SoFi Blog

Tips and news—
for your financial moves.

How the Fed rate hike impacts student loans

Here’s What the Fed Rate Hike Means for Student Loan Rates

One of the best things about earning a degree in the United States is that students can borrow money to go to school. One of the worst things about borrowing that money? Paying it back—with interest. And now, with the news that the Federal Reserve has increased the target range of the Federal Funds rate by 25 basis points, you’re probably starting to sweat over whether the student loan payments that already tax your budget every month will go even higher.

But instead of simply stressing and hoping for the best, you can make an informed decision about what’s right for your financial future—and we want to help., Below, we’ve identified four steps you can take to get centered and make the right move on the heels of the announcement.

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Interview with Walmart pharmacist Ashley Holmes about refinancing student loans

Ask Your Pharmacist: Ashley Holmes on Balancing $120K Student Debt With Work & Family Life

In our latest SoFi member spotlight, we celebrate National Pharmacist Day with member Ashley Holmes, who explains how a teenage passion for chemistry led her to work as a Walmart pharmacist. After seven years of college, which left her with $120,000 of student loan debt, Ashley today successfully balances the professional demands of the only employer she’s ever known with the challenges of paying off her student loans, owning a home, and starting a family.

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sofi wealth, market commentary

Signs of Expansion – Week of January 11, 2017

So far the world is living up to the hype of a post-election economic expansion. Economies are large, inertial systems and there is little doubt that the seeds of the current uptick in activity were laid several months ago. Regardless, the upward revisions in expected growth and inflation after the election of Donald Trump continue to be vindicated as the data fits the narrative. We are beginning to hear more about increased uncertainty surrounding Trump’s economic policies but our experience is that economic forecasters always view the world as “unusually” uncertain.

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What a Trump presidency means for student loans

What a Donald Trump Presidency Means for Student Loans

With the world’s longest election campaign season finally behind us, people across the country are trying to understand what a Donald Trump presidency means for them. If you’re one of the 40 million Americans with student loans, that means taking a closer look at President Trump’s statements about the runaway growth of college tuition and student loan debt, and his proposed plans to remedy the problems.

And if you missed our CEO Mike Cagney’s recent article in Business Insider discussing how the student loan industry will change this year, we recommend checking it out.

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Top 5 Tips for Refinancing Student Loans in 2019

Top 5 Tips for Refinancing
Student Loans in 2019

It’s a new year—and the perfect time to take a fresh look at your student loans. With recent changes in the financial landscape, now is a great time to consider a change if you are one of the 40MM+ individuals with student debt. Refinancing and consolidating student loans can be a financial game changer: You can pay your debt in a single monthly payment and potentially lower your rates—meaning less interest and more peace of mind.

Here are our top five tips to help you navigate and understand student loan refinancing.

1

Know Your Loans

Make sure to take inventory of the current loans you have. Which lenders are they with? Are they private or federal loans? What’s the balance owed and the interest rate for each loan? It’s important to know where you are today to better evaluate your best options for student loan refinancing. For example, the Federal Direct Loan consolidation program won’t let you combine your private and federal student loans to a single payment or interest rate. You should also understand what deferment and forgiveness benefits are, and if they’re applicable to your loan and circumstances. Check out these helpful tips on consolidating federal and private student loans.

2

Do the Math

In order to better understand how much you’ll benefit from refinancing, it’s best to know your numbers: Specifically, the overall balance owed and average interest rates across both your federal and private loans. Once you have that info, you can use an online Student Loan Calculator to see how refinancing will impact your current situation and the monthly and lifetime savings you can expect (if applicable).

3

Understand Fixed vs. Variable Rates

This is important, as most lenders will offer both fixed and variable interest rate options when refinancing student loans. Which one should you choose?It depends: Do you want your rate to stay constant long-term or start out low and adjust incrementally? Head over to our fixed vs. variable rates page for a helpful overview of fixed and variable rates to see what best suits your needs.

4

Choose a Lender

When it comes to choosing a lender for student loan refinancing, you’ve got options. There are many helpful articles and online resources to find the right lender for you, but ultimately you’ll want to find a refinancing partner that offers a competitive rate. Additional benefits can also be helpful—like payment deferral (in case of job loss), career coaching, or discounts on other financial products that can save you money. Here are a few sites that may be helpful in finding the best match for your student loan refinancing: Student Loan Hero, Magnify Money, and
Lendedu
.

5

Lock In Your Rate

The sooner you refinance your student loans, the quicker you can start meeting your financial goals with a simpler monthly bill or a lower interest rate. So don’t wait—make 2019 the year for action. Check your rate in 2 minutes.

Student Loan Calculator

Learn how you could lower your monthly payments and save on total interest when you refinance student loans with SoFi.

Calculate Savings

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