Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “interest rates”
The student loan refinance rates offered in April 2021 remain near record lows. Two factors are driving the rates down. First, the federal student loan interest and payment freeze continues to impact the refinance marketplace. Because of the freeze borrowers are advised not to refinance federal loans at this time. …
With mortgage rates near record lows, many student loan borrowers are thinking about using a mortgage refinance to attack their student debt. The process is called a “cash-out” mortgage. Instead of refinancing the amount currently owed on a house, in a cash-out refinance, homeowners borrower more than what they owe. …
Several readers have asked how the student loan refinance rankings on this site are determined. Many lenders have also asked to have their company moved to a higher spot in the rankings. In the interest of transparency, a clear explanation of the rankings criteria is probably necessary. While there is …
When it comes to negotiating interest rates and other terms on a student loan, the lenders hold nearly all the power. Borrowers with existing student loans have signed a contract, and there is little incentive for the lender to cut the borrower a break. Those who are shopping for student …
When it comes to student loan interest rates, there are two basic options: Option one is a fixed-rate loan, where the interest rate does not change over the life of the loan. Option two is a variable-rate loan. The advantage with variable-rate loans is that the interest rates start much …
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on February 8, 2014. It has been updated on January 22, 2020, to reflect up-to-date lender practices and edited for clarity. With interest rates at low levels, I decided to see if I could lower the interest rate on my existing auto loan. …
Setting up an automatic monthly debit for student loans is usually a relatively simple process with most lenders. Many even offer a slightly reduced interest rate as an incentive for auto-debits. Is giving a student loan servicer the authority to auto-pay student loans a good idea? In many cases, automatic …
Editor’s Note: The Rate Tables on this Page are Updated Monthly. With well over a trillion dollars in student loan debt in the United States, it is no surprise that new lenders continue to pop up in the refinance marketplace. Finding the lender offering the lowest interest rates can be …
When you refinance your student loans, one of the most significant decisions to make is on repayment length. Most companies offer 5, 10, 15, and 20-year loans. Picking the right repayment length requires some strategy and a bit of guess-work about what your finances will look like in the future. …
If you are refinancing your student loans with a private lender, one of the most important decisions you will make is the fixed-rate vs. variable-rate decision. On the surface, the choice is pretty straightforward. Pick a fixed-rate, and your interest rate never changes over the life of the loan. Pick …
