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Maybe your ultimate financial goal is to pay off your mortgage and live debt-free. Or, perhaps your dream is to retire early and relocate to a remote tropical island.

Whether you’re dreaming big, small, or somewhere in between, achieving financial security can help make your vision of the future a reality.

But what exactly is financial security? Broadly speaking, financial security or wellness refers to a condition in which you are able to meet your current and ongoing financial obligations, have the capacity to absorb a financial shock, feel secure in your financial future, and are able to make choices that allow you to enjoy life.

While that may sound like a far-off concept, achieving financial stability often isn’t as far off as many people think. The key to getting there is to think about your short- and long-term financial goals, and then devise a savings plan that can help you reach them.

Here are five steps that could help you achieve financial security.

1. Setting Goals

Financial goal-setting can be like jumping ahead to the last chapter of a book.

Financial goal-setting can be like jumping ahead to the last chapter of a book. It starts with the endgame, such as paying for kids’ college, traveling, buying or renovating a home, or getting a new car.

From there, “reading” goes backward by breaking those goals into bite-size steps until the arrival at Chapter 1—an overview of the current situation and a plan to meet those long-term goals.

Short-term financial goals could include things like paying off credit card debt, student loans or car loans, saving for a downpayment on a home or a car, or growing an emergency fund (more on that below).

Once those are achieved, money you were setting aside each month for those goals could be shifted into longer-term planning, such as retirement, buying or upgrading a home, paying off a mortgage, or investing.

No matter how long it takes, checking something off a goals list can be a huge feeling of accomplishment, as well as motivation to start the next chapter.

2. Creating a Budget

One of the most important things you can do to achieve financial security is to live on less than you earn, since this enables you to siphon some of your income into saving towards your financial goals each month.

A great first step is to set up, or fine-tune, a monthly budget. To do this, you’ll want to grab the last few months of financial statements and pay stubs, then use them to determine what your average monthly take-home (after tax) income is, and what your average monthly spending looks like.

If you find that your spending is equal to, or exceeding, your income, you may then want to drill down into exactly where your money is going each month. You can start by making a list of essential expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, car payments, groceries) and nonessential expenses (clothing, dining out, entertainment).

It’s often easiest to cut back spending in the nonessentials category. You might decide to cook more meals at home instead of eating out, for example. Or, you might cancel a streaming service or quit the gym and work out at home.

The money you free up can then be put into savings every month for your future goals.

3. Attacking Debt

If those monthly high-interest credit card payments didn’t exist, where would that money go instead? Paying off debt could free up a potentially big chunk of money to put toward those big dreams. Creating a debt-payoff strategy can be an essential part of a financial wellness plan.

One popular method for getting out of debt is the debt snowball. This calls for listing debts from smallest to largest amounts owed, then paying any extra money you have each month towards the smallest debt (while paying the minimum on the others). When that debt is paid off, you move on to the next smallest debt, and so on.

Another option is the debt avalanche method. This involves making a list of all your debts in order of interest rate (regardless of balance). You then put extra money towards the debt with the highest interest rate, while paying the minimum on the others.

When that debt is paid off, you start tackling the debt with the next-highest interest rate, and so on. As you continue paying off bills, you will be saving in interest payments and should have more and more money to put toward each debt as you go.

4. Building an Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is money tucked away that you can use in times of financial distress. Having this contingency fund can significantly improve financial security by creating a safety net that can be used to meet unanticipated expenses, such as an illness, job loss, or major home repair.

A good rule of thumb is to keep enough money in an emergency fund to cover three- to six-months worth of living expenses, but some people may need a larger emergency fund. You may want to keep this money in an account that earns more interest than a standard savings account, but is still easily accessible. Good options include a high-yield savings account, online savings account, or a checking and savings account.

Having this money available when you need it can reduce the need to tap high-interest debt options, such as credit cards or unsecured loans, or undermine your future security by dipping into retirement funds.

5. Saving for Retirement

Once you are free of high interest debt and have a solid emergency fund, you may want to focus on investing more of your income into a retirement fund.

The earlier you start saving for retirement, the easier it will be to meet your goal, thanks to the benefit of compounding interest (when the money you invest earns interest, that interest then gets reinvested and earns interest of its own).

One of the simplest ways to save for retirement is through a 401(k) program at work, since you can set up automatic pre-tax deductions from your paycheck (and may not even miss the money). If your employer is matching up to a certain percent of your contributions, you’re essentially getting free extra cash to save.

Another option is to open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Like a 401(k), an IRA allows you to put away money (before taxes are taken out) for your retirement. However, there are annual contribution limits you’ll need to keep in mind.

The Takeaway

Reaching a state of financial stability means you feel confident and don’t feel stressed about money. You are able to pay your bills each month, have money set aside for any unexpected bills or emergencies, you are saving money each month, and you are also debt-free.

One of the easiest and most important ways to achieve financial security is to spend less than you earn and to put money aside each month towards your goals.

If you’re looking for a good place to start–or build–your savings, you may want to consider opening a SoFi Checking and Savings®️ checking and savings account.

With SoFi’s special “vaults” features, you can separate your savings from your spending while earning competitive interest on all your money. You can also set up recurring deposits to help you reach your financial goals faster.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Private student loans can help fill the gap needed for students to pay for their tuition and living expenses, but they do not have the same relief programs that federal student loans provide.

Federal student loans offer more borrower protections after students graduate, especially if they face difficult economic circumstances such as the loss of a job, being furloughed from a position or if their salary is inadequate to pay all their bills. When borrowers take out a federal student loan, they have a few different options to choose from such as forgiveness or deferment programs until their financial circumstances change.

Are There Relief Options for Private Student Loans?

The options for private student loan relief are fewer. Private student loan forgiveness does not exist and no lenders offer this option.

When graduates face hurdles in repaying their private student loans, some lenders provide their own temporary assistance programs. These programs may provide temporary assistance to borrowers and the programs will vary based on the lender.

Read the fine print on temporary relief programs offered by private lenders. Generally, interest will continue to accrue while the loan is in forbearance, which can make the loan more expensive in the long-term. However, if you’re struggling to make repayments, securing forbearance could help provide breathing room to help you get back on track without missing payments.

If you are not sure whether or not the lender offers forbearance or other temporary assistance programs, try to contact them before missing any payments. They may have an option that could help or be willing to work with borrowers who are struggling.

Missing payments can potentially impact a borrower’s credit score. And if the borrower has a co-signer, their credit score may feel an impact as well.

Private Loans and COVID-19 Student Loan Relief Plans

The federal government has extended some relief options to borrowers with federal student loans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these policies do not apply to borrowers with private student loans.

As of March 2021, some borrowers with private student loans in default qualify to have their student loan payments paused. Borrowers with a defaulted loan made through the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, may qualify for the federal protections offered . The FFEL program loans were made by private companies but were backed by the federal government. The program ended in 2010.

Recommended: Navigating Your Student Loans During COVID-19

Repaying Private Student Loans

Since there aren’t any real loan forgiveness options available for borrowers with private student loans, repaying them may become a financial priority. The repayment period for private student loans may vary based on lenders, so review the terms and payment schedule with your lender.

Some private student loans may have a grace period—a period of time after a student graduates where payments are not due. This will depend on the lender, so review your loan terms to find out if your private loan is eligible for a grace period. Interest may accrue during the grace period.

Other Ways to Payoff Private Student Loans

Other strategies to that can help students as they repay their student loans include:

•  Budgeting with Purpose. Factor student loan payments into your budget and prioritize repayments.
•  Enrolling in automatic payments. This can help you avoid missing payments. Some lenders may even offer a rate discount to borrowers who do enroll, so it’s worth asking.
•  Funneling additional income to student loans. Influx in cash thanks to a recent birthday, tax refund, bonus at work? Make an overpayment to the student loan.
•  Consider refinancing. Student loan refinancing can help qualifying borrowers secure a more competitive interest rate or preferable terms. Lowering the interest rate on a student loan could help borrowers save money over the life of the loan.

Recommended: 9 Smart Ways to Pay Off Student Loans

Why Refinancing Could Be Helpful

Refinancing could result in a lower interest rate which could also lower the minimum monthly payment. In some cases, getting a lower monthly payment requires extending the life of the loan, which can ultimately cost more.

Student loan refinancing means a new loan is obtained at a new interest rate and possibly a new term or the number of years you have to pay off the loan. Borrowers can generally choose between fixed or variable interest rates, depending on the options available at the lender they have decided to borrow from. Private lenders will generally rely on information like a borrower’s credit score and employment history to determine how much money a person can borrow, and at what interest rate.

Borrowers who are able to secure a lower interest rate may find that refinancing can help them spend less over the life of the loan. Additionally, a borrower with multiple private student loans might appreciate the opportunity to streamline their monthly payments to a single sum with a single lender.

The Takeaway

Some borrowers may be able to get some private student loan assistance, depending on the programs offered and policies in place with their private lender. In some cases, refinancing may make sense for borrowers who can qualify for a lower interest rate.

SoFi’s private student loans do not charge application or origination fees, offer competitive rates, flexible terms, a simple online application, and human support to answer your questions.

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