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You probably already know that you should have an emergency fund—a bit of extra cash on hand in case of an unforeseen event, like getting laid off or needing to move.

But many of us don’t know more than that. How much should you have? How, exactly, do you save that cash? And should you focus on building this fund or paying off debt first?

SoFi advisor and Certified Financial Planner Alison Norris recently talked about all of this and more at a recent #WealthWednesday discussion on the SoFi Member Facebook page. (Yep, SoFi members have daily access to complimentary advisors on social media and via phone—check out more about the SoFi Member Benefits.)

And today, we’re bringing that discussion, as well as other common questions about emergency funds and her expert answers, to you.

How much should I have in an emergency fund?

Your emergency fund should be three to 12 times the amount you spend monthly. The exact amount should reflect your risk aversion to unexpected unemployment. If you have reason to believe you could quickly land another job—say, you’re a software engineer in San Francisco—then you might be comfortable with three months’.

If, on the other hand, you’d expect a longer job search—for example, you’re in a specialized line of work, or a finding a new job would likely entail moving to a new city—your emergency fund should reflect that

Also, consider this: Would you be willing to amend your lifestyle if income slows or something costly crops up? If you’re OK living on a friend’s couch eating ramen, then you might survive with a smaller rainy day fund. If you wish to keep living the life you’re accustomed to, then you may want more of a backup.

Where should I keep my emergency fund—my checking account, a savings account, or elsewhere?

You want to keep your emergency fund money “liquid,” or available to access as soon as you need it. It’s also smart to separate cash on hand from your emergency fund. Cash on hand can be left in your checking account, earmarked for paying upcoming bills. Your emergency fund works well in a FDIC-insured savings account.

With that said, many savings accounts only pay you 0.01% interest on cash balances. This doesn’t keep pace with inflation, so you’re essentially losing money. Instead, you might consider a high-yield savings account that earns 1.0% interest or more. Bankrate is a good place to compare your options.

What do you suggest if you have roughly $5K built up so far for an emergency fund and also about $3K in credit card debt?

Should I wipe out the debt and then build the fund back up, or chip away at the debt and maintain the fund?

I might suggest knocking out that credit card debt in full. Here’s the order of operations that works best for most:

•   1. Keep enough cash on hand to pay recurring bills and avoid living paycheck to paycheck. (This isn’t your emergency fund, just cash that’s good to have on hand.)

•   2. If your employer matches contributions to a retirement plan, max out that match.

•   3. Pay off consumer debt, including high-interest credit cards.

•   4. Build your emergency fund.

Also keep in mind that the comfort of having a cash cushion and not living on the financial edge may outweigh other purely financial benefits of wiping out high-interest debt. Sleeping soundly at night is another benefit to building up an emergency fund.

Could a credit line be considered a pseudo emergency fund?

While I don’t have credit card debt, I do have a ton of student loans I want to pay off more aggressively. My credit cards would allow me to live for a good three months or so if I needed to.

I commend your desire to pay off your student loans aggressively, but I wouldn’t do so if it means you would instead have revolving credit card debt.

Say, for example, you have a 6% rate on your student loans and a 20% rate on your credit card loans, and $1,000 in outstanding debt with both. You’ll end up paying $140 less toward your student loan each year (maybe even less because there are tax deductions for student loan interest). I might suggest prioritizing the emergency fund while making minimum payments on your student loans.

What’s the best way to save up for my emergency fund, quickly?

The basic equation for wealth building is: Money In – Money Out = Money Saved.

But you don’t need us to tell you how math works. The key is to figure out which levers to pull to increase your odds of success.

Start by tracking your expenses, either in a spreadsheet or using a free service like Mint.com. You’ll quickly get a handle on your monthly cash flows, which will enable you to target an emergency savings goal tailored to your needs.

The next step is key: Pay yourself first. Schedule recurring auto-deposits into your savings account to coincide with your paychecks. You’ll find this cash flow will quickly become painless and invisible. More importantly, it ensures that when you overspend in a given month, it’s discretionary items—like eating out one more time—that get cut, rather than your savings.

I’m almost at my savings goal for my emergency fund. Where should I put my money next?

The earlier you save for retirement, the better, so you can let the power of compounding interest work for you. And even better than compounding is free money. For both reasons, the first place to invest for retirement should be in your employer-sponsored retirement plan, if you have access to one.

Many employers will match part of your contribution, which is essentially free money. Once that match is met, aim to keep contributing to tax-advantaged accounts. You can invest in the employer retirement beyond your match, contribute to an IRA, or (our preferred strategy) both. To understand which IRA account you can contribute to, use this IRA calculator.

From there, document your assets and liabilities. Know your good debt from bad. A mortgage or student loan? Good. A high-interest credit card? Not so good. Also write down your long- and short-term goals—for example, paying for wedding, saving for a house down payment, or even taking a summer vacation.

Once you’re saving for retirement, you can plan a savings or investment strategy for these goals, based on their time horizon.

SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance. This information isn’t financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on specific financial needs, goals and risk appetite. Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC, a registered investment advisor.
SoFi doesn’t provide tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique. Consult with a qualified tax advisor or attorney.
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance.
This information isn’t financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on specific financial needs, goals and risk appetite.
Neither SoFi nor its affiliates is a bank.
SoFi Checking and Savings^TM is offered through SoFi Securities, LLC, member FINRA / SIPC . Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC, a registered investment advisor.

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Student loan refinancing is most likely the first major financial decision you’ve made as a young professional—and it was a smart one. For starters, you’ve achieved an immediate psychological win, and you can breathe easier knowing you’ve taken a strong step toward eliminating your student loan burden.

Plus, by scoring a lower interest rate and more manageable monthly payments, you now have wiggle room to chalk up some other financial gains.tr

Here’s how to get cracking on achieving major money milestones now that you’ve refinanced your student loans:

1. Track Your Spending

If you haven’t already created a budget, do so and take it seriously. Tracking your income and expenses—and automating monthly loan payments—will give you a sense of where your money goes, and guide you toward spending mindfully.

Budgeting will also help you allocate cash toward your short-term (i.e., home down payment) and long-term (retirement) savings objectives.

2. Pull Out Your Crystal Ball

Now that your student loans are no longer suffocating you, give some thought to what’s next on your personal and career agendas, and how you’ll accomplish those goals. Do you plan on relocating for a new job? Is marriage in your future? Children? Focus on the debt you currently carry and how it influences your long-term financial objectives.

Since student loan refinancing reduced your interest rate, you can save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. That means you can continue to make minimum payments and redirect those savings toward growing your investment portfolio, reducing bad debt, or saving for a wedding, for example.

Think about it this way: A big drop in loan interest usually means that more of your payment can go toward the principal than before, especially if you’ve been paying the loan for a while. Other factors at play might include a new loan term, so start number-crunching. You’ll likely realize that putting extra funds toward maxing out your 401(k) instead of accelerating your loan payments, for instance, will garner a higher return.

Related: How Student Loans Could Impact Your Taxes

3. Become Conscious of Tradeoffs

In order to complete your money missions, you’ll have to accept that they come with tradeoffs and sacrifices. This mindset will help you avoid falling victim to “lifestyle inflation”—the idea that as you earn more, your needs and desires get more expensive.

So instead of joining another wine club, for example, focus on actions that provide long-term value and happiness, such as strengthening your investment portfolio and saving for a home.

Learning to make sacrifices early in life will keep you on the right track financially. That being said, don’t feel like you have to give up everything you enjoy. Go ahead and celebrate wins, make memories, and treat yourself to nice things—just avoid deviating too far from your big-picture goals.

4. Tackle High-Interest Credit

If you have credit card debt, dealing with it is of the utmost importance. The money you’ll save by eliminating a revolving balance that typically carries an interest rate of 15% or more can go toward building your nest egg or saving for your child’s education.

Consider consolidating your credit cards into a personal loan to secure a lower interest rate. Paying down credit card debt can also improve your credit score, which will help you qualify for more favorable interest rates and terms in the future.

Debt utilization—the amount of debt you have compared to your credit limit—is the second biggest factor that FICO and other scoring models use to calculate your credit score. So if you have a $10,000 credit card limit and owe $7,500, that equates to a 75% debt utilization rate. To maximize your credit score, aim to keep that rate under 30 percent, but as close to zero as possible.

Read Next: Two Couples Open Up About How They Manage Money, Together

5. Save For Your Dream Home

When you’re hoping to buy your first home, coming up with a down payment is probably your biggest obstacle. But the savings from your newly refinanced student loan and—should you choose it—credit card consolidation can get you on track.

If you live in a high-rent city or plan on relocating to one, buying a home could be just as affordable as renting. Plus, you can save for a down payment while still paying down your student loans. The fact is, you might not even have to save as much as you think.

Although conventional wisdom says to put 20% down on a home, you might qualify for a mortgage loan with as little as 10% down, or even just 3.5% if you go with a government-insured FHA mortgage .

To get started, create a home savings account and automate deposits to it each pay period. You’re more likely to stick with it if you never actually have the cash in hand. You might also consider tapping into other assets, such as a Roth IRA, which allows you a one-time, penalty-free withdrawal if you’re using it for a first-time home purchase.

6. Fund and Contribute to Retirement Accounts

Using your student loan refinancing savings to fund your retirement accounts will put you that much ahead of the game. If you have an employer-matching 401(k) that you’re not maxing out, that should be your first move.

If you have savings left over, contribute to an individual retirement account, such as a traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA. For more information on which IRA account you can contribute to, check out SoFi’s IRA calculator. Choose a low-cost investment platform to save on fees while building your savings.

Just be aware that you may be penalized and taxed for early withdrawals, so work with a professional. Investing in retirement while in your 20s and 30s will make a huge difference in the long run, thanks to compound interest, which allows your earnings to also earn interest.

Leveraging the money you save by refinancing to achieve your financial goals takes forethought and determination, but the sooner you get started, the better. Whether it’s buying a home, developing a strong investment portfolio, or finally achieving debt-free status, putting your money to work for you will get you closer to your dreams.

SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance.
This information isn’t financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on specific financial needs, goals and risk appetite. Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC, a registered investment advisor.
SoFi doesn’t provide tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique. Consult with a qualified tax advisor or attorney.

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Got student loans? We’ve got you covered with our Student Loan Smarts blog series. Our expert tips and hacks will help you save money, pay off loans sooner, and stress less about student loan debt. Read the other posts in the series to get all the info you need to make intelligent decisions about your student loans.

Student loans are the ultimate double-edged swords. Invest wisely in your education, and those loans should pay off in the form of higher income over time. But if you mismanage student loan debt, your credit score could suffer—and that could have a big impact on your financial future.

As a student loan lender, we get a lot of great questions about how student loans affect credit score. Here are the top seven.

1. Do I need a good credit score to take out a student loan?

The answer depends on whether you’re talking about federal or private student loans.

Federal loans don’t take credit scores into account, which is why mosevery borrower gets the same interest rate regardless of financial profile. However, federal PLUS loans do require that borrowers not have an adverse credit history , which is defined by FinAid as “being more than 90 days late on any debt, or having any Title IV debt within the past five years subjected to default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment or write-off.”

Related: 5 Tips for Getting the Lowest Rate When Refinancing Student Loans

For private lenders, your credit score is usually a key factor in determining not only student loan approval, but also the attached interest rate. In other words, the better your score, the better your rate. But SoFi does things a bit differently—our non-traditional underwriting process looks beyond your credit score to take into account factors such as education and career. This allows us to provide competitive interest rates on student loan refinancing.

2. Which credit scores do lenders use?

Most private student loan lenders use FICO credit scores to determine whether to extend credit and at what interest rate. Since FICO is used widely throughout the lending industry, including by mortgage, auto loan, and credit card providers, it gives lenders an apples-to-apples comparison of potential borrowers.

3. How is my credit score calculated?

Unfortunately, how FICO calculates your credit score is kind of a black box. While the various factors and weightings
used in the calculation are publicly available on FICO’s website, its algorithm is proprietary, which means that no one can predict exactly how a specific financial event will affect your score. For example, a late payment will likely reduce your score, but by how many points is anyone’s guess.

That said, there are generally three key ways to improve your credit score : pay bills on time, keep credit card balances low, and reduce the amount of debt you owe.

4. How does a late student loan payment affect my credit score?

Making payments on time is obviously important, but what you might not realize is exactly how damaging it is to not pay on time. Even if your credit history is pristine, it only takes one 30-days past due report to cause a material change in your score. Whether you were short on cash or just simply forgot, the FICO algorithm doesn’t distinguish—and the result is the same.

Recommended: How to Choose Between Variable and Fixed Rate Student Loans

So, if you have trouble remembering to make your payments, set up an automatic payment plan; most lenders will give you a small discount on your interest rate for doing so. When you know you can’t make a payment on time, talk to your lender or loan servicer right away.

Most federal loan lenders and some private lenders offer loan deferment and/or forbearance , allowing you to temporarily suspend payments, which will minimize the impact on your credit score. But remember, there’s absolutely nothing your lender can do to help if you don’t return their calls.

5. Will shopping around for a better student loan interest rate hurt my credit score?

We hear this question a lot from grad school borrowers and those refinancing student loans to get the best interest rate possible on a private loan.

One factor that can be a red flag for FICO is the number of inquiries it receives from lenders wanting to see your credit report. In other words, if it looks like you apply for more credit often, it could negatively impact your score. But the good news is that FICO attempts to distinguish between a request for a single loan and a request for many new credit lines. As long as you rate-shop in a concentrated period of time, you should be okay.

If you really want to avoid inquiry overload, do your homework before applying for a loan. Private lenders typically list online the range of rates they offer, as well as general eligibility criteria. Researching that info will give you a good idea of whether you’ll qualify before you formally apply.

Also, be sure ask lenders if they can tell you the interest rate you would receive without doing a “hard” credit pull, which might affect your score. You can’t get a loan without an eventual inquiry, but this service allows you to compare interest rates worry-free before applying for a loan.

6. Will refinancing student loans help my credit?

Refinancing student loans at a lower interest rate can have an indirect positive impact on your credit. For example, refinancing may lower your monthly payments, making it less likely you’ll miss or be late with a payment.

And if you refinance federal loans with a private lender (in effect, turn your federal loans into a private loan), rest assured that credit bureaus don’t view these two types of loans any differently.

7. Will paying off student loans too quickly damage my credit?

Some people reason that because education debt is “good debt,” FICO must view it more favorably than other types of debt. And because credit scores can be improved by having open accounts that are paid on time, they think that paying off a student loan early might actually work against their score. But, while there’s no definitive answer to this question (remember: black box), there are a few things to keep in mind before buying into this belief.

Read Next: Student Loan APR Vs. Interest Rate – 5 Essential FAQs

First, FICO doesn’t see your student loan debt as being good or bad. In fact, the agency doesn’t distinguish it from any other type of installment debt, such as mortgage or auto loan debt. Incidentally, while installment debt is different from revolving debt (like credit card debt), it’s generally better to have positive track records with both of types of loans .

Second, it’s true that FICO likes to see how you manage your debt. So, if you have an open account in good standing, that could help your score—but the impact would likely be small. And closing any account satisfactorily is generally a positive thing for your credit, so that could help your score, too.

Bottom line: Instead of worrying about how prematurely paying off your student loan will impact your credit score, consider the potential trade-offs. For example, how much extra interest are you paying by leaving the account open? Also, a high loan balance may make it harder to qualify for new loans—something to think about when it comes time to buy a home.

Take Care of Your Credit Score

Credit is a powerful tool that can allow you to do a lot of great things, but if you’re not careful, it can hold you back. For many people, student loans represent their first experience carrying a large debt load, which means mistakes are almost inevitable. The most important thing you can do is learn how to take good care of your credit score—and eventually, it will take care of you, too.

Here at SoFi we want to help you through your student loan journey. We’ve created a student loan help center to give you the resources you need to find the best strategy to pay off your student loans.

Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website on credit.
SoFi Lending Corp. or an affiliate is licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Financing Law, license number 6054612. NMLS #1121636. Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply; see SoFi.com/eligibility.
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Notice: SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. SoFi always recommends that you consult a qualified financial advisor to discuss what is best for your unique situation.
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When you’re struggling under the burden of federal student loans, the possibility of loan forgiveness sounds like a fantasy. But thanks to the expansion of the government’s income-driven student loan repayment plan called Pay As You Earn (PAYE), more borrowers are inching close to student loan forgiveness than ever before.

PAYE was previously only available to people who took out loans after October 2007, but last year, the Department of Education launched the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan, which expanded the program to all eligible borrowers regardless of when their loans were disbursed.

A leg up for those borrowers who have trouble making ends meet, PAYE and REPAYE limit monthly student loan payments to 10% of their discretionary income and, after 20-25 years (10 years if you work in public service), forgives the remaining loan balance.

How Does PAYE Work?

For those who qualify and sign on for PAYE, payments are generally around 10% of your discretionary income. If your income increases and your monthly payments get recalculated, your payments will never exceed what you would be paying under the standard repayment plan, as long as your income is still under the qualifying threshold.

So what’s the catch? For one thing, lower monthly payments will, of course, mean a higher accumulation of interest. And while your loan balance could be eligible to be forgiven in 20 years, that forgiveness in many circumstances is seen as income in the eyes of the IRS.

So if in 20 years you still owe, say, $20,000, even if the total balance is forgiven, you might have to pay taxes on that $20,000 the same year its forgiven.

Am I Eligible for a PAYE Plan?

Not everyone is eligible for the PAYE program. First off, PAYE only works for federal direct loans. And because PAYE was created for those struggling to meet loan payments, PAYE is only available to those who can demonstrate economic hardship. This makes sense, of course, because 10% of a high discretionary income would be a high monthly payment and over the payments of a federal standard plan.

PAYE plans are given to those whose monthly payments are lower than they would be on the standard 10-year payment plan.

Right about now you’re probably thinking, Lower payments and eventual loan forgiveness—where do I sign?

But there’s a catch. There’s almost always a catch.

While the idea of loan forgiveness may sound like the ultimate ‘get out of loan-jail free’ card, income-driven plans like REPAYE, PAYE and their predecessor, Income-Based Repayment (IBR), come with some less-than-obvious costs.

Costs Associated with PAYE and Income-Driven Repayment

In some cases, those costs outweigh the potential benefits—even the benefit of ultimate loan forgiveness. What costs should you be aware of when it comes to income-based repayment plans? Here are the big three:

1. The Straight Costs

Under an income-driven plan, lower student loan payments are primarily a result of lengthening your loan’s term from the standard 10 years to 20 or 25 years, depending on the plan. You still owe the same amount in terms of principal, but you’ll pay it off much more slowly and make a smaller dent—if any dent at all—in the principal with each payment.

In other words, an income-driven plan is a recipe for significantly higher interest costs than you would incur with a 10-year repayment plan. Plus, any loan balance forgiven at the end is taxed as income by the IRS.

How much do these costs matter? Let’s say you’re a single California resident with a $100,000 direct subsidized 10-year loan at a 4% APR, and you make $50,000 per year with a projected 5% annual salary bump.

On the standard repayment plan, you’d spend $121,494 total on principal and interest over 10 years. But on REPAYE, you’d spend $173,225 total—and you’d pay off your loan just a few months shy of the 25-year forgiveness mark.

Of course, your own income and loan details will make a difference in the outcome here, so find out how different repayment plans would affect you, check out our Student Loan Navigator tool, which can help personalize options to your situation.

2. The Surprise Costs (and Administrative Burden)

Under any income-driven repayment plan, you have to “recertify” your income and “family size” annually. Recertification can be a cumbersome process, and if you miss the deadline, which happens over 50% of the time, according to the Department of Education, things can get messy.

For one thing, if your payments are so low they don’t cover your monthly interest cost, the interest builds. Miss the recertification deadline, and you risk having accrued interest capitalized, or added to your loan’s principal.

Paying interest on your interest can cost you thousands more over the life of the loan.

Late recertification can also delay the date your loan is eligible to be forgiven, since you are automatically removed from the plan each time your certification lapses, and then put back on once you’ve completed the process.

Since time spent off the plan doesn’t count toward the 20-year forgiveness requirement, this could mean making some extra monthly payments before forgiveness can occur.

Additionally, if your income steadily increases and you’d like to switch to a standard plan to save money and be done with debt sooner, you may want to think twice. If you leave REPAYE all your accrued interest is capitalized, which means the longer you’ve been using the plan, the more the amount you owe has increased.

3. The Emotional Cost

Imagine for a moment that you do make it to the promised land of student loan forgiveness under an income-based repayment plan.

That means you’ve spent 20 years experiencing some level of financial hardship to make monthly payments toward a balance that might have grown exponentially with each passing year (if your payments were so low they didn’t effect the principal).

In other words, there’s an emotional tax attached, and that’s probably not what you pictured when you signed up.

The more common scenario (and frankly, the more desirable path) is that your financial picture will improve over time—you’ll get job offers, raises, and maybe even an inheritance or a bonus or two. And if that means becoming ineligible for eventual loan forgiveness, you’re probably going to be okay with the trade-off.

The Big Picture

Despite its downsides, an income-based repayment plan can be a useful tool for some borrowers. If you have a large amount of student loan debt, a low-to-modest salary, and, most importantly, don’t anticipate your income increasing much over the next couple of decades, you should give it serious consideration.

If, on the other hand, you expect your salary to moderately increase at some point, an income-driven plan could cost you more money in the long run.

The Main Income-Driven Repayment Options

If PAYE isn’t right for you, there are plenty of other options offered by the federal government or by private lenders. If you have federal loans, there are three other income-driven repayment options:

• Income-contingent repayment (ICR)<, which asks for generally 20% of your discretionary income. Your loans are eligible to be forgiven after 25 years. And just like the PAYE loan forgiveness option, you could be taxed on the amount that’s forgiven. • Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE), which takes generally 10% of your discretionary income. There is a forgiveness option after 20 years if you’re paying off your undergrad degree, or 25 years if you’re paying off undergrad and grad school loans. • Income-based repayment (IBR), which takes generally 10% to 15% of your discretionary income. Your loans are forgiven after 20-25 years, though you could get taxed on the amount that’s forgiven. If lowering your monthly loan payments is the goal, but you don't want the costs and headaches associated with REPAYE, consider refinancing your student loans at a lower interest rate instead.

Refinancing can decrease your payments and cut your total interest costs significantly. You can also shorten your payment term to save even more money, and be done with loans that much sooner.

For the borrower who bets on eventual loan forgiveness as a panacea for student loan woes, it’s important to take a hard look at the price of that journey. Because, in the end, loan forgiveness is never free. Get more information on forgiveness and other student loan strategies at SoFi’s student loan help center.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
SoFi Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). SoFi Student Loan Refinance Loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers, or may become available, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, PAYE or SAVE. Additional terms and conditions apply. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal.

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It’s the classic financial dilemma: you’ve got a home improvement project you’d like to start or maybe you have some unexpected medical bills, but you don’t want to dip into your savings to cover the expenses.

If you have good credit, a personal loan could be the answer. But there’s a lot to consider, especially if you’re paying off student loans while also trying to build a solid nest egg. Here’s a five-point plan to help you out:

1. Decide if a Personal Loan is Really the Ticket

In theory, a personal loan can be used for anything; in practice, though, it’s more suited to some uses than others. For example, major purchases that won’t offer a financial return, such as jewelry, a wedding or a European vacation, are not great uses for a personal loan.

When you take out a loan, your monthly payments will include interest. So avoid paying that interest by saving up for these types of purchases instead.

If you need to cover a smaller expense, like a new TV or espresso machine, using a credit card makes more sense than turning to a personal loan. Even though the interest rate on a credit card is typically higher than on a personal loan, you can pay off less expensive items off over a short period of time, accruing less interest in the long run—or even no interest. Remember, when you use a credit card vs a personal loan, you aren’t charged interest until 30 days after your purchase.

For larger expenses that double as investments in your financial or physical health, or in your career and home, a personal loan is a great solution. Use it to:

Consolidate Credit Card Debt

Average credit card interest rates range from around 13% to 23%, but personal loan rates can be much lower. Using a low-interest personal loan for credit card debt consolidation could save you thousands.

Make a Home Improvement

A personal loan is a great option for a home improvement project that’s just out-of-reach of your budget. And it could pay for itself down the road if you sell your home.

If you aren’t sure how much your renovation project will cost use our Home Improvement Cost Calculator to find out.

Pay for Large or Unexpected Medical Bills

Using a personal loan to pay health expenses is a smart alternative when the monthly payments attached are more manageable than the payments demanded by a doctor or hospital.

Pay for Moving Expenses to Advance Your Career

Expenses attached to career success are great investments. Moving to take a better job, for example, could be key to increasing your earning potential.

Once you know that a personal loan is for you, it’s time to be uber-responsible and do some pre-application homework. Take these steps:

Determine Exactly How Much you Need to Borrow

Your high credit score is valuable, and not something you want to damage. A solid loan strategy will help you maintain it. So, plan on borrowing only as much as you need, and know exactly what you can afford to pay monthly, so there’s no risk of overextending yourself.

2. Choose the Type of Loan you Want

There are two types of personal loans—secured and unsecured. A secured loan requires you to put up assets, such as property or stocks, as collateral, and it comes with a lower interest rate because it presents a lower risk to the lender.

But there’s a serious downside if you fail to make your monthly payments: You could lose the assets you’ve put on the line. An unsecured loan, on the other hand, is granted based on your credit history rather than on your assets.

3. Research Lenders and Ask the Right Questions

Choosing the right lender can save you thousands in interest payments and fees. So take a close look at your options to determine the lender and loan terms that best suit your needs. Once you’ve narrowed your choices down, ask lenders these key questions:

Can I Borrow the Exact Amount I Need?

Many lenders only offer loan amounts up to $40,000. But SoFi offers loans up to $100,000, so there’s a good chance you’ll get the amount you require.

What’s the Best Interest Rate you Can Offer me, and Can I Sign up for Automatic Payments?

Interest rates on personal loans can be over 30%. SoFi’s rates are some of the lowest—from just 5.95% fixed APR. Plus, if you sign up for Autopay, SoFi discounts your rate 0.25%.

What Loan Term Best Suits my Goals?

Personal loan terms can range from six months to 7 years, depending on the lender. SoFi offers 3, 5, and 7-year terms.

Are origination fees or prepayment penalties attached to the loan? Some lenders charge an origination fee of 1% to 6% of the loan just to process your application, and/or a prepayment penalty when you pay off your loan ahead of schedule. SoFi doesn’t do things like that —what you see is what you get.

What if I lose my job and can’t make payments for a few months? Missed payments could lower your credit score, incur late fees, or even involve collections agencies or a lawsuit.

SoFi personal loans include unemployment protection, allowing you to suspend your monthly payments for up to 12 months (though interest will continue to accrue). Plus, you’re eligible to receive job placement assistance in the meantime.

4. Crush Debt Faster

With your questions answered and your loan secured, you’re ready to embark on your project or pay some big bills. As you do, remember to stick to your budget and keep your spending in check. The last thing you want to do is take on more debt.

If you receive a raise or find yourself with a few extra bucks at the end of each month, think about making larger payments and applying the extra amount directly to your loan principal.

Get a year-end bonus? Use it to help pay off your loan months or even years early. Pro-tip: making a one-off payment on the day your auto-pay bill is due ensures that 100% of that payment goes towards paying down the principle of the loan.

The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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