Loan Consolidation
The majority of lenders offer student loan consolidation programs to student borrowers. Careful research and planning should precede a decision to consolidate your outstanding student loans. Please refer to our summary below of the advantages and disadvantages of a loan consolidation program.
The Department of Education maintains a web site which contains more detailed information regarding loan consolidation.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are certain advantages with loan consolidation, including:
- lower interest rate
- lower monthly payments
- flexible repayment terms
- one payment to one bank
There are also certain disadvantages with loan consolidation, including:
- more interest paid over the life of the loan with an extended repayment period
- borrower benefits can change (deferment, grace period, etc.)
- a consolidation loan cannot be reversed
This website last updated on 10/15/07