What Should I do? Enter Into a Student Loan Repayment Plan or Should I Refinance?

You might be considering buying a home soon and wondering how to handle your student loans. Should you consider an income-driven repayment plan or think about refinancing?
Let's break it down in an easy-to-understand way:
⚡️Refinancing: This option can give you a lower interest rate, which sounds great. But be careful. By refinancing, you give up certain protections provided by the federal government. For instance, your family won't be responsible for your loans if something happens to you. But with a refinanced loan, this isn't guaranteed. Also, if the government introduces new loan forgiveness programs in the future, you might miss out if you've refinanced.
⚡️Income-Driven Repayment Plans (IDR) can help lower your monthly payment. They are based on your income and can be temporary or permanent. The downside is you have to file paperwork every year. Also, interest might pile up if your payments are meager, which can increase the total amount you owe over time.
Now, let's look at some pros and cons of each:
⚡️Lower Your Monthly Payment: IDR can reduce your payment based on income. Refinancing can also lower your price, but there's no going back once you refinance.
⚡️Pay Your Debt Gradually: IDR lets you spread your payments over a more extended period. If you manage your paperwork correctly, you might qualify for loan forgiveness. If not, you could end up paying more in interest.
⚡️Pay Off Your Loans as soon as possible: Refinancing might be a good choice if you're making a lot of money and want to clear your student loans in less than five years. You could get a lower interest rate and even make extra payments. But remember, your credit score is essential to qualify for refinancing.
There are some drawbacks too:
⚡️Refinancing: You lose access to federal protections and might leave your co-signer or family with your debt if something happens to you.
Income-Driven Plan: You have to file paperwork every year. If you file late, your interest can increase. You might also owe taxes on any loans that are forgiven.
To help you decide which is the best option for you, check out LoanSense tools. They can help you calculate your savings and understand the impact of each choice.
Remember, it's always important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks of each option. If you need more clarification, it might be best to hold off on refinancing since you can't reverse that decision.

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"I have worked with a good number of lenders personally and professionally over the years, and our experience with Walt and his team was by far the best experience I have had. For the refinance of our home mortgage, I had obtained quotes from other lender relationships, but no one could commit to closing any faster than 45 days. And, no one beat Waterstone Mortgage's fees and rates. Walt committed to closing within 30 days, and his team delivered: Walt spent the time needed to understand our needs and recommend loan options to meet those needs (and the options exceeded our expectations); Mayra pleasantly and efficiently walked us through the application process; and Ann worked closely with us to expeditiously move through underwriting to closing. All in roughly 3.5 weeks. They communicated with my wife and me effectively throughout the process so that there were no surprises. In addition to our genuine appreciation for the speed and results of their services through closing, we are also grateful that we can continue to turn to them as our primary contact over the life of the loan. We could not have asked for a better experience and would recommend Walt and his team at Waterstone without hesitation."

brian moore

"We used Walt and his team when we purchased our new home in Salem. We had a short close, but it was no problem for them. They were very responsive and were available when we called. We were very impressed with their professionalism and we appreciated Walt meeting with us for the Discovery Consultation. This was a great opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the process. We highly recommend Walt and his team!"

eyes503

"Walt and his team are an actual delight to work with! At the beginning of my process I was disappointed with a lender, switched to Walt and holy smokes he exceeded my expectations right off the bat! He brought me to the office and laid out everything that was going to happen and multiple options to go about it. Everything was step by step, as a first time homebuyer your have many questions and he is well aware of that. He closed my house in 30 days and got me great rates! He responded in a timely manner to every question I had and I couldnt of been luckier to have such a informative, supportive and professional team to help me through this crazy process. I have to give a huge thank you to Walt and Lenda from the very bottom of my heart!"

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"I would highly recommend Walt's Schulz from Waterstone Mortgage and his team to do business with in any future purchases of a home. This was not my first home purchase but went so quickly and timely each set of the way and they were to do items on weekends that kept the process moving. So as a very satisfied customer we were able to close ahead of schedule!! Great job Walt!!"

rickterry589

"Walt and his team are incredible. As first-time buyers, we had a TON of questions and Walt patiently went through all our options until we felt confident. We closed in 18 days and when the interest rate dropped soon after, he called us to suggest refinancing and walked through that process with us. Everything was smooth and efficient and they were always available if we had questions. Could not recommend them more highly"

mcmurchy family

"We had such a great experience with Walt and his team. We were first home buyers and really nervous about buying a home. We needed to learn about the process. We had worked with another company when we first started looking for a house and our communication was so poor. They didn’t like me asking questions and were frustrated with my lack of experience. When I switched over to Waterstone Mortgage it was a night and day difference! Everyone was so eager and willing to answer all my questions. They went at my pace and were super supportive. They made sure we understood all the details and the process of buying a home before we started anything else. This was exactly what I needed!! Our home buying investment became such a positive experience for us! Thank you Waterstone Mortgage for your support!!"

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"Walt and his team did an excellent job and made the mortgage process painless. I was able to handle the process up to closing virtually, which really made things simple with my busy schedule. The team was very timely with their responses to my questions. I’ve closed on several mortgages over the years and felt this was by far the smoothest yet."

nick

"Walt’s group was great to work with, communicated well, was very professional, and have their processes/systems down so everything runs smoothly. We had a unique situation with the purchase of our home and Waterstone was able to loan on something my wife and I was not sure was going to be possible. Even after closing they have a great program that helps you understand how paying off a little more each month can save you over $100k and years off your loan. Awesome team and would highly recommend."

user3775684

"Walt and team were great to work with. We were happy to get approved and get into a house in a timely manner. Closed a few days ago, now for the move in.."

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