If you are receiving unsolicited phone calls from an entity pretending to be ACCC (a trusted non-profit credit counseling agency), please be assured that ACCC’s policy is NEVER to contact you unless you’ve explicitly requested us to call you. Also be cautious of emails from an unusual or unfamiliar domain. ACCC’s domain extension is @consumercredit.com, and any emails using a different extension should be treated with suspicion.

×

ACCC’s Client Login allows current clients to access their program information, including the due date, program benefits, and other documents.

Select a Client Login below based on the service that you are currently enrolled in:

Debt Management Program

Client Login

Not yet a client, but looking to get started?

ACCC offers debt relief options to individuals and families that are suffering from stress related to credit card debt by providing effective credit counseling, helping to consolidate debt, and advising on debt management.

Get Started

Wait!

You are now leaving the Consumer Credit website and are going to a website that is not operated by ACCC. We are not responsible for the content or availability of linked sites.

Are you sure you want to leave?

No, return me to the previous page.

Yes

Student Loans and Credit Scores

Getting into college and becoming independent is all so very exciting! However, many students tend to overlook the financial implications of student loans, at least for the time being. Defaulted student loans are a major financial issue in adulthood that can have an impact on credit scores. Therefore, it is important to understand how paying off student loans affects credit scores.

ACCC can help you create a strategy for student debt.

ACCC can help you create a strategy for student debt.

How Paying Off Student Loans Affects Credit Scores

Student loans start to impact your credit scores from the very moment you take them out. Let’s look at how paying off student loans and credit scores are connected.

The Beginning of Your Credit Journey

The minute you acquire a student loan, you will have a credit file open in your name. Therefore, you have to be cautious about managing debt and the impact it will have on your credit. Balancing debt and income, paying on-time and making regular payments will all be tracked on your credit report.

A Tool to Build Your Credit

Now that you have debt in your name, money management becomes really important. If you are responsibly managing your credit, student loans are actually a great tool to build your credit score. Paying off student loans and credit scores are a great relationship to build on your long-term financial strength. Make sure to have a repayment plan to avoid missing payments.

The Flip Side

As much as a loan can help you build your credit, missing payments can tank it! It is largely associated with your ability to pay off consumer debt on time and in full. Although there are grace periods when it comes to student loan debt, you should never take it for granted. Don’t hesitate to start repayment if you have the means. And, if you’re struggling to make student loan payments, contact your lenders to come up with a solution rather than avoiding the problem. Avoidance only makes the problem worse!

Understanding all aspects of student loans and its relationship to credit history is crucial when it comes to responsible financial management practices.

If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.

ABOUT AUTHOR / Dilini

Dilini is a Marketing Communications & Programs Associate at ACCC. To anyone, managing finances can be a real challenge! Any tips and tricks to help get through this are great! Dilini will share her experiences, tips, and tricks along the way through the Talking Cents blog. Stay tuned!

View all author posts →

creditU

Your Ultimate Money Management App

Meet CreditU, the ultimate one-stop debt and financial management app! See your full financial overview, including debts, income, expenses, and savings.

CreditU Apple App Store
Dev Tool:

Request: blog/paying-off-student-loans-and-credit-scores
Matched Rewrite Rule: blog/([^/]+)/?$
Matched Rewrite Query: post_type=post&name=paying-off-student-loans-and-credit-scores
Loaded Template: single.php