Made a huge mistake in January 2022… took out a $32000 student loan with Discover. The rest of my loans are all federal, but I was studying abroad and needed more. My mistake wasn’t the loan, the mistake was falling for the “variable interest rate” scam… after the fed’s historic rate hike cycle, my STUDENT LOAN rate is up to 14.59%!!! This is suffocating.

I have a 740+ credit score and $130k salary… why won’t any lenders offer a decent rate? What can I do to get a single digit rate?

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Variable interest rates aren't a "scam". They can actually be very beneficial in falling rate environments. Your mistake was not seeing the writing on the wall in 2022.

likesmart

This is correct. I used choice words less out of rational thought and more out of how I was feeling.

Refi with Sofi, asap

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Agreed. Rates are not going down anytime soon, lock in the fixed 7.25% with SoFi and bundle them.

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You can pay this off and get it behind you in no time. You bring home around $85k after taxes? Live on $55k and pay off $32k asap. You don't have to keep living with this. Any extra dollar you have use to pay off the loan and you'll be getting a guaranteed 14.59% return on your money. That beats any investment you can make right now.

likehelpful

This.

Refinance / move back in with your parents if possible to pay off asap

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I mean, you took someone else’s money to enjoy and now they get to set the terms for its repayment. Maybe ask your parents for a loan instead?

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Ok so what I’m hearing from y’all is that I need to get adopted. It’s not too late in your 30s, right? 👀

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Because rates are up, it’s an unsecured loan, and your DTI may be high.
As someone else said, try sofi. Or keep looking for another lender. They’re out there.

Why is everyone recommending sofi? Just curious?

I believe it’s main function is refinancing student loans, so it might be the best option by design. Just remembering an old ad

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Refinancing the loan at a lower rate (assuming there are no or very low fees for refinancing) is good and all but not the solution. Pay the loan back. If you aggressively pay back the loan you can have it gone this year and the difference between 14% and 7% won't be what makes it or breaks it (it'll save you a few hundred dollars, which is nice). Not saying you shouldn't refinance if you can, but don't let that get in the way of aggressively paying this off and having it gone this year.

I guess some extra context is warranted.

My parents aren’t an option, neither to move back in with or for loan help.

My federal loans are paused like everyone else, but Im estimating ~$1200 in minimum payments there on ~$133k balance.

I also have to live in San Jose for work. $3k just on rent/utilities.

Expecting to be promoted to band 7 this year/early next year. Does it make any sense to refinance to a lower rate ~7% so I can drift at a cheaper rate until that promo hits and I can get more aggressive?

$6k take home each month. Current $1800 minimums on student loans. $3k on rent/util.

Alternatively, can you get a good rate by borrowing from your 401k? Might be able to use that to pay off some Of the loans

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