Repay student loan debt with help from ACCC.
When you’re finding it hard to repay student loan debt, American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) can help. We’re a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping people regain control of their finances, pay off debts and plan for a debt-free future.
In a free credit counseling session, our certified credit counselors will walk you through all the ways you have to repay student loan balances as well as other options for managing student loans such as deferment and forbearance or loan forgiveness. We will help you understand all your options for student loan assistance and determine the best way to repay student loan obligations.
Ways to repay student loan balances.
If your student loan payments are preventing you from reaching your financial goals, there are many options available to you.
It may be possible to change your repayment plan in order to lower your monthly payment. Repayment plans include:
- A standard repayment plan with fixed payments of at least $50 per month, over a period of time up to 10 years.
- A graduated repayment plan, enabling you to repay student loan debt with payments that start low and grow larger over time.
- An extended repayment plan, enabling you to repay student loan obligations over as many as 25 years to lower your monthly payment.
- An income-based repayment plan, where payments are based on the amount of your income and may change as your income changes.
Another way to repay student loan debt is through student debt consolidation. When you consolidate student loan balances, multiple loans are combined into a single loan, possibly lowering your monthly payments, converting variable interest rates to a fixed rate, and giving you access to other student loan repayment options. Federal loans may be consolidated through a Direct Consolidation program, while private loans must be consolidated through student loan consolidation companies or a lending institution.
What if you can’t repay student loan obligations?
If you cannot repay student loan debt through a payment plan or by consolidating student loans, you may be eligible for forgiveness, deferment or forbearance.
You may qualify for student loan forgiveness programs if you work for a government agency or if you enter certain fields such as teaching, the military, healthcare, or public service.
Under debt and forbearance plans, you may be able to suspend payments on your student loans for a period of time until you are more financially secure.
Your ACCC credit counselor will explain each option in detail and help you make the decision that is right for your financial goals.
Learn more about ways to repay student loan debt, and find a free student loan calculator in the education section of ACCC’s website.
