re familiar with or explore different investment opportunities, including IPO shares, fractional shares, and more.

Build your portfolio with SoFi Active Investing, starting with as little as $5.


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SoFi Invest refers to the two investment and trading platforms operated by Social Finance, Inc. and its affiliates (described below). Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of the platforms below.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA(www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above, including state licensure of SoFi Digital Assets, LLC, please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform. Information related to lending products contained herein should not be construed as an offer or pre-qualification for any loan product offered by SoFi Bank, N.A.

Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at [email protected]. Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing. Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.

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.

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Examining the Different Types of Student Loans

It’s not uncommon for students to use loans to help pay for their education. The average annual cost of tuition and fees at four-year institutions reached $10,940 for public in-state schools, $28,240 for out-of-state public schools, and $39,400 for private schools in 2022–23, College Board data shows.

The average undergraduate or graduate student typically needs education loans to help pay for the cost of college. The two major umbrellas to consider are federal student loans and private student loans. Federal student loans are backed by the U.S. Department of Education, while private student loans are offered through financial institutions, including banks, online lenders, and credit unions.

Knowing what types of student loans are available to you and understanding your student loan statement can help you figure out the best way to save money in the long run.

What Are The Different Types of Student Loans?

One of the first things to understand is the difference between federal and private student loans.

The U.S. Department of Education offers federal student loans at a fixed interest rate and with certain restrictions. Depending on borrower needs, students can qualify for either subsidized or unsubsidized federal loans (more on those, later). Federal student loans come with protections like income-driven repayment (IDR) options, deferment, forbearance, and access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan is one of the IDR options available to most federal student loan borrowers. The SAVE Plan can give you a $0 monthly payment if your income is within 225% of the federal poverty guideline (or less than $32,805 for a single borrower and $67,500 for a family of four in 2023).

For some students, federal student loans aren’t enough to cover the cost of a college education. Some turn to scholarships, grants, or a part-time job to fill in the gaps. Other students rely on private student loans, offered by lenders and financial institutions, to cover the cost of college. Private student loans are not eligible for IDR plans or PSLF.

💡 Quick Tip: When shopping for a private student loan lender, look for benefits that help lower your monthly payment.

Repay your way. Find the monthly
payment & rate that fits your budget.


Applying for Federal Student Loans

The first step in the federal student loan process is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). That may involve compiling your family financial history. Even students who don’t think they’ll qualify for financial aid should still fill out the FAFSA.

All federal student loans require the FAFSA first. And some schools use information from the FAFSA to determine eligibility for other types of aid like scholarships or grants.

After filling out the FAFSA, students may receive a financial aid package of grants, work study, and loans. Depending on your financial circumstances, the loans will either be subsidized or unsubsidized.

The Different Types of Federal Student Loans

Think of federal student loans as an overarching category. There are different types of federal student loans, each of which have different eligibility requirements, borrower maximums (or not), and interest rates. Understanding all of your options means you’ll be better prepared to determine the best way to finance your education.

The interest rates on newly issued federal student loans are fixed and set annually by a formula specified in the Higher Education Act of 1965.

For the 2023–24 school year, the interest rate on Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized loans for undergraduates is 5.50%. The rate on Direct Unsubsidized loans for graduate and professional students is 7.05%, while the rate on Direct PLUS loans for graduate students, professional students, and parents is 8.05%.

Federal student loan borrowers are typically expected to make loan payments when due. The 2023 debt ceiling bill officially ended the three-year Covid-19 forbearance, requiring federal student loan interest accrual to resume on Sept. 1 and payments to resume in October 2023.

Recommended: Private Student Loans vs. Federal Student Loans

Direct Subsidized vs Unsubsidized Loans

Federal Direct loans, also known as Stafford Loans, can be either subsidized or unsubsidized. With a subsidized student loan, the government will cover the accrued interest while the borrower is enrolled in school, during the grace period, and during any periods of deferment. Not having to pay interest on your loans during school can really help—especially since interest accrues and capitalizes, or gets added to the principal loan amount, and then accrues more interest. There are no subsidized federal loans for graduate students—only for undergrads.

The government does not pay the interest on unsubsidized Direct loans. That means, even while you’re in school, the loans are accruing interest. You don’t have to make payments on the loans while you’re a full-time student, but interest is building up. As the interest accrues, it is added to the loan’s principal.

That’s why it’s possible to have a higher remaining loan balance than the initial loan amount after graduation. Individuals with an unsubsidized student loan do have the option to make interest-only payments on the loan during periods of deferment, including while they’re in school, but are not required to do so.

Federal loans have fixed interest rates (that are set annually), meaning they don’t change over the life of the loan.

Recommended: Student Loan Grace Periods: What You Need to Know

Interest Capitalization and Federal Borrowing Limits

Individuals with an unsubsidized student loan do have the option to make interest-only payments on the loan during periods of deferment, including while they’re in school, but are not required to do so. A federal student loan borrower who exits a period of deferment on an unsubsidized loan may face capitalized interest.

Interest capitalization is when unpaid interest accrues over time and gets added to your principal loan balance. The U.S. Department of Education eliminated most instances of federal student loan interest capitalization effective July 2023.

Federal student loan borrowing limits vary depending on factors like your year in school and whether or not you are a dependent student. For example, first-year undergrads who are considered independent or whose parents are not able to take out parent loans have a maximum borrowing amount of $9,500 (of which only $3,500 can be subsidized) annually. The maximum for dependent students is $5,500 in their first year, with the same $3,500 cap on subsidized loans.

PLUS Loans

Direct PLUS loans can be borrowed directly by a graduate student, or Parent PLUS loans can be taken out by an undergrad’s parents. PLUS loans, in both forms, have the same benefits as other federal loans in that the interest rate is fixed and there are flexible repayment options.

Unlike other federal loans, PLUS loans require a credit check. They’re designed for graduate and professional students, who have had more time to build up a credit score. The maximum PLUS loan amount you can borrow is the full cost of tuition less any other financial assistance.

When taking out student loans for college, a lot of the options depend on your FAFSA and your family’s financial need or ability to pay. If you’re a dependent student, then there will likely be some expectation of parental contribution, and your parents may be offered the option of taking out Parent PLUS loans.

Parent PLUS loans are similar to Direct PLUS loans, except parents are expected to begin repaying the loan while the student is still in school—though they can request a deferment until graduation.

Direct Consolidation Loans

After graduation, students might have a number of different federal student loans. That can obviously be confusing. If you want to consolidate all federal loans into one place, then you may be able to pool them into a Direct Consolidation Loan. This allows you to only make one monthly payment toward all your federal student loans.

A Direct Consolidation Loan will not lower your overall interest rate. The interest rate on your new Direct Consolidation Loan is simply a weighted average of the interest rates, rounded up to the nearest eighth of a percent, of your existing federal loans. Consolidation could wipe out any history of payments you were making toward PSLF. Only federal loans can be consolidated with a Direct Consolidation Loan.

Private Student Loans

Students who don’t receive enough funding from the federal government may look to private student loans as an option to finance their education. Private loans are offered by banks, online lenders, and credit unions.

💡 Quick Tip: Federal student loans carry an origination or processing fee (1.057% for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans first disbursed from Oct. 1, 2020, through Oct. 1, 2024). The fee is subtracted from your loan amount, which is why the amount disbursed is less than the amount you borrowed. That said, some private student loan lenders don’t charge an origination fee.

Applying for Private Student Loans

Private lenders do not use the FAFSA to determine a potential borrower’s creditworthiness. Instead, students interested in borrowing private loans will fill out a loan application directly with a lender. Before applying, lenders will generally allow people to get a quote to see if they prequalify and at what rates. This can be helpful when evaluating different lenders.

The terms, interest rates, and borrowing limits on private loans may vary by lender. Lenders typically use factors like the borrower’s credit score to determine the interest rate they qualify for. When borrowing a private student loan you’ll generally have the option to choose between a fixed or variable interest rate.

Private lenders offer different student loan repayment options. Some offer deferment plans while the borrower is enrolled in school, and others require payments to start as soon as the loan is disbursed.

Another private student loan option is to consolidate or refinance your existing student loans after graduation. This might be beneficial if it lowers your interest rate and saves you money over the life of your loan. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term. Refinancing federal student loans with a private lender forfeits your access to PSLF, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, and federal IDR plans.

Understanding the Student Loan Statement

When you take out a loan, you sign a promissory note, which outlines the interest rate, loan amount, and repayment terms. If you hold federal student loans, when you graduate you select a repayment plan. If you don’t do anything, you’ll automatically be put on the Standard Repayment Plan.

For most federal loans, the Standard Repayment plan is a set monthly payment for up to 10 years. There are a few other repayment plans to choose from, including four income-driven repayment plans. The different plans allow you to pay back your loan over different time periods. The longer the repayment term, the more you’ll pay in interest over the life of the loan.

When you look at your student loan statement, you may see each loan listed as the total loan amount, how much principal remains, how much interest has accrued since your last payment, your current interest rate, and how much your current monthly payment is—in addition to any fees, such as late fees, you might owe.

The Benefits of Refinancing Student Loans

It’s possible to consolidate both federal and private student loans into one new loan when you refinance your student loanswith a private lender. If an applicant qualifies for a lower interest rate and a shorter term, it could reduce the amount of money paid in interest over the life of the loan. As mentioned earlier, you may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.

Make sure to weigh the benefits that come with your federal loans against the value of refinancing. When you refinance federal loans they will no longer be eligible for federal borrower protections.

The Takeaway

The two main categories of student loans are private and federal. Federal loans are awarded to students based on information they provide in their FAFSA annually. Federal loans issued since July 2006 have a fixed interest rate and are eligible for a variety of federal repayment plans.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.


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 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 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.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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Pros & Cons of Graduating From College Early

Graduating from college in three years, instead of the typical four, isn’t just a proposition for overachievers. Adding a few extra credits here or there over the semesters won’t just help get you out the door faster, it could also help you save on tuition and room and board.

Sounds great, right? Well, before you go filling up your class schedule with all your required courses, it might be worth considering whether graduating early is the right path for you both personally and financially. The average cost of undergraduate tuition, fees, and room and board across all U.S. postsecondary institutions stood at $26,903 in the 2021–22 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Americans owe about $1.77 trillion in federal and private student loans as of 2023. But, college isn’t only about dollars and cents and a final piece of paper.

Here are some key things to consider when deciding whether to graduate from college early and leave your student life behind.

Pro: You Could Start Grad School Sooner

If a master’s degree, medical school, law school, or another advanced degree path is in your future, completing your undergraduate work in three years may sound highly attractive. After all, you will be spending several more years in school to complete your higher education.

Just take care that your undergraduate grades remain up to snuff to increase your chances of placement in the graduate school of your choice.

💡 Quick Tip: Ready to refinance your student loan? You could save thousands.

Con: You May Miss Out on Learning Opportunities

By rushing through undergraduate general education classes, you may be tempted to do the bare minimum in order to pass.

But in doing so, you could be denying yourself valuable learning opportunities, and you could be missing out on subjects that interest you personally or professionally.

You might want to make sure your workload is heavy enough to graduate on your own timeline, yet light enough to actually soak in all that new knowledge—and that it allows you time to pursue new passions. Isn’t college all about trying new things?

Pro: You Can Enter the Workforce Sooner

By completing your degree sooner, you could enter the workforce earlier, which could help you start earning a salary ASAP.

Want to max out your post-collegiate earnings? Some degrees offer a better financial ROI than others.

If you are graduating college early and
need to pay off your student loans,
check out student loan refinancing.


Con: You May Miss Out on the Full College Experience

Sure, you could start working a year earlier, but while you’re at your job, all of your college buddies will be enjoying their senior year together. And it’s not just about partying. The extra year together might give you and your classmates more time to bond with one another and to network with peers and professors.

Those relationships can play an incredibly valuable role in the workforce down the road. This can also be true for internship opportunities, which you may not have time for as an ultra-full-time student trying to fit four years of work into three.

There are other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities you could miss out on, too, such as studying abroad. While some of your friends may be off learning both life and academic lessons around the world, you could be stuck on campus having to cram in all your credits to graduate early.

Pro: You Could Save Money

As mentioned earlier, the average cost of undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board across all U.S. postsecondary institutions stood at $26,903 in the 2021–22 school year.

If you graduated early, you could save a pretty penny by skipping an entire year of tuition, fees, and room and board. Prices for college tuition and fees increased 4.7% from February 2020 to February 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

When considering an ultra-full-time course load, don’t forget to calculate the cost of summer school, “overload” credits, and a year-round dorm.

Many schools have limits on the number of credit hours you can take at a time, and they may require you to get permission to go over the max (overload). You may also have to pay more for those credits.

Recommended: Living On Campus vs. Off Campus

Con: You May Have to Start Paying Off Student Loans Sooner

Most students who have taken out federal student loans have a six-month grace period before they need to begin repayment.

That means six months after you graduate (or drop out or drop below half-time enrollment), you will likely need to start paying back those loans. This is not necessarily a con, but keep it in mind and be prepared.

Refinancing your federal student loans with a private lender could give you a lower interest rate. However, you may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.

💡 Quick Tip: When rates are low, refinancing student loans could make a lot of sense. How much could you save? Find out using our student loan refi calculator.

Need Help With Those Student Loans?

Graduating from college early doesn’t eliminate your burden to repay any student loans you’ve borrowed. The 2023 debt ceiling bill officially ended the three-year Covid-19 forbearance, requiring federal student loan interest accrual to resume on Sept. 1, 2023, and payments to resume in October 2023.

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.

With SoFi, refinancing is fast, easy, and all online. We offer competitive fixed and variable rates.


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.


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.

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Student Loan Forbearance Extension: Can You Get It Extended?

Student Loan Forbearance Extension: Can You Get One?

Editor's Note: For the latest developments regarding federal student loan debt repayment, check out our student debt guide.

The 2023 debt ceiling bill officially ended the three-year Covid-19 forbearance of federal student loans. As a result, student loan interest accrual resumed on Sept. 1, 2023, and payments in October 2023.

Although the pandemic-related pause that began in March 2020 is no longer in effect, the Biden administration has implemented a temporary “on-ramp” protection. Any federal student loan borrower who received the Covid-19 forbearance relief will be eligible for the 12-month on-ramp protection automatically. This means you’ll be protected from having your federal student loans reported as delinquent if you fail to make any required loan payments from October 2023 through September 2024.

Below we highlight how the on-ramp protection works and how federal student loan borrowers may also benefit from the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

What Is a Student Loan Forbearance Extension?

Congress authorized the initial Covid-19 student loan forbearance in March 2020 when it passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act suspended federal student loan payments and federal student loan interest accrual through September 30, 2020.

Two presidential administrations — starting with the Trump administration — extended the Covid-19 forbearance through executive action. The Biden administration issued several extensions to the Covid-19 forbearance up until the 2023 debt ceiling bill ended the practice.

Federal student loan borrowers facing financial difficulties may request a general forbearance, and some borrowers may qualify for a mandatory forbearance. A general or mandatory forbearance can temporarily suspend making loan payments during an approved period.

Federal student loan forbearances typically have 12-month durations, but you can request an extension if you meet the requirements. The cumulative limit on a general forbearance is three years.

Recommended: What Is Student Loan Forbearance?

Will Student Loan Forbearance Be Extended?

The passage of the 2023 debt ceiling bill guarantees the Covid-19 forbearance will not be extended. Federal student loan interest accrual resumed Sept. 1, 2023, and borrowers are now expected to make required payments when due.

So the Covid-19 student loan forbearance will not be extended, and the Biden administration’s one-time student loan forgiveness plan under the HEROES Act will not take effect. The Supreme Court rejected Biden’s broad debt relief plan in June 2023, finding the HEROES Act did not authorize the program.

Although the Covid-19 forbearance will not be extended under the HEROES Act, the Biden administration has implemented temporary “on-ramp” protections.

If you’re covered by the on-ramp, you’re protected from having your federal student loans reported as delinquent or placed in default from October 2023 through September 2024. But federal student loan interest will still accrue during the on-ramp, so failing to pay may increase your student debt burden.


💡 Quick Tip: Ready to refinance your student loan? You could save thousands.

How to Extend or Pause Student Loan Payments in General

If you’re concerned about your ability to resume student loan payments beyond the temporary on-ramp protection, consider talking to your student loan servicer about:

•   General student loan forbearance

•   General student loan deferment

•   An income-driven repayment plan

•   Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)

Based on your income and family size, an IDR plan can set your student loan payments at an affordable repayment amount per month for you. There are four plans, which last for a certain number of years and forgive any remaining balance after that:

•   Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan

•   Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Plan

•   Income-Based Repayment Plan

•   Income-Contingent Repayment Plan

The SAVE Plan replaced the former REPAYE Plan in July 2023. If you were enrolled in the REPAYE Plan at that time, you’ve been automatically enrolled in the SAVE Plan.

The SAVE Plan can give you a $0 monthly payment if your income is within 225% of the federal poverty guideline (or less than $32,805 for a single borrower and $67,500 for a family of four in 2023).

Another benefit to the SAVE Plan is that your loan balance won’t grow over time if your monthly payment amount is less than the interest accruing.

Refinancing

It’s possible to consolidate both federal and private student loans into one new loan when you refinance your student loans with a private lender. If an applicant qualifies for a lower interest rate and a shorter term, it could reduce the amount of money paid in interest over the life of the loan. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.


💡 Quick Tip: Refinancing could be a great choice for working graduates who have higher-interest graduate PLUS loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and/or private loans.

Alternative Student Loan Financing Options

As you’re thinking about college funding, keep this in mind: You can choose from a number of college financing options, including scholarships, grants, and private student loans:

•   Scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on merit or need, and students do not need to repay them. Students can get scholarships through businesses, colleges, and other organizations. There are online scholarship search tools that can help you find opportunities you might be eligible for.

•   Direct PLUS Loans. Direct PLUS Loans can help graduate or professional students pay for college. They can also help parents of dependent undergraduate students pay for their child’s college education. You might want to consider a parent PLUS loan refi to a lower rate if you’re repaying a PLUS loan.

•   Grants. Students can get grants from states, the federal government, a public body, and/or other organizations to pay for college.

•   Private student loans. Private student loans are given by commercial lenders, not the U.S. Department of Education. Unlike most federal student loans, you will undergo a credit check and possibly have to get a cosigner to sign on the loan with you.

The Takeaway

The Covid-19 forbearance is no longer in effect and won’t be extended under the HEROES Act. This means federal student loan borrowers are generally expected to make required loan payments when due. (A temporary on-ramp protection from October 2023 through September 2024 may protect you from typical delinquency impacts, but it won’t stop your interest from accruing.)

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.


With SoFi, refinancing is fast, easy, and all online. We offer competitive fixed and variable rates.

FAQ

How do I know when my student loan payments will resume?

Federal student loan payments resumed in October 2023. You may receive billing statements from your federal loan servicer going forward.

What does student loan forbearance mean?

Forbearance means a borrower can temporarily suspend making loan payments during an approved period. There are two main types of forbearance for federal student loans: general and mandatory. This does not include the former Covid-19 forbearance, which ended as required under the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

What are income-driven repayment plans?

An alternative to forbearance, income-driven repayment plans can set your monthly loan payments at an affordable amount for you. There are four plans. Each lasts a certain number of years and forgives any remaining balance after that. Beginning in July 2024, borrowers with original principal balances of less than $12,000 can have their remaining loan balance forgiven after 10 years of monthly qualifying payments under the SAVE Plan.


Photo credit: iStock/Andrea Migliarini

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 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 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.

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What Determines Student Loan Refinance Rates?

What Determines Student Loan Refinance Rates?

Private lenders that refinance student loans base rates they offer on the loan term, the borrower’s risk profile, and a rate index. Typically, the most financially stable applicants get the lowest rates.

When the goal is a lower rate, lower monthly payments, or both, the fixed or variable rate you qualify for makes all the difference. (You can also get a lower rate by refinancing with an extended term, but if you do so you may pay more interest over the life of the loan.)

Here’s a look at what you need to know about how interest rates for student loan refinances work.

Student Loan Refinancing, Explained

When you refinance, you take out a new private loan and use it to pay off your existing federal or private student loans. The new loan will have a new repayment term and interest rate, which hopefully will be better.

Most refinancing lenders offer fixed or variable interest rates and terms of five to 20 years. Shortening or lengthening your existing student loan term or terms can affect your monthly payment and the total cost of your new loan. The two key ways to save money by refinancing are:

•   A shorter repayment term

•   A lower rate

Then again, someone wanting lower monthly payments might choose a longer term, but that may result in more interest paid over the life of the loan.

There are no fees to refinance student loans. Nor is there any limit to the number of times you can refinance. Lenders will want to see a decent credit score, a stable income, and manageable debt. Adding a cosigner may strengthen your profile.

Refinancing federal student loans into a private student loan renders federal benefits moot.

Is Consolidation the Same as Refinancing?

Student loan consolidation and refinancing are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not technically the same thing. In general, consolidation means combining multiple loans to create one simplified payment. However, student loan consolidation most often refers to a federal program that allows you to combine multiple types of federal student loans into a single loan. The new loan will have a new term of up to 30 years, but the new rate will not be lower.

Refinancing of student loans is offered by private lenders, such as banks and credit unions. Federal and/or private student loans are refinanced into a new loan that ideally has a better rate; you can refinance a single loan, or consolidate multiple loans into a single new loan through this refinancing process.


💡 Quick Tip: Ready to refinance your student loan? With SoFi’s no-fee loans, you could save thousands.

What Are Interest Rates?

Interest rates are the amount lenders charge individuals to borrow money. When you take out a loan, you must pay back the amount you borrowed, plus interest, usually represented by a certain percentage of the loan principal (the amount you have remaining to pay off).

When interest rates are high, borrowing money is more expensive. And when interest rates are low, borrowing can be cheaper.

Interest rates can be fixed, variable, or a hybrid. For fixed interest rates, lenders set the rate at the beginning of the loan, and that rate will not change over the life of the loan.

A variable interest rate is indexed to a benchmark interest rate. As that benchmark rises or falls, so too will the variable rate on your loan. Variable-rate loans may be best for short-term loans that you can pay off before interest rates have a chance to rise.

Hybrid rates may start out with a fixed interest rate for a period of time, which then switches to a variable rate.

How Is Interest Rate Different From APR?

While interest rates refers to the monthly amount you’ll need to pay to borrow money, annual percentage rate (APR) represents your interest rate for an entire year and any other costs and fees associated with the loan.

As a result, APR gives you a better sense of exactly how expensive a loan might be, and helps when comparing loan options.

What Factors Influence Student Loan Interest Rates?

Interest rates for federal student loans are set by Congress each year. Federal loans use the 10-year Treasury note as an index for interest rates. These rates apply to all borrowers.

Private lenders, on the other hand, will look at other factors when determining interest rates, such as credit score and credit history. Their interest rates are not governed by legislation so rates can be higher or lower than the federal one, depending on the type of loan and terms. Prevailing interest rates, however, still play a big factor since they change annually.

Typically, lenders see those with higher scores as more likely to pay off their loans on time, and may reward this with lower interest rates. Lenders see borrowers with lower scores as being at greater risk of defaulting on their loans. To offset the risk, they tend to offer higher interest rates.

Some lenders offer a rate discount if you sign up for their autopay program.

What Drives Student Loan Refinancing Rates?

Student loan refinancing rates are driven by many of the same factors that drive rates on your initial loan, such as credit score and credit history. You may want to consider refinancing during this era of low rates or if your financial situation has improved. For example, if you’ve increased your income or you’ve paid off other debts and your credit score received a boost, you may look into refinancing your loans at a lower interest rate.

Many graduates haven’t had much time to build a credit history. A cosigner with good credit may help an individual qualify for a refinance at a lower rate. Cosigners share responsibility for loan payments, of course. So if you miss a payment, they’ll be on the hook.

Refinance Student Loans With SoFi

You might choose to refinance student loans when interest rates are relatively low or your financial situation has improved, potentially providing access to a new private student loan at a lower rate.

Refinancing may be a good move for borrowers with higher-interest private student loans and those with federal student loans who don’t plan to use federal programs like income-driven repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or forbearance.

A student loan refinancing calculator can help you determine how much you might save by refinancing your student loans.

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.

With SoFi, refinancing is fast, easy, and all online. We offer competitive fixed and variable rates.

FAQ

How are student loan refinancing rates calculated?

Lenders base interest rates largely on factors like an applicant’s credit history, income, debt, and prevailing interest rates which change annually.

Does refinancing save you money?

When you refinance your student loans with a new loan at a lower interest rate, you will pay less interest over the life of the loan, given the same or similar loan terms.

What is an average interest rate for student loans?

The average interest rate among all student loans, federal and private, is 5.8%, according to Education Data Initiative researchers. Private student loan rates have a wide range for fixed- and variable-rate loans and generally range from 4% to 15%.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the interest rate on Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized loans for undergraduates is 5.50%, the rate on Direct Unsubsidized loans for graduate and professional students is 7.05%, and the rate on Direct PLUS loans for graduate students, professional students, and parents is 8.05%. The interest rates on federal student loans are fixed and are set annually by Congress.


Photo credit: iStock/Kateryna Onyshchuk
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.


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.

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