For some borrowers, refinancing to pay off student loans may be a great option, but depending on your specific situation it may not be the best choice.
- When you refinance and cash out to pay down loans, it must go directly to the servicer at the time of closing, and the loans must be under your own name.
- Consider that most student loans are amortized over 10 or 20 years. If you roll the debt into your mortgage, this may get extended to 30 years.
- Federal student loans carry many protections in unforeseen circumstances such as $0 payments, payment forbearances and loan forgiveness, or disability discharge options. Refinancing would remove all these benefits.
Estimate home much home you can afford with student loans.