Interest rates have been at historic lows. But as certain signs show interest rates may be beginning to climb, is it a good time to refinance student loans?
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Editor’s Note: Since the writing of this article, the Biden administration has extended the pause on federal student loan repayment through December 31, 2022.
The federal student loan payment pause ends after Aug. 31, 2022. The question on many minds is: Will monthly payments be exactly what they were before the Covid-19 emergency relief measure kicked in?
“Yes, the amount will be the same,” said Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance.
So it seems that people with federal student loans will be picking up where they left off when they get the first bill in September, even if they made a payment or more during the pause.
The Department of Education has already made changes in repayment for people who have public service jobs, and more changes could be on the way.
Also, now, more than ever, loan restructuring can be a path to lower payments.
It’s important to be prepared for the end of federal student loan relief. Staying tuned to the latest developments on the student loan front will help, too.
As of March 2021, only 500,000 Direct Loan borrowers, among all 42.9 million federal student loan holders, had continued making payments during the federal student loan payment holiday, which began on March 13, 2020.
For them, the question is: Will my student loan payment be smaller?
No. The monthly payment amount will not be reduced because you made payments during the pause, Buchanan said. However, such payments are expected to reduce the number of months or years required to pay off the loan.
During the payment and interest holiday, the full amount of any federal student loan payment made was to be applied to the principal balance, once any interest that had accrued before March 13, 2020, was paid.
To find out the length of your loan and get any other answers, contact your loan servicer. It’s possible you will have a different company to deal with than you had before the pause.
Millions of borrowers, for example, are to send their federal student loan payments to new loan servicers as FedLoan Servicing, Navient, and Granite State cease their contracts.
Buchanan said the automatic transitions are going smoothly.
If you have any uncertainties about your loan, contact the company, Buchanan said. Waiting until September is not the best idea, since a lot of people will be seeking answers. The financial cliff won’t be less daunting the longer you wait.
The first place to try is your loan servicer. But if you’re not sure who that is, call 800-433-3243.
During the long forbearance, the government not only deferred payments but waived interest on federal student loans. At the same time, interest rates on refinanced loans with private lenders remained near historic lows (they have since started to rise).
For some people, this is creating an interesting choice.
Student loan refinancing can decrease monthly payments, depending on the terms of the loan. By refinancing federal student loans, though, borrowers forgo federal student loan forgiveness programs and income-driven repayment plans.
President Biden has forgiven nearly $10 billion in federal student loan debt since taking office. And he campaigned on canceling $10,000 in federal student loans across the board. But that proposal hasn’t gone anywhere, despite many calls for specifics.
Private student loans have not been included in the proposals or actions.
Federal student loan holders will see no change in payment amount after Aug. 31, 2022, when the payment holiday ends. It’s a good time to look at rates you’re paying on your loans and to see if loan restructuring could help.
Photo credit: iStock/Prostock-Studio
SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are looking to refinance federal student loans, please be aware that the White House has announced up to $20,000 of student loan forgiveness for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 for qualifying borrowers whose student loans are federally held. Additionally, the federal student loan payment pause and interest holiday has been extended beyond December 31, 2022. Please carefully consider these changes before refinancing federally held loans with SoFi, since the amount or portion of your federal student debt that you refinance will no longer qualify for the federal loan payment suspension, interest waiver, or any other current or future benefits applicable to federal loans. If you qualify for federal student loan forgiveness and still wish to refinance, leave unrefinanced the amount you expect to be forgiven to receive your federal benefit.
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Notice: SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income-Driven Repayment plans, including Income-Contingent Repayment or PAYE. SoFi always recommends that you consult a qualified financial advisor to discuss what is best for your unique situation.
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.
How will the federal student loan forgiveness plan change your loan payments in 2023? Read on for the latest information about federal loan repayment.
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1 30-YEAR Payment Example: The payment for a 30-year term, loan amount $362000.00, Rate 5.875%, LTV 80% is $2141.00 for full Principal and Interest Payments with $6030.92 due at closing. The Annual Percentage Rate is 6.117%. No prepayment penalty. Payment shown does not include taxes and insurance. The actual payment amount will be greater. Interest rates and annual percentage rates (APRs) are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice.
2 20-YEAR Payment Example: The payment for a 20-year term, loan amount $362000.00, Rate 5.750%, LTV 80% is $2542.00 for full Principal and Interest Payments with $6041.78 due at closing. The Annual Percentage Rate is 6.072%. No prepayment penalty. Payment shown does not include taxes and insurance. The actual payment amount will be greater. Interest rates and annual percentage rates (APRs) are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice.
3 15-YEAR Payment Example: The payment for a 15-year term, loan amount $362000.00, Rate 5.125%, LTV 80% is $2886.00 for full Principal and Interest Payments with $4901.48 due at closing. The Annual Percentage Rate is 5.474%. No prepayment penalty. Payment shown does not include taxes and insurance. The actual payment amount will be greater. Interest rates and annual percentage rates (APRs) are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice.
4 10-YEAR Payment Example: The payment for a 10-year term, loan amount $362000.00, Rate 5.250%, LTV 80% is $3884.00 for full Principal and Interest Payments with $5194.70 due at closing. The Annual Percentage Rate is 5.767%. No prepayment penalty. Payment shown does not include taxes and insurance. The actual payment amount will be greater. Interest rates and annual percentage rates (APRs) are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice.
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