| Once you've gotten the base facts on loan | | | | - Evaluate Finances: The first step, before you even |
| consolidation, you should also look into the actual | | | | begin to consider student loan consolidation is to take |
| process of consolidating to ensure that you're | | | | a look at your finances. See how you're doing |
| prepared to take the necessary steps. | | | | financially, including how much you still owe on loans, |
| Make a Few Choices: Though student loan | | | | and how you are doing financially, in general. Once |
| consolidation can be very helpful tool, make sure you | | | | you've done this you'll be able to more easily |
| understand that setting up the plan that's just right | | | | determine how you should approach setting your |
| for your can take quite a lot of work and some time | | | | finances right and taking a step towards being debt |
| as well. Make sure that you've looked into all of your | | | | free. |
| options and are prepared to take the necessary | | | | - Pull Together a Plan: Next, you need to sort out |
| steps to arrive at the place you want to. | | | | some details and make a few decisions before you |
| If you want a "quick fix", then consolidation may not | | | | approach an agency. |
| be best for you. Make sure that you're not choosing | | | | * Look into what the personalized and exact cost of |
| student loan consolidation just because you feel | | | | monthly payments would be for you with the loan. |
| backed into a corner. Though consolidation is a good | | | | Also look into smaller aspects, such as interest, etc. |
| choice, it's not the only one. If you have very little | | | | (which can be more important than it may seem!) |
| left to pay off for your student loans you may want | | | | and once you've calculated it all (considering |
| to think about either forbearance and deferment. | | | | everything!) compare it to the current monthly |
| Both of these are great options when you need a | | | | payments you have now and make sure that you'll |
| short term option or have little left to pay in student | | | | actually be benefited by student loan consolidation. |
| loans. | | | | These are just a few of the many steps involved in |
| If, after looking into other options you still find that | | | | researching the right loan for you. Make sure to look |
| this type of loan is best for you, here are the steps | | | | into the rest of these and be very informed before |
| towards student loan consolidation: | | | | beginning the student loan consolidation process. |