How to Pay Off Student Loans Fast? 8 Tips to Pay Off Student Debt

By: Phoebe Bulotano, Tony Agida - @inquirerdotnet

Inquirer Los Angeles / 08:53 AM June 01, 2022

It’s graduation season, and graduates look forward to starting their careers. To get off to a quick career start, paying off your student loans fast should be your top priority. If you are reading this, you are probably searching for tips on paying off your student loans faster. Luckily, you are in the right place.

There are multiple benefits to paying off your student loans quickly. It aids your savings plan, clears off your student loan debt, and sets the tone for other financial goals like purchasing a house. These reasons are why you want to start your student loan repayment as quickly as possible.

You will need essential tips for clearing up your debt to pay off your student loans. These are strategies that can aid your student loan repayment. First, please give me some information on these strategies. You can read on to acquire these strategies for paying off your student loans quickly.

8 Tips on Paying Off Your Student Loans

In clearing your student loan debt, you need to start a budget. All things considered, a budget will act as your financial guide in organizing your expenses. A sizeable number of people need a financial budget.

As a result, the absence of a budget leads to a misappropriation of funds. The most efficient income management method starts with adhering to your planned budget.

With a budget, you can start an income-driven repayment plan. A budget helps you assess your cash flow and allocates your income towards necessary bills and needs. To pay off student loans faster, you need a budget that looks at your payment options.

Following a budget provides the choice to cut expenses and save money. Additionally, it leaves you with extra cash for paying off student loans, thus making you debt-free.

If you adhere to your budget, you will quickly pay off your student loans. As a student, you can also follow a budget. It will set you on the right path in managing your finances. There are budget calculators and applications available for planning your budget.

Know Your Student Loan Payoff Date

One important tip that will act as an effective strategy in paying off student loans is to know your loan payoff date. Please take utmost care in recording your biweekly or monthly payment dates. This habit will help you keep track of your student loan balance and interest rates.

There are student loan payment apps that help you record payoff dates. Knowing your payoff dates gives you a real sense of your student loans.

Assess Your Student Loan Repayment Choices

In repaying your loans, there are factors to consider:

The type of student loan debt (federal student loans or private student loans)
Its repayment affordability
Your financial target

Your type of student loan debt determines how you will repay your loans. Federal student loans can be advantageous to you, depending on your finances, while the same goes for private student loans.

The flexibility of payment options is one popular denominator in paying off student loans. Some people prefer shorter payment plans, while others prefer longer repayment plans.

The affordability of your student loan repayment also plays a big role in clearing up your debt. Your debt-to-income ratio determines how you will pay off your loans. Student loans with high-interest rates might pose a challenge in their repayment. Please make sure your finances are good enough to pay off your loans. Income-driven repayment plans and budgetary allocations assist your repayment plan efficiently.

Your financial target sets the tone for clearing up your student loan debt. It provides a clear pathway for assessing your options in easing off your loans. If you have future purchases, such as a car or a house, you would want to pay off your loans quickly. A repayment plan with a short payment period will be suitable for rapidly paying your student loans.

Make Extra Loan Payments

Making extra loan payments sets the tone for decreasing your principal balance. It is one of the fastest methods of paying off loans. If you pay only the minimum monthly, you accumulate interest rates and extend your payment period.

You have the option of directing your loan servicer to apply your extra payments to your current balance, as a result reducing your principal balance.

However, your loan servicer might add your extra payments to the next month’s payment, which will extend your due date, and you won’t be able to pay off your student loan faster. You have to direct your loan servicer to retain the next month’s due date and add the extra money to your current loan balance.

It is advised only to make fortnightly payments if you have single rather than multiple loans. Try to pay off the loans consecutively if you have various loans: from the smallest to the largest. You must also be consistent in your monthly payments to maintain repayment duration.

Example

If you have a loan amount of $30,000 (It could be made up of multiple student loans.)
With a 5.30 % loan interest rate (around the industry average) and a 10-year loan term (usually the average loan repayment period offered), your monthly payment would be $323.00.
Due to the interest rates, your total loan repayment would be $38,714.00, which is $8,714 more than the original loan amount, which seems quite steep!
But if you decide to pay 30% extra money than your monthly payment (which is $96.90), it would put your monthly payment at $419.90−which means you can pay off your loan in 8 years and save $2544 in interest over that period. With this repayment plan, you can make better financial decisions.
Hence, if you pay $30 more than your monthly minimum payment, you’d pay off your loan faster than originally planned.
This habit proffers better loan repayment options for clearing your student debt and easing your loan balance.

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Take Advantage of Low-Interest Rates

Some student loan Servicers offer lower lending rates if you use auto-pay. Automatic payments are timed deductions from the borrower’s bank account. Usually, federal student loans can provide interest rate reductions when you use auto-pay. Some private student loan lenders also offer auto-pay lending rate discounts.

An interest rate discount of 4.25% to 4.00% on a $30,000 over a 10-year loan term will save you $108 yearly. This amount offers an advantage in helping you repay loans.

Some private loan servicers provide interest rate discounts on reaching certain criteria by consistent loan payments or taking additional loans. Always ask loan servicers for interest rate discounts on your costs. Please make sure you take advantage of this service.

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Carry out Biweekly Payments

An efficient method of paying off your student loans fast is to make semiweekly payments rather than monthly payments, which means that you make two payments per month.

With this strategy, you will pay one extra payment per year: equaling a 13-month amount (26 weeks’ worth of expenses) rather than the common 12-month payment due to paying once a month.

It also helps you reduce your interest rate costs and save more money. Please ensure you inquire about this method to your loan provider to determine its availability. However, you can make extra principal payments if this option isn’t available.

Fortnightly payments also provide the option of skipping payment due to budgetary constraints. There are biweekly student loan payment calculators that can assist your planning.

Make Enquiries on Loan Forgiveness and Reimbursement Programs

You can also ask about student loan forgiveness programs to get your student loans forgiven.

People, who work in public service, have the option of obtaining public service loan forgiveness (PSLF). However, they have to make consistent payments for ten years. This process equals 120 consistent monthly payments. The criteria for this program are strict, so please ensure you are well-researched on its rules.

A licensed financial professional might advise you to refrain from depending on student loan forgiveness programs due to their difficulty obtaining them and their strict criteria.

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Plan Your Student Loan Refinancing

An essential strategy is student loan refinancing. However, you should thoroughly research it to determine the right option.

Picking this option means combining your existing loans into a single loan and having it paid off by a lender. Then, you have to pay off this personal loan given by the new lender.

Refinancing means receiving a new loan at a lower interest rate. This method provides you with the option of a lower interest rate over a shorter repayment period. It is usually offered as a single private loan to aid you in clearing your student debt faster.

Refinancing student loans makes you pay more money monthly across a shorter period. It is used to clear up multiple student debts and provide a lower interest rate when compared to your previous loans. So as you know, you need a good credit score to qualify for refinancing.

There is also the option of loan consolidation, which means combining all your loans to get an interest rate that reflects your average loan payment interest rate. This option streamlines your loan repayment.

If you refinance your loans, you will lose access to federal government programs like income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness. Please refinance your loans only to get an improved lower interest rate. If you are offered other terms with fancy names, please don’t hesitate to reject them. It could become a bad deal for you.

Take Advantage of Pay Raises and Tax Refunds

One important tip is always to apply for extra or “found money” to pay off your student loans. Most people spend their pay raises on frivolous expenses. One best ways to utilize your pay raise is to clear up your debts.

If you feel uncomfortable spending all that extra cash on your student debt, use 50% and allocate the other 50% to your remaining expenses.

With your increased pay, you can pay a huge loan amount in one instance. It comes in handy if you want to make lump sum payments, thus reducing your principal balance and shortening your loan term.

Your tax refund should also be used to pay off your debt. It isn’t free money given to you by the government−they is, basically, repayment from you overpaying your tax.

Tax Deductions can be taken on your student loan interest. Student loan borrowers receive tax deductions depending on their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), thus paying fewer taxes. You are allowed up to a $2,500 belief annually.

Guide to Repaying Your Student Loans

To pay off student loans quickly, you must understand personal loans and their workings. Here is a brief guide to federal loans and private loans:

Federal Student Loans

The federal government provides it
It comes with fixed interest rates
Provides federal benefits such as loan forgiveness
A cosigner isn’t necessary to obtain it.
Its interest payments don’t begin till after graduation.

Private Student Loans

Private financial institutions provide it
It can come with variable or fixed interest rates
You require a cosigner to obtain it.
No benefits such as loan forgiveness
Its repayment might begin while schooling or after graduation
It is based on the credit rates of the cosigners.

Federal loans tend to offer more benefits. If you have multiple loans, paying off private loans due to the long-term accumulation of high-interest rates should be prioritized.

Types of Federal Repayment Plans

You can visit the student aid website to view the federal loan repayment programs available. Here are the plans:

Standard Repayment Plans

It is eligible for all borrowers and offers monthly payment options within 10-30 years. It also provides less payment over time. However, this option isn’t suitable if you’re seeking PLSF.

Graduated Repayment Plans

It is eligible for all borrowers and offers payment options that increase subsequently. It provides more payment than the standard plan and needs to be more suitable for those seeking PLSF.

Extended Repayment Plans

The extended repayment plan is eligible for borrowers owing over $30,000. You have to pay your loans over 25 years. It is advantageous because of its lower payment per month than the Standard and Graduated plans. A disadvantage of this plan is it doesn’t qualify you for PLSF.

Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plans

The Revised plan is eligible for all borrowers. It is determined by your income (usually 10%) and family size. It considers your partner’s loan debt if you’re married. You also have to update your income and family size yearly. If you seek PLSF, it is one of the right plans.

Income-Based Repayment Plans

This plan is eligible for people with a high debt-to-income ratio. Your monthly payments will be determined by 10% of the income you received from your first loan. Every year, your prices are determined by your income and family size. One disadvantage of this plan is paying income tax on forgiven loan amounts.

To read more on these plans, head to the student aid website.

Advantages of Paying Your Student Loan on Time

There are the advantages of paying your loan early:

Improves your credit rate: One of the most efficient methods of improving your credit report is to clear up your debt. Paying off your student loans helps you raise your credit score, leading to better financial offers such as car purchases and mortgages.
Aids in achieving your financial goal: With a paid-off loan, you can focus on your other financial targets, such as savings, early retirement, and vacation plans.
Prevent high-interest costs: One disadvantage of long-term loans is accumulating interest costs. A paid-off loan prevents this occurrence and helps you save more money.

Disadvantages of Paying Your Student Loans on Time

These are the disadvantages of paying student loans on time:

You might lose out on loan forgiveness: If you’re seeking loan forgiveness, paying off your loans when due might reduce your chances of getting a sizeable amount forgiven.
You might miss out on potential financial investments: Making additional payments rather than investing in promising enterprises might make you miss out on future gains. Some situations might see you reap more rewards from investing than making that additional payment. However, investments are always risky.

Conclusion

Talking to a professional about college tuition

You have learned key strategies that will assist in the speedy repayment of your loans. Starting with a concise repayment plan before graduation will set you on the right path.

To pay off your loans quickly, please make sure you follow these strategies. If you effectively carry out these tips, you will have a good chance of clearing up your debt quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay off my student loan early?

You can make large lump-sum payments to ease your private student debt. It helps avoid increasing interest costs and sets you on the right financial path.

However, not everyone can pay off their student loans early. Other debt forms, such as credit card debt, might make you prioritize their payments over your student loans.

Can I pay off my student loans using other loans?

Yes. This option is known as refinancing your loans. Some private lenders offer it. However, there are refinancing scams that target ignorant people. Ensure you only refinance your loans if your interest rate is only lowered. Take your time to gather information on your loan payment option before refinancing your loans.

When can I pay back my student loans?

It depends on the type of loan you received. Federal loans usually require payment after graduation, while you can pay private loans while still in school.

Please select the right loan choice to give you flexibility during payments. Most people need to earn more money to pay off loans while schooling. Hence, they choose loans they can pay back after their respective graduation.

Can I make extra loan payments?

You can pay additional payments to reduce interest costs and shorten your loan term.

Could you assess your loan balance?

Informing your loan repayment program, please make sure you correctly assess how much you owe.

Use the National Student Loan Data System to check your debt balance for your federal loans. For private loans, go to Annual Credit Report.
Ask each lender to find your lending rates and loan balance.

Making a list of your monthly income and expenses will set the tone of your repayment plan.

Could you determine which student loan is easier to pay off?

You must choose the easiest loan to pay off when assessing your loans. A federal loan is easier to pay off, and higher-interest loans provide the better choice. You would have to decide which loan option favors your financial ability.

Here are some factors you should consider:

The high-interest loans
Private loans over federal loans
Loan term

You are paying off your highest-interest loans before other loans will leave you more financial-breathing space. Private loans tend to have higher lending rates. Please pay off your loan before considering your federal loan.

Could you make a request to your employer for student loan repayment assistance?

Some companies provide student loan repayment assistance to employees. This employee benefit is usually classified as something other than taxable income, thus encouraging workers.

This practice is gaining popularity among companies, with some employers providing over $3000 annually towards employee student loan repayment. Employees can quickly pay off their principal balance and shorten their loan terms with this option.

Please make sure you ask your employer for help with paying your student loans. You can also actively seek out companies known to provide this employee benefit.

Published on June 1, 2022; Updated on June 24, 2023.