3 Ways to Lower Your Student Loans

You’ve probably heard about billionaire Robert Smith’s extraordinary gesture: the promise to pay off his entire class’ student loan debts. The news of the $40 million pledge spread like wildfire, not only for the extreme generosity of his gesture, but also because it highlighted the growing amount of student debt and the financial toll it takes on young people in the United States.

Student borrowers in the United States owe close to $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. According to the Federal Reserve, this is double the amount from 10 years ago.

Data shows that approximately 43 million people are carrying student debt. Often, this debt is financially crippling. Furthermore, according to the Brookings Institute, nearly 40% of borrowers may default on their student loans by 2023.

So what can you do to lower your student loans? Here are three steps you can take now:

1. Apply for an income-driven payment plan.

Typically, a student with federal loans is automatically enrolled in a Standard Repayment Plan when they graduate. Fortunately, there are other options like Income-Based Repayment, Pay As You Earn, etc. Check out this calculator to determine how much you would pay under each plan.

2. Consolidate your loans.

A Direct Consolidation loan allows you to combine multiple federal education loans into one loan. You can make one monthly payment instead of juggling multiple payments. You can also get access to additional loan repayment plans and forgiveness programs.

3. Set up autopay.

Many lenders give a small discount when you sign up for automatic payments. And if you pay on time, you may even get an additional break.

If you’re into lowering your monthly payments, contact Billshark so we can negotiate your monthly service bills like internet, cable TV, satellite, wireless, and home security.