Consolidation

Federal Student Loans, both FFELP and Direct Loans, are eligible for loan consolidation through the Department of Education. Applying for consolidation is a free service that results in the combining of all eligible student loan debt into a new Direct Consolidation loan that is guaranteed by the Department of Education.

Before applying for consolidation, it is important to consider the outcomes of consolidation. There may be a better repayment option available to you and we recommend exploring all your options before applying for consolidation.

Listed below are some of the pros and cons to consider before applying for consolidation:

Pros:

-One interest rate

-All of the loans included in the consolidation will be serviced by one Federal servicer of your choosing.

-Consolidation may extend the terms or months to repay the debt. The terms are dependent on the amount of student loan debt included in the consolidation. Extended terms can potentially lower your monthly payment

-Direct Consolidation loans are eligible for additional repayment options

-Expanded loan forgiveness options

-No origination fees

Cons:

-Extended terms may increase the total amount of interest paid over the life of the loan

-Loss of borrower-benefits (i.e. Interest discounts provided by your previous Guarantor)

-Loss of qualifying payments towards Income Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness

-Customers cannot un-consolidate their loans after they’ve been consolidated