Should You Consolidate Your Student Loans? Here’s What You Need to Know

You’ve worked hard for your education, but now the bills are rolling in — and they’re coming from three different loan servicers with four separate due dates. Juggling multiple federal and private loans, along with varying student loan interest rates, can feel overwhelming. 

It also comes with many, many questions. For example: 

• Is it worth losing federal protection just to get a lower student loan payment?
• Will I save money now only to pay thousands more in the long run?
• Which path actually offers a lower interest rate?

Student loan consolidation is a powerful option, but it requires careful thought. The good news is that with clear guidance from a trusted financial team, this complex decision can become simple. So before you commit to one new payment, let's explore what happens to your student loan terms when you sign on that dotted line.

What Does It Mean to Consolidate Your Student Loans?

The term “student loan consolidation” describes the process of taking several existing loans and combining them into a single, new loan with one student loan interest rate and one monthly payment.

This move simplifies your repayment schedule, but it's crucial to understand that there are two very different paths to consolidation, each with unique consequences for your interest rate and your borrower benefits.

Path One: Federal Direct Consolidation Loan

This option combines only your federal loans and is managed by the government. The main goal is to simplify your payments and access specific federal programs.

• What it's for: This option is only for federal student loans.
• How it works: The government issues a new loan that pays off all your old federal loans. It changes the number of payments and your service provider.
• Interest rate: The new interest rate is the weighted average of your existing federal rates, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of a percent. This means a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan will likely not lower your interest rate.
• Main benefit: The primary advantage is access to benefits, such as income-driven repayment plans (IDR), and the ability to maintain eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Path Two: Private Loan Consolidation (Refinancing)

This path involves getting a new loan from a private lender to pay off your old loans, often to secure better terms.

• What it's for: This option is available for both federal and private loans, offered by private lenders, such as banks and credit unions.
• How it works: A new private loan is issued to pay off your old loans. When you consolidate federal loans into a private loan, this is called refinancing.
• Main benefit: The major advantage is a single, potentially lower student loan payment with a better interest rate, depending heavily on your credit score and current income.
  
• Key distinction: Private refinancing offers the chance for a lower student loan interest rate. Federal consolidation does not usually provide this benefit.

3 Key Questions to Ask Before You Consolidate Your Student Loans

Before you move forward with any student loan consolidation option, you need to understand your primary goals and the potential trade-offs. 

Taking a moment to ask and answer these three questions can save you thousands of dollars or prevent you from losing crucial borrower benefits.

Question 1: Are you trying to lower your interest rate, your payment, or both?

The specific goal you’re trying to accomplish while paying off student debt will determine your path. You need to be clear about whether you are prioritizing long-term savings or immediate cash flow.

• If you want a lower interest rate, private refinancing is your only viable path. Federal consolidation does not typically reduce your rate. To qualify for the best rates from a private lender, you'll generally need a good to excellent credit score and stable income.
• If you want a lower student loan payment, both federal and private options can help by extending your repayment term. Although extending the term will lower your monthly payment, private refinancing often secures a better interest rate, potentially saving you more money overall compared to the federal option.

Question 2: Do you have federal loans you might need to protect?

This is arguably the most crucial decision point, especially if you have Federal Direct Loans. 

Here is the crucial point to understand. If you have federal loans and consolidate them with a private lender (refinancing), you permanently forfeit important federal protections, including:

• IDR plans that adjust your monthly payment based on your income.
• Generous forbearance and deferment options that can pause payments during financial hardship.
• Eligibility for PSLF and other federal student loan forgiveness programs.

If your career path involves public service or you anticipate needing flexible payment options in the future, you should stick to a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan. Alternatively, you could choose to only consolidate your private loans, leaving your federal loans separate to protect their benefits.

Question 3: Do you understand the long-term cost?

The immediate benefit of a lower student loan payment often comes with a hidden cost: paying more interest over time.

Consider this trade-off: Although you might get a lower monthly payment now, extending your repayment term—for example, stretching a 10-year loan to a 20-year term—means you'll be paying interest for a decade longer. 

This could result in paying thousands of dollars more in total interest over the life of the loan. 

Your Next Step to a Simplified Payment Is Right Here 

Student loan consolidation is a powerful tool for taking control of your debt, but it requires careful thought. 

Ultimately, the decision comes down to your priorities: Do you need the security of federal protections, or are you prioritizing the lowest possible student loan payment and interest rate?

Whether you decide to consolidate your federal loans, refinance your private loans with a competitive local rate, or simply stick with your current plan, the goal is the same: to find a repayment strategy that works for your budget and helps you feel more secure. 

If you’re a member in the Mahoning Valley and are ready to explore your options, our local lending team is here to talk. Schedule a meeting with our friendly team today!