Fixed vs. Variable Rate Loan Refinancing | ELFI Education Loan Finance

The Differences Between Fixed and Variable Rate Loan Refinancing

November 9, 2016

What is the difference between a fixed rate and a variable rate loan?

Which option is best for refinancing a student loan?

When borrowers begin to consider their options regarding refinancing a student loan, one of the most commonly asked and most heavily debated questions revolves around deciding between fixed and variable rate loans. While the details of each loan type are fairly simple, the crux of the debate is centered around what will be right — and best — for you. If you are still undecided, take a look at the following details to help you better understand and choose between a fixed or a variable rate loan.

Fixed Rate Loans

A fixed rate loan is a loan that has an interest rate that does not change over the life of the loan. This means you will pay the same amount in interest each month, but it also means you will know exactly how much interest that you will pay over the life of the loan.

Variable Rate Loans

Variable rate loans, on the other hand, have an interest rate that will fluctuate during the term of your loan. These fluctuations are directly linked to changes in common financial indexes, such as the LIBOR index, typically by adding the current index amount to a fixed margin defined by the lender to determine the current rate. Compared to fixed rate loans, variable rate loans tend to have lower starting interest rates for the same term, but this can change (and increase) after your loan closes. However, most lending institutions, including Education Loan Finance, put an interest rate cap on variable rate student loans. For example, Education Loan Finance caps its variable rates at 9.95 percent on 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20-year variable rate loans. This means that no matter how high the LIBOR rate may increase, you will never pay more than 9.95 percent interest, if you choose a variable rate refinanced student loan through Education Loan Finance.

What Is Your Best Option?

Fixed rate loans tend to be best for borrowers who want to know exactly how much they will be paying over the life of their loan, but they may also be best for borrowers who:

Want a consistent payment.
Are on a tight budget.
Want to eliminate any risk of interest rate changes during their repayment period.

Variable rate loans, conversely, may be best for borrowers who:

Are looking for the greatest savings potential.
Have a flexible budget, should interest rates rise.
Plan to pay back their loan in a shorter amount of time.

Deciding between fixed and variable rate loans on a refinanced student loan, therefore, ultimately depends on what is best for you, your budget, and your personal situation. Plus, you always have the option to refinance your student loan from fixed to variable and vice versa. For instance, if you choose a variable rate loan and you are concerned that rates will continue to climb to a rate with which you are not comfortable during your repayment term, you always have the option to consider refinancing to a fixed rate at no cost to you. Have any more questions? Contact us or give us a call at 1-844-601-ELFI (3534).

The Promissory Note

When a student loan is issued, the borrower agrees to the terms of the loan by signing a document called a promissory note. These terms include:

Disbursement date: The date the funds are issued to you and interest begins to accrue.
Amount borrowed: The total dollar amount borrowed on the loan.
Interest rate: How much the loan will cost you.
How interest accrues: Interest may be charged on a daily or monthly basis.
First payment date: The date when you are expected to make your first loan payment.
Payment schedule: When you are required to make payment and how many payments you have to make.

How Different Types of Student Loans are Affected by Interest Rates

Government-Subsidized loan: If you are the recipient of a government-subsidized direct loan, the government will pay your interest while you are in school. This means that your loan balance will not increase. After graduation, the interest becomes your responsibility.
Parent PLUS Loan: There are no government-subsidized loans for parents, and regular repayments are scheduled to begin 60 days after the loan is disbursed.
Unsubsidized Loan: The majority of students will have unsubsidized loans where interest is charged from day one. If you have this type of loan, sometimes a lender will not require you to make payments while you are still in school. However, the interest will accrue, and when you graduate you’ll find yourself with a loan balance higher than the one you started with. This is known as capitalization.

Here’s an example: In your freshman year, you borrow $7,000 at 3.85%. By the time you graduate in four years, this will have grown to $8,078 – an increase of $1,078. Here’s the math: 7,000 × 0.0385 × 4 = $1,078 (Click here for ELFI’s handy accrued interest calculator.)

How is Student Loan Interest Calculated?

When you begin to make loan payments, the amount you pay is made up of the amount you borrowed (the principal) and interest payments. When you make a payment, interest is paid first. The remainder of your payment is applied to your principal balance and reduces it. Let’s suppose you borrow $10,000 with a 7% annual interest rate and a 10-year term. Using ELFI’s helpful loan payment calculator, we can estimate your monthly payment at $116 and the interest you will pay over the life of the loan at $3,933. Here’s how to determine how much of your monthly payment of $116 is made up of interest. 1. Calculate your daily interest rate (also known as your interest rate factor). Divide your interest rate by 365 (the number of days in the year).

.07/365 = 0.00019, or 0.019%

2. Calculate the amount of interest your loan accrues each day. Multiply your outstanding loan balance by your daily interest rate.

$10,000 x 0.00019 = $1.90

3. Calculate your monthly interest payment. Multiply the dollar amount of your daily interest by the number of days since your last payment.

$1.90 x 30 = $57

How is Student Loan Interest Applied?

As you continue to make payments on your student loan, your principal and the amount of accrued interest will decrease. Lower interest charges means that a larger portion of your payments will be applied to your principal. Paying down the principal on a loan is known as amortization.

How Accrued Interest Impacts Your Student Loan Payments

The smart money approach is avoiding capitalized interest building up on your loan while you are in school. This is because choosing not to pay interest while in school means you will owe a lot more when you come out. The more you borrow, the longer you are in school, and the higher your interest rates are, the more profound the impact of capitalization will be.

How to Find the Best Student Loan

When looking for the best student loan, you naturally want the lowest interest rate available. With a lower interest rate, the same monthly payment pays down more of your loan principal and you will be out of debt more quickly. Talk to ELFI about our private student loan offerings by giving us a call today!

Learn More About ELFI Student Loans

Terms and conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. NOTICE: Third Party Web Sites Education Loan Finance by SouthEast Bank is not responsible for and has no control over the subject matter, content, information, or graphics of the websites that have links here. The portal and news features are being provided by an outside source – The bank is not responsible for the content. Please contact us with any concerns or comments.

2019-07-31

What is FAFSA? And Why You Should Care

What does FAFSA stand for? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You must submit the FAFSA to apply for federal and state financial aid to see you through college, and it must be submitted every year that you want financial assistance. Even if you don’t need federal financial aid, college admissions officers recommend that you complete the FAFSA process. Also, some private scholarships require the submission of the FAFSA. In both instances, this is because the application indicates your interest in the school and can boost your chances of getting in. Each school that you have listed on the FAFSA will receive your financial information after you’ve completed the form.

How do I Get a FAFSA?

The FAFSA paperwork is available in both a printed and online format. Most families find it more convenient to complete the FAFSA online these days - to do so, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Here you will find pre-application worksheets and step-by-step instructions for filling out the FAFSA. You can sign your completed form electronically with a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID that can be obtained by going to this link. You can even opt to file your FAFSA from your mobile device. There are the following advantages to completing the FAFSA process online:

You’ll likely receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) quicker than if you had used the paper or PDF forms.
Your FAFSA will be less prone to mistakes because the online process comes with built-in error checks.
The expenses of the federal government will be lowered as its processing costs are reduced.
With the online FAFSA, you can list up to ten colleges; the paper version only has space for four. You should list all of the schools you’re interested in whether or not you’ve applied or been accepted yet.

School Codes

Each school has a six-character Federal School Code (also known as a Title IV Institution Code) that you need to enter into your FAFSA. Be aware that some institutions have several codes to designate different campuses or programs. You can obtain a code by using this search form or calling the school's financial aid office.

Paper FAFSAs

Paper versions are no longer distributed in bulk to high schools, libraries, and colleges, except in areas where students may not have access to the Internet. However, if you want a paper version, you can order up to three copies by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3242) or 1-391-337-5665. (Those with hearing impairments should call 1-800-730-8913.)

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a number that colleges use to calculate the amount of financial aid you’re eligible to receive. The EFC takes into account various factors such as your family’s income, assets, size, and any other family members who are attending college at the same time as yourself. Usually, a lower EFC increases your eligibility for more financial aid. Use a handy EFC Calculator, such as the one from FinAid to calculate your EFC and receive an estimate of your eligibility for financial assistance. You can also run “what-if” tests to find out how much assistance you’ll receive under various scenarios.

When Should I Submit my FAFSA?

The FAFSA is available on October 1 of the year before you plan to attend school. Applications are considered on a rolling basis up until a summer deadline (which varies). Earlier dates may apply to state and school-specific aid programs. Don’t wait until the deadline; the earlier you submit your application, the more aid programs you’ll be in line for.

So What Does This All Mean?

If you’re planning on enrolling in higher education, you’re probably giving some thought to financial aid. Completing the FAFSA will help you earn the federal financial assistance you need and deserve. For a very detailed guide to filling out your FAFSA, click here. And, don’t forget that help may be available from an advisor at your school. After college, if you want help and advice on managing your student loan debt, talk to ELFI. Give us a call at 1.844.601.ELFI to speak with a dedicated Personal Loan Advisor. Terms and conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. NOTICE: Third Party Web Sites Education Loan Finance by SouthEast Bank is not responsible for and has no control over the subject matter, content, information, or graphics of the websites that have links here. The portal and news features are being provided by an outside source – The bank is not responsible for the content. Please contact us with any concerns or comments.

2019-07-18

How Does Student Loan Refinancing Work?

When you agree to take out a student loan, you also sign on to a specific set of terms and conditions that cover things such as your payment schedule and the interest you’ll pay on your loan. These terms represent the obligations of the borrower and cosigner until the loan is completely paid off. Interest rates for federal student loans are determined by the government, whereas private lenders will set their terms according to your credit score (or that of a cosigner).

Can I Change my Loan Terms?

Before graduating, you probably didn’t give much thought to student loan repayment terms. That being said, student loan terms that fit your needs and goals before starting school aren’t always ideal for you following graduation. For this reason, it is possible to change your loan terms after you graduate, and if you’re approved for a new loan, the new loan servicer pays the old loan servicer for the cost of the loan. The student loan debt is then transferred to the new loan servicer. With the new loan typically comes new and better student loan terms.

Why Should I Refinance my Student Loan?

Simply put, student loan refinancing works when you can take out a new loan in order to pay off the first loan with better terms. Here are four reasons why you might want to refinance your student loan:

Your Credit Score Has Improved Since College

Student loans provided by the federal government don’t take credit scores into account - every borrower is given the same interest rate regardless of credit history. If you have taken out a private loan, your interest rate could have been impacted by your or your cosigner’s credit score. After a few years in the workforce, your credit score usually improves. An ideal time to refinance your student loans is when your credit score exceeds 650. This should enable you to refinance your loan at a lower interest rate. Most student loan refinance companies will require a minimum credit score for refinancing approval, so be sure to seek that information out before applying.

A Longer Credit History Could Improve Your Interest Rate

Interest rates for private student loans are usually affected by your or your cosigner’s demonstrated credit history, and most student loan refinance companies will provide a minimum credit score to apply for refinancing. A refinancing company will also usually provide favorable terms to a borrower who has illustrated a financially responsible credit history – for example, by paying bills on time. An individual who has multiple defaults on their credit history is likely to receive less favorable terms or be turned down for refinancing.

Overall Interest Rates May Be Lower

Interest rates for student loans are tied to certain economic indicators at the time you applied for the loan. So, you may have a student loan with an above-average interest rate because you went to college when interest rates were high. When interest rates decrease because of changing economic conditions, you will almost certainly be able to refinance and get a better deal on your new loan.

Consolidation

Refinancing gives you the option of consolidating several loans with different interest rates into a single loan with a more favorable interest rate. One loan with one interest rate is much easier to manage.

Fixed and Variable Interest Rates

When you apply to refinance your student loan, you can choose between a fixed or a variable interest rate. A fixed rate doesn’t change unless you are refinancing again. A variable rate will fluctuate over time based on certain economic indicators. Variable rates coincide with low-interest rates across the economy, and they can sometimes fall to below 3%. If you find yourself with a high income and interest rates are declining, then it may be possible to get a great refinancing deal. This works by choosing a variable interest rate and paying off your loan entirely before interest rates start rising again, or by taking advantage of a low fixed interest rate and sticking with it.

Avoiding the Risks of Refinancing Student Loans

Refinancing your student loan can be a great choice, but there are some risks you want to watch out for:

High-interest rates. If interest rates are high, you might end up paying more over time than if you had stayed with your original loan.
Too many fees. Make sure that refinancing fees don’t outweigh the savings from your lower interest rate. Look for student loan refinancing that comes with no fees.
Unrealistic repayment schedules. Federal student loans provide you with access to repayment plans based on a low yearly income. Make sure that you can meet the monthly payments on your refinanced loan.

When Should I Refinance my Student Loan?

The primary reason to refinance your student loan is to shift into a much more favorable loan. That loan could have a lower interest rate and save you money. Additionally, if you qualify, you’ll have the flexibility to adjust the repayment terms. This means that you could pay the loan off with a shorter term or extend the term so it costs you less every month or is easier to manage.

Use ELFI to Refinance Your Student Loans

You may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to repay your loan faster and more effectively. Doing so can help you avoid the stress of too much student loan debt and enjoy a more prosperous financial life. It can be hard to tell when the best time to refinance your student loan is, so click here for a handy student loan refinancing calculator to determine how much you might save. For a no-obligation consultation, call ELFI at 1.844.601.ELFI.

Learn More About Student Loan Refinancing

Terms and conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. NOTICE: Third Party Web Sites Education Loan Finance by SouthEast Bank is not responsible for and has no control over the subject matter, content, information, or graphics of the websites that have links here. The portal and news features are being provided by an outside source – The bank is not responsible for the content. Please contact us with any concerns or comments.