How Do I Refinance Parent Plus Loans Into My Name?

At Snowball Wealth, we want to give you the information you need to make the best decision for your money journey.

First, what are Parent Plus Loans?

Parent PLUS loans are federal student loans issued directly to parents. They take a look at credit, offer some flexibility in repayment options, and the ability to fill funding gaps.

What you need to know about changing Parent Plus Loans to your name

If you have a Parent PLUS loan and are considering changing the loan to your name, this is what you need to know.

One option to change the loan into your name is to refinance the loan with a private lender. You will need to apply and be approved for the loan through a private student loan lender, and supply information about your credit score, school and degree. Be aware that the new loan may have different terms and conditions, and potentially a lower interest rate as well.

One of the biggest changes in choosing to refinancing a Parent PLUS loan is that it absolves your parents from the debt obligation and enables you to select the appropriate loan terms.

Some other benefits:

• You may get a lower interest rate on the new loan.
• You could build credit by making on-time payments.
• When refinancing, you may save money on interest.

Here are some lenders you can refinance with (support keeping Snowball free by using our referral links):

Earnest

Common Bond

SoFi

Before you decide to refinance your parent PLUS loan(s), there are some downsides you should also be aware of, including:

• By refinancing with a private lender, you’ll lose federal student loan benefits, such as access to income-driven repayment options and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
• The legal liability for the loans will be transferred to you.
• The process is not reversible.

Before you begin anything. Be sure you and your parents are on the same page. Everyone should understand the financial and legal implications of refinancing and also have a firm grasp of what benefits this process may cause you to give up.

Did you read through this article and realize that refinancing may not be the best option for you?

Here are other things to consider:

• You could explore an income-contingent repayment (ICR) plan, which adjusts your monthly payments in accordance with your discretionary income. Note that you’ll have to consolidate your parent PLUS loan(s) before being eligible for ICR.
• Another option is loan forgiveness through a program like Public Service Loan Forgiveness. If your job makes you eligible for PSLF or a similar program, you could get some or all of your balance canceled. You would also have to consolidate your parent PLUS loan(s) with this option, as PSLF requires that you repay under an income-driven repayment plan.

At Snowball, we make the refinancing process more transparent and ensure you have evaluated the best lenders to get the best rate and terms for you. We also give you the best course of action to tackle your student debt and compare refinancing, optimizing payments, and federal decisions. You can learn more and sign up here.

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