Pros and cons of consolidating student loans
Consider what you stand to gain and lose by consolidating your federal loans.
You have a world of options at your fingertips when it comes to paying down your loans. Knowing what they are is the key to becoming debt-free.
— Hanneh Bareham
Hanneh Bareham, a Certified Financial Education Instructor℠, has been a personal finance writer with Bankrate since 2020. She started as a credit cards reporter before transitioning into the role of student loans reporter. She is now a writer on the loans team, further widening her scope across multiple forms of consumer lending.
She has been featured in multiple national and regional media outlets, including Yahoo, CNBC, Business Insider, The Chicago Tribune, The Seattle Times and more. Her desire to empower borrowers comes from her own experiences as a college graduate managing her finances during a tumultuous economic climate. She aims to help others reach their goals through a better understanding of macroeconomic trends.
When she's not checking her repayment strategies with a loan calculator, Hanneh enjoys acting, baking and trying to find the best cup of coffee on the East Coast.
When it comes to taking out any sort of installment loan or repayment plan, it's so important to know exactly what you're signing up for. Before applying, read the terms and conditions or find the basic loan details — like interest rate ranges and repayment terms — on the lender's website to make sure you're doing what's best for your finances.
You have a world of options at your fingertips when it comes to paying down your loans. Knowing what they are is the key to becoming debt-free.
— Hanneh Bareham
Consider what you stand to gain and lose by consolidating your federal loans.
Achieve and Happy Money are best for debt consolidation.
When managed well, installment loans can help improve or build your credit.
Refinancing can help save you money, but is it the right call for your loans?
Refinancing can help save you money, but is it the right call for your loans?
These lenders may accept borrowers who haven’t built up their earnings.
These lenders may accept borrowers who haven’t built up their earnings.
Upgrade and Fifth Third are both reputable financial institutions that offer affordable personal loans to people with good to excellent credit. While both companies provide competitive products and features, [...]