Need to consolidate student loan debt?
When paying your college loans becomes a burden and you want to consolidate student loan debt, contact American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) first.
We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people get out of debt and make smart choices about student debt relief. While it may be a good idea to consolidate student loan debt, there may be other options available that make more financial sense for you. Our counselors can help you understand the pros and cons of all the student loan services that are available to you, and if you choose to consolidate student loan debt, we’ll show you how to consolidate student loans most effectively.
How to consolidate student loan debt.
Student loan consolidation essentially involves creating a new loan to pay off multiple older loans. This can make your student loans payment easier, as you have just one payment to make each month.
Most federal loans are eligible for Direct Consolidation through federal programs, and there is no application fee to consolidate your federal education loans. To qualify to consolidate student loan debt, you must have at least one Direct or FFEL program loan in a grace period or repayment.
To consolidate student loan debt from private education loans, you would need to consult a loan consolidation company.
Pros and cons when you consolidate student loan debt.
The pros: when you consolidate student loan debt, you can lower your monthly payments by increasing the amount of time you have to pay the loan back. You may also have access to other repayment options. If you have loans with variable interest rates, consolidating to a federal Direct Consolidation Loan will convert the interest rate to a fixed rate for the life of the loan, creating more financial stability and resulting in a lower monthly payment.
The cons: when you consolidate student loan debt, you’ll lose any benefits offered by the previous loans. These may include rate discounts, rebates, or forgiveness options. Plus, it’s impossible to un-consolidate loans, as the older individual loans are considered paid off and are no longer in existence.
If you decide not to consolidate student loan debt, your ACCC counselor can fill you in on other options available to you, including:
- Federal student loan forgiveness
- Income-based repayment plans
- Deferral and forbearance options
Contact ACCC today to learn more about how to consolidate student loan debt.
