Student Loan Repayment Facts

你模模糊糊地记得，每年大学注册时，你都会签一份表格. Now that you’ve graduated, 一切都变得痛苦而清晰——那些表格是详细说明你的学生贷款义务的期票. 你的贷款不会消失，你会想要尽快偿还. So whether you have a small sum or a small fortune to pay off, it’s helpful to brush up on some student loan repayment basics.

What is a student loan grace period?

After you graduate, you’ll probably have a lot to think about — deciding where to live, finding a job, renting an apartment. 幸运的是，你不必把学生贷款添加到你的清单中，至少不是马上. Thanks to the grace period built into most student loans, 在你开始偿还贷款之前，他们会给你一些时间. 在你需要开始偿还贷款之前，你可能有6到9个月的时间. 这给了你一些喘息的空间来解决财务问题，所以要确保自己熟悉贷款的宽限期。.

Understand your repayment options

Gone are the days when your only repayment option consisted of fixed, equal payments spread over a 10-year term. 虽然这当然是一种选择——而且通常是还清贷款最快的方式——但它并不是唯一的选择. 因为越来越多的学生需要学生贷款来资助他们的教育，而他们的债务也在不断增加, 联邦政府提供了几种灵活的还款计划来帮助学生管理这笔巨大的财务责任. (私人学生贷款机构可能会也可能不会提供以下计划——请咨询你的贷款机构.)

Standard repayment plan:

This is the original repayment plan. 有了标准计划，你通常每月支付固定的金额，最长可达10年.

Graduated repayment plan:

With a graduated plan, 你的还款在贷款的最初几年开始很低，但在后来的几年增加(期限仍然是10年)。. 该计划是为目前收入相对较低的个人量身定制的.g.(如刚毕业的大学生)，他们期望自己的收入在未来会增加. However, 最终，你将比在标准计划下支付更多的贷款, 因为在计划的最初几年，当你的未偿还贷款余额较高时，更多的利息会累积起来.

Extended repayment plan:

With an extended plan, you extend the time you have to repay your loan, usually from 12 to 30 years, depending on the loan amount. 你的固定月供比标准计划要低, but again, 你最终会为你的贷款支付更多，因为在更长的还款期限下，利息会累积. 注意:许多贷方允许您将扩展计划与分级计划结合起来.

Income-based repayment plan:

With an income-based repayment (IBR) plan, 你每月的贷款支付是基于你每年的可支配收入. 联邦政府提供PAYE计划(即赚即付)和REPAYE计划(即赚即付)。. Generally, 符合条件的大学生借款人每月将其可支配收入的10%用于偿还学生贷款, and after 20 years of on time payments, 剩余的余额可以免除(从事某些公共利益工作的人可以在10年后免除付款，研究生院的借款人可以在25年后免除付款)。. 欲了解更多信息，请访问联邦政府的学生援助网站 studentaid.gov.

Student loan consolidation:

从技术上讲，贷款合并不是一种还款选择，但确实存在重叠. With loan consolidation, you combine several student loans into one loan, sometimes at a lower interest rate. Thus, you can write one check each month. You need to apply for loan consolidation, 不同的贷款机构对哪些贷款有资格进行整合有不同的规定. However, with most loan consolidations, 除了标准还款计划外，你还可以选择延期还款和/或分级还款计划.

Choosing the Best Repayment Option

To pick the best repayment option, 你需要确定每月可自由支配的收入，你必须把它用于你的学生贷款. 这反过来又要求你做一个预算，记录你的每月收入和支出.

In addition to inquiring about repayment options, 询问你的贷款人是否为及时偿还贷款提供特殊折扣. For example, 如果你允许他们每个月直接从你的支票账户中扣款，一些贷款人可能会把你的利率降低一个百分点. Or, 在收到一定时间的按时付款后，他们可能会免除一些月付款.

Apply for a deferment, forbearance or loan forgiveness if you can't pay

At times, you may find yourself struggling 为了收支平衡，可能会在经济上变得困难或不可能偿还你的学生贷款. 你能做的最糟糕的事情就是完全忽略你的付款(和你的贷款人). 你能做的最好的事情就是联系你的贷方并申请延期, forbearance, or cancellation of your loan.

Deferment:

有了延期，你的贷款人会给你一个暂时的缓期偿还学生贷款的机会 based on a specific condition, such as unemployment, temporary disability, military service, or a return to graduate school on a full-time basis. 对于联邦贷款，联邦政府支付产生的利息 during the deferment period, so your loan balance won’t increase. A deferment usually lasts six months, 在贷款期限内，你可以延期的总次数是有限的.

Forbearance:

With a forbearance, 你的贷款人允许你在一段时间内减少或停止偿还贷款 at its discretion (one common reason is economic hardship). However, interest continues to accrue, even on federal loans. Like a deferment, a forbearance usually lasts six months, and the total number allowed over the life of the loan is limited.

Student Loan Forgiveness:

With student loan forgiveness, otherwise known as a cancellation, 你的贷款将永远从你的债务清单上抹去. It’s not easy to qualify for loan forgiveness, though. 允许这样做的情况是借款人死亡或永久完全残疾, 或者如果借款人在某些地理区域从事教育贫困人口的工作. Typically, you cannot file bankruptcy on student loans.

Remember, these things are never automatic. You’ll need to fill out the appropriate application from your lender, attach any supporting documentation, 跟进以确保你的申请得到了正确的处理.

Keep track of your paperwork

如果你对组织的想法是把学生贷款文件胡乱塞进放袜子的抽屉里, or not keeping them all, think again. 偿还学生贷款是一件严肃的事情，你需要做好这件事. It’s important to keep accurate, accessible records. Open a file folder for each loan, and file any accompanying paperwork there, such as copies of promissory notes, coupon booklets, correspondence from your lender, deferment and/or forbearance paperwork, and notes of any phone calls.