Learn About Badger Student Loan Debt Consolidation
If you're tired of making multiple student loan payments, keeping track of which bill is due when, and paying too much interest, then Badger student loan debt consolidation may be the right choice for you. Depending on your situation, it could save you money, extend your payment terms, and simplify your life. Read more to discover whether consolidation is appropriate for you and if you're likely to qualify. Get a Free Student Loan Consolidation Quote from our family of lenders.
Advantages of Badger Student Loan Debt Consolidation
Stafford loans disbursed between July 1, 1998 and June 30, 2006 have variable interest rates that reset July 1 of each year and may be higher or lower than the previous rate. If rates are currently lower than your original rate and you haven't previously consolidated, now is the time to do it. You can lock-in a low, fixed rate and often lengthen your repayment term. There is never a prepayment penalty, so the longer term gives you the flexibility to pay more when you can or just the amount due when life sends you a financial whammy.
Student loan consolidation also simplifies your loans because you'll reduce the number of monthly bills. Some loans may not qualify for consolidation, but most will. If you have several loans with varying due dates, consolidating to one or two loans can help ensure that you never miss a payment or misdirect a payment. If you sign up for automatic electronic payments, you might even qualify for a discounted interest rate.
Reasons against Badger Student Loan Debt Consolidation
If your loans total less than $10,000 or are close to being paid off, then consolidating may not be appropriate for you. Most lenders require a minimum of $10,000 to qualify, although a few lenders offer consolidation for balances as low as $3500.
You should avoid consolidating student debt into a higher-rate personal loan or rolling the debt into your home with a home equity loan. If you die, your student loans are forgiven, but your heirs could be stuck with your loans if they're consolidated into other types of loans. You should avoid adding a spouse's loans to yours or adding your spouse's name to the loan because joint consolidation obligates your spouse to continue repaying your loans after your death. In addition, other types of consolidation loans may include fees that would cancel the potential savings. Finally, part of your student loan interest is tax deductible up to an income limit, while personal loan interest is not.
Who qualifies for a Badger Student Loan Debt Consolidation
You can qualify for student loan consolidation if you've completed or left school, attend school part-time, or at the end of each school year while you're in school. If rates are low, you can also apply for an in-school consolidation to lock-in that rate. Consolidation cancels your in-school interest deferral, though, so you may accrue additional interest during that term. You can defer payments, however. Once you've completed all your schooling, you can consolidate your new loans with your previously consolidated loans. You can't reconsolidate a loan to get a lower rate without adding additional loans to the bundle.
Look for consolidation deals as soon as you graduate, before your repayment grace period ends. The federal government announces the rate for the next year for spring. If the new rate will be higher, consolidate before June 30. If the new rate will be lower, wait until July 1 to apply. Usually, your paperwork must be signed by June 30 in order to qualify for the previous year's rate even if the application isn't processed until later.
Having several lenders to pay at various times of the month can be cumbersome. Student loan debt consolidation can make things easy for you. You will never have to worry about defaulting your payments ever again.
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