How to consolidate private student loans.
There are several options available to you when you want to consolidate private student loans. Unlike federal student loans, which may be consolidated through federal student loan programs, you typically have to consolidate private student loans by taking out a new loan from a bank or another lending organization. The goal when you consolidate private student loans is to get a lower interest rate that will enable you to pay off your loans faster, or to lower your monthly payment, and also to write a single check each month rather than making multiple student loan repayments.
Determining how best to consolidate private student loans may require the help of a financial professional. When you need answers to questions about debt consolidation, the credit counselors at American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) are here to help.
ACCC Can Help With Your Debt
ACCC is a nonprofit organization with certified credit counselors who are dedicated to helping you get out of debt and learn to live debt-free. We provide free credit counseling, low-cost debt management plans, and a wealth of free educational resources to help you better understand your options and gain control of your finances.
In your initial credit counseling session, our credit counselors will assess your current financial situation, understand your financial goals and analyze your current income, assets, and expenses. Then we’ll present all the options available to you to consolidate your loans and other ways of reducing debt.
Rather not consolidate private student loans?
You don’t have to consolidate private student loans in order to pay down your college debt. Rather than taking out a new loan to consolidate student loan debt, you may want to consider these options:
- A new repayment plan. There are many options for repayment plans that can lower your monthly payments to make things easier on your finances.
- Deferment or forbearance. Depending on your situation, you may get permission to stop making payments on your student loans for a period of time.
- Student loan forgiveness. Graduates working in certain professions like the military, teaching, public service or healthcare may be able to have some or all of their student loans forgiven.
Learn more about ways to consolidate private student loans, and about details of the federal student loan forgiveness program and other options for student debt relief.
