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Student loan payments will restart soon — here's how to prepare

Student loan payments will restart soon — here's how to prepare
Student loan payments will restart soon — here's how to prepare

Americans have gotten a long break from federal student loan payments and interest during the COVID-19 pandemic — but the clock on that relief is scheduled to run out at the end of the year.

The U.S. House — which is run by Democrats — passed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package including provisions to let student loan payments remain on hold until Sept. 30, 2021, and maintain 0% interest until then. It also would also provide up to $10,000 of forgiveness on private student loans per borrower.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured) was unable to make a deal with the White House and the Republican-led Senate ahead of the election. That's left an estimated 40 million borrowers wondering if they’ll be on the hook for their student loans again once 2021 arrives.

If you’ve got student loan debt, you should take steps now to clear out as much as you can, in case payments — and interest rates — return to pre-pandemic levels before a new relief measure can be passed.

Here are a few things you can do to help pay off your student loan debt faster.

Take your payments off ‘pause’

Pressing pause
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While it might be tempting to use the remaining few months of the moratorium to take a break from your student loans, continuing to make your regular payments — or paying more than you usually do — is a smart idea if you can afford it.

Since the interest rates on federal student loans are frozen at 0%, any payments you make now will go entirely toward the principal of your loan.

That means you’ll be able to take a much bigger chunk out of your debt than you normally would.

Keep in mind that if you’ve got private student loans you’re likely still responsible for your normal payments unless your lender has offered you a forbearance period.

Even then, your loan will be accruing interest, so you should continue to make your regular payments if possible.

Refinance private loans

Man on laptop
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If your student loans are from a private lender, you may be able to cut down your monthly cost by refinancing your loan into a lower rate.

Whether you qualify for refinancing will largely depend on your credit score and your current income.

If you’re not sure about your credit score, there are websites that will let you check it for free online and give you personalized tips on how to boost it if it’s not in great shape.

Even if you’ve lost your job due to the pandemic, you might still be eligible for a refi if you can demonstrate investment income or income from a side gig, or find a co-signer to back your application.

To get the best rate on a refinanced student loan, it’s important to use a free service that will allow you to shop around and compare quotes from multiple lenders.

Just remember that refinancing is not an option if you’ve got a federal student loan, and replacing a federal loan with a private loan will make you ineligible for any further loan relief measures from the government — that is, if they ever arrive.

Switch up your payment plan

Repayment plan
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You might be able to clear out your student loan debt faster by switching up your current payment plan.

Although an income-driven repayment plan can help to make your regular payments more affordable, switching to a standard repayment plan could help you become debt-free sooner — if you’re able to pay a bit more each month.

This option may not be right for everyone, especially if you fear your income could be affected by another COVID-19 lockdown.

Regardless of which payment plan you’re on, you should make sure to enroll in autopay if you’ve got a federal student loan.

Signing up for automatic deposits will qualify you for a 0.25% interest rate reduction, which could be very helpful if rates return to their pre-COVID levels at the end of the year.