| If you have student loans, you might want to think | | | | year or six months. By taking advantage of these |
| about consolidating them! Student loan consolidators | | | | deals when you consolidate your loans, you could get |
| will lump all your student loans into one single loan, | | | | your student loan interest rate lowered another 0.5% |
| and give you a low fixed rate. And it's a good idea to | | | | or so! |
| do it now, because: | | | | YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE FEWER PAYMENTS |
| YOU MIGHT GET A LOWER RATE | | | | If you borrowed multiple student loans--say, for |
| Over recent years, rates have been extremely low. | | | | different years of school--chances are you're paying |
| Every year, student loan rates change on July 1. This | | | | multiple bills each month. By consolidating now, all your |
| year on that date, the rates will rise. In fact, the | | | | loans will get wrapped into one big loan, which means |
| most common type of student loan rate will rise | | | | you only have one bill to pay each month. If you |
| from 5.3% to 7.14%. But if you consolidate your | | | | need help organizing and managing your finances, |
| loans, you lock-in the rate for life, so it will always be | | | | trimming down the number of bills you need to pay |
| that low 5.3% no matter how long you hold the loan! | | | | can help you gain better control of your money. Here |
| By choosing to consolidate your loans now, you're | | | | is a list of recommended Student Loan Consolidation |
| guaranteed to have a low rate for the life of the | | | | Lenders online. It's important to use a reputable |
| loan. | | | | lender online to make sure your personal information |
| YOU MIGHT GET AN EVEN LOWER RATE | | | | is secure. |
| These days, many student loan companies are | | | | Consolidating your student loans is a great idea if |
| offering perks for special customers. For example, | | | | you're currently paying a higher interest rate than the |
| you may get a lower rate if you choose to have | | | | one being offered. Just remember: you can only |
| your payments electronically debited from your | | | | consolidate your loans once in a lifetime, so make |
| checking account each month. And you may also get | | | | sure you're getting a great deal before you sign on |
| a lower rate after you make regular, on-time | | | | the bottom line. |
| payments for a certain period of time, such as one | | | | |