Overwhelmed by student education loans?
Paying off student education loans can be daunting, especially when college debt seems overwhelming. Student education loans can have a serious impact on your finances well into your 30s, 40s and even 50s. Many people find that student debt prevents them from reaching financial goals such as buying a house, saving for retirement or paying for a child’s education.
If you’re seeking ways to pay down your student education loans faster, American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) can help. We’re a nonprofit organization that provides free credit counseling, educational materials and a low-cost debt management program to individuals and families nationwide. Our goal is simple: to help you get out of debt as quickly as possible and make plans to live life debt-free in the future.
How ACCC can help with student education loans.
When you contact ACCC by phone or in person for a free credit counseling session, our professional credit counselors will work with you to get a clear picture of your financial situation and the amount you owe on your student education loans. Next we’ll lay out all the options available to you for ways to repay your loans and get out of debt for good. Our counselors will help you make a budget that you can live with and work with you every step of the way on your journey out of debt.
Options for repaying student education loans.
Your ACCC counselor can direct you to student loan programs and help you understand how to repay student loans most effectively. Options for paying off your student education loans may include:
- A new repayment plan with terms that better match your income and your budget. Some plans reduce your monthly payment by extending the length of the repayment period for student education loans, while others adjust your monthly payment based on your income.
- Deferment and forbearance options are available to borrowers experiencing financial hardship or who are entering military service. Deferment and forbearance arrangements enable you to suspend payments for a certain period of time.
- Student loan consolidation involves taking out one new loan to pay off multiple existing student education loans. With just one check to make each month, keeping up with payments is much easier. Consolidation with a low-interest loan may lower the amount of your monthly student loan repayment, while consolidating variable interest rate loans into a single fixed interest loan can bring more stability.
- A federal student loan forgiveness program is available to borrowers entering certain fields such as teaching, military service, community service and health care.
Learn more at ACCC about ways to repay student education loans and about consolidating private student loans.