5 Ways to Pay Off Your Student Loans Faster – Federal Student Aid (2024)

FAQs

How can I get my federal student loans paid off? ›

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness

If you repay your loans under an IDR plan, any remaining balance on your student loans will be forgiven after you make a certain number of payments over 20 or 25 years—or as few as 10 years under our newest IDR plan, the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

Pay off your debt and save on interest by paying more than the minimum every month. The key is to make extra payments consistently so you can pay off your loan more quickly. Some lenders allow you to make an extra payment each month specifying that each extra payment goes toward the principal.

Yes, you can pay your student loan in full at any time. If you are financially able to do so, it may make sense for you to pay off your student loans early to save money on interest. Lenders typically call this “prepayment in full.” Generally, there are no penalties involved in paying off your student loans early.

The monthly payment on a $70,000 student loan ranges from $742 to $6,285, depending on the APR and how long the loan lasts. For example, if you take out a $70,000 student loan and pay it back in 10 years at an APR of 5%, your monthly payment will be $742.

The average student loan debt owed per borrower is $28,950, so $80K is a larger-than-average sum. However, paying off your balance is possible. Since payments on an $80,000 balance can be high, extending the repayment term to lower monthly payments may be tempting.

Interest can make student loans more expensive, while inflation can make that debt harder to manage alongside other bills. Paying off some of your debt during your studies could ease the burden later on and save you money on interest.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loan after you've made the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full time for a qualifying employer.

Best repayment option: standard repayment. On the standard student loan repayment plan, you make equal monthly payments for 10 years. If you can afford the standard plan, you'll pay less in interest and pay off your loans faster than you would on other federal repayment plans.

Absolutely. But before you begin negotiating, your loans will probably need to be either in default or near default. Some lenders may suggest an alternative repayment plan, but if your loans are far beyond hardship assistance, you can start trying to negotiate a student loan settlement.

PSLF Process

Because you have to make 120 qualifying monthly payments, it will take at least 10 years before you can qualify for PSLF. Important: You must still be working for a qualifying employer at the time you submit your form for forgiveness.