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Best Student Loan Consolidation and Refinancing Options for Lawyers

Lawyers can use both consolidation and student loan refinancing to get their loans under control, but they need to avoid dangerous mistakes.

Written By: Michael P. Lux, Esq.

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Due to the enormous cost of law school, many new lawyers face a high-stakes issue: should I refinance or consolidate my student loans, or should I just leave them alone?

Most attorneys will find that federal direct consolidation is the preferred route for government loans while refinancing with a private lender is the ideal path for private student loans. However, expected salary, total borrowing, and loan terms can impact the best option determination.

One of the biggest factors in determining the strategy for loan management is the nature of employment. The options and resources available to a big law attorney with a larger salary are significantly different than what it is for a government employee.

Large Firms Employees

If you are enjoying the golden handcuffs of the large firm lifestyle, there are several excellent student loan refinance options to consider. Many of the private companies use the terms refinance and consolidation interchangeably. While both refinance and consolidation involve older loans being paid back in full and replaced with a new loan, there are some significant differences.

When the government consolidates loans, it is usually done to help borrowers qualify for desired repayment plans or forgiveness programs. When a private lender refinances loans, it is to help borrowers get a lower interest rate or monthly payment on their debt. Private lenders and private loan refinancing is the more typical path for large firm employees.

Many of the top private lenders cater to young professionals with six-figure incomes and high credit scores. Even if you are on track to pay off your debt relatively quickly, locking in a lower interest rate can make a huge difference on any budget. If you have 200k in law school debt and reduce your 8% rate loans to a 4% rate loan, it means you will be saving nearly $700 per month.

Partnership track and other high earners looking to eliminate debt quickly will want to focus on getting the lowest possible interest rate. At present, the following lenders offer the lowest refinance rates:

RankLenderLowest RateSherpa Review
T-1ELFI4.86%ELFI Review
T-1Splash Financial4.86%*Splash Financial Review
3Laurel Road5.29%Laurel Road Review

However, before any refinancing takes place, all private-sector attorneys should first map out a comprehensive plan to eliminate their student debt.

Government and Non-Profit Employees

If you are working as a government attorney or for a non-profit, your student loan repayment route will likely be different. Private refinance of federal loans is almost certainly a mistake.

One of the best options for repayment is to seek out employers eligible for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). After ten years of payments based upon your income, the remainder of your debt can be forgiven tax-free.

The issue with PSLF is that only certain federal student loans are eligible. Lawyers who attended law school in 2010 or earlier may have FFEL loans. The FFEL loans do not qualify for PSLF, but they can become eligible through federal direction consolidation. One of the dangers to federal direct consolidation is that the forgiveness clock is potentially restarted.

Tips for borrowers considering federal consolidation

When Private Refinance Enters the Equation

Unfortunately, not all loans are federal, meaning forgiveness isn’t ever going to happen for some law school debts. For these loans, refinancing with a private company is a great way to lower your rates. Even on a more modest government or 501(c)(3) salary, there are options. One of the best choices may be LendKey.  This company will match you with a not-for-profit local credit union. The rates they offer aren’t quite as low as some other companies mentioned, but loans starting at less than 3% are worth investigating.

Selecting a 20-year repayment plan is often the optimal route. Borrowers can always pay extra to eliminate their loans quicker, but the lower monthly payments provide flexibility if the budget gets tight.

At present, the lenders offering the best 20-year, fixed-rate loans are the following:

RankLenderLowest RateSherpa Review
1Splash Financial6.08%*Splash Financial Review
2ELFI6.53%ELFI Review
3Laurel Road6.55%Laurel Road Review

Government and non-profit employees should carefully consider their future employment plans and create a strategy to eliminate all of their student loans as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Student Loan Refinance and Consolidation Options for Young Attorneys

Regardless of where you find yourself on the lawyer income spectrum, there are options for putting a huge dent in your monthly student loan interest. Student loan consolidation and refinancing are no magic fixes, but they can make your massive student loan headache into a slightly less massive student loan headache.

About the Author

Student loan expert Michael Lux is a licensed attorney and the founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. He has helped borrowers navigate life with student debt since 2013.

Insight from Michael has been featured in US News & World Report, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other online and print publications.

Michael is available for speaking engagements and to respond to press inquiries.

2 thoughts on “Best Student Loan Consolidation and Refinancing Options for Lawyers”

  1. I’ve been following this site for a while and applied for a Sofi loan based on what I read. Sofi reduced my interest rate from 7.5% to 4.5% which is saving me $2500 in the first year alone. I finished law school a few years ago so my debt has reduced down to $83,000. Wished this was available when I graduated when my debt was above $150k! Many of my colleagues have also used Sofi to save big money.

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