{"id":8388,"date":"2022-01-19T20:12:43","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T19:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/?p=8388"},"modified":"2022-01-20T20:42:09","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T19:42:09","slug":"student-loan-refinance-with-cosigner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/loans\/student-loan-refinance-with-cosigner\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Loan Refinance With Cosigner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you thought you were too grown up for a cosigner, think again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if you\u2019re already living on your own and making some money, a cosigner could help you score a lower interest rate on a refinanced student loan.<\/a> Here are five steps to follow if you\u2019re looking to refinance student loans with a cosigner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve been nudged to find a cosigner after getting rejected on your student loan refinancing application,<\/a> you might already understand why. Maybe your credit score is too low, or perhaps your debt-to-income (DTI)<\/a> ratio tilts in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of where you are in the application process, the first step is to consider the holes in your background that could be filled by a cosigner. Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most top-rated lenders require a minimum score<\/a> in the high 600s, although you\u2019d need an even stronger score to unlock their lowest rate offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, you might need a higher score if you\u2019re applying solo. Splash Financial, for example, requires a 700 if you\u2019re applying on your own, but 670 if you\u2019re piggybacking on another borrower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lenders might also set a baseline for your income before even considering your application. EdvestinU, for example, requires that you bring in at least $30,000 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Refinancing companies eye borrowers with a DTI of less than 40%. You can calculate your ratio<\/a> by dividing your monthly debt payments by your monthly gross income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have credit card debt weighing you down,<\/a> for example, your DTI could take a big hit. Compare your numbers with lenders\u2019 requirements to see where you might be falling short. If you need a cosigner to help you qualify \u2014 or lower your rate further \u2014 then move onto the next step\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about what you most want in a student loan refinance company. If you\u2019re fed up with the customer service of your current lenders, for example, you might prioritize an online lender that\u2019s known for its helpfulness, or a brick-and-mortar bank that offers in-person assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are other questions to weigh when imagining your ideal lender:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve found one or more lenders that check off these boxes, ensure that they check off one more: Does it allow cosigners? If it doesn\u2019t, move to the next lender on your list. Ideally, you\u2019ll identify at least a few that meet most or all of your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good cosigner is someone you\u2019re comfortable talking to about money. You can put a cosigner candidate to the test by asking about their credit score and income. You\u2019ll need to know these numbers anyway to ensure they\u2019re creditworthy enough to serve in a cosigning capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve found someone with the financial chops to be your cosigner \u2014 it could be a parent or even a friend \u2014 ensure they understand the responsibilities of the role. Chiefly, they should know they\u2019d be on the hook for repayment if you default on the loan. They might also want to understand how serving as your cosigner could affect their ability to borrow for their own financial goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To get your cosigner on board, you might lay out a potential repayment schedule, proving your ability to repay the loan on your own and keeping them in the background. Alternatively, if your cosigner has agreed to help more directly with payments, it\u2019s best to make these plans in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the more difficult talks out of the way, you might also explain the concept of cosigner release. This feature, which is offered by some (but not all) top-rated lenders, allows you to remove the cosigner from your loan agreement once you\u2019ve made a specified number of prompt payments. If you refinance with LendKey<\/a>, for example, you might be able to release your cosigner after 12 to 36 months of payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be aware that student loan refinancing companies have different application processes for borrowers and their cosigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some lenders, such as Laurel Road Bank<\/a> and ELFI<\/a>, ask you and your cosigner to apply in succession. You would note on your application that you\u2019re applying with this de facto sponsor. Then you\u2019d add their name and email address to the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your cosigner would be notified via email and asked to complete their end of the application. At Laurel Road, for example, your cosigner might be asked to upload digital copies of two recent pay stubs and their driver\u2019s license or state ID, as well as a copy of their social security card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Others lenders, including SoFi<\/a>, encourages you to apply on your own before including a cosigner the second time around. SoFi says on its website that applications which include cosigners could take one to two weeks longer to process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Watch out for your chosen lender\u2019s application rules. At Education Loan Refinance, for instance, you and your cosigner must apply with different email addresses. And at SoFi, your cosigner has to consent to cosign before either of you can see the interest rates for which you\u2019ve qualified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully, you and your cosigner found multiple lenders offering the loan terms that fit your borrowing situation. It\u2019s best to apply to at least a few lenders so that you can compare offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although interest rate will be a top factor when choosing a lender, don\u2019t forget about other elements. It might be important to your cosigner that the lender offers a pathway to forbearance in case you need to pause your repayment. They might also be interested in lenders offering cosigner release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both you and your cosigner will need to be on board with the choice of lender. Be prepared to face a decision between a lender offering the lowest rate and a lender offering greater loan protections. It might not be an easy decision, but, hey, you now have a teammate with whom you can talk it through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to cosigners, lenders are seeking exceptionally reliable borrowers. They\u2019re also looking for someone who has what you lack, whether it\u2019s a thicker credit file or more cash coming in every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More specifically, here are three things that lenders want to see from your cosigner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from not sporting black marks like a prior bankruptcy, your cosigner should have a history of repaying their debt on time. A credit score in the 700s goes a long way, too \u2014 it might even be a necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re refinancing up to $150,000 at Splash Financial, for example, your cosigner must have a score of at least 720 (plus an income of $42,000 or more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s OK if your cosigner has debt of their own \u2014 but having too much debt is another story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lenders like to see a DTI of less than 40%. You can calculate your cosigner\u2019s DTI by dividing their monthly debt payments by their monthly gross income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High income could be keeping your cosigner\u2019s DTI in check, but that\u2019s not the only employment factor under consideration. Lenders also want to see that your cosigner has held jobs for consistent periods and isn\u2019t a huge risk to suddenly find themselves out of a paycheck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lenders need to know that if your cosigner is called upon, they could repay your debt without trouble. They also want to ensure the cosigner would be willing to do so. Your cosigner can expect to sign a host of loan documents explaining their responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On your end, you still might be taken aback by your need for a cosigner. After all, student loan refinancing typically offers borrowers reduced interest rates and the ability to remove cosigners from old loans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truth is that it\u2019s possible you\u2019ll need this new cosigner \u2014 or another assist from your original one \u2014 to unlock the lowest of low rates. But don\u2019t worry, even grownups need a hand once in a while.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How to Refinance Student Loans With a Cosigner If you thought you were too grown up for a cosigner, think again. Even if you\u2019re already living on your own and making some money, a cosigner could help you score a lower interest rate on a refinanced student loan. Here are five steps to follow if you\u2019re looking … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n1. Confirm that you\u2019d benefit from a cosigner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Credit score<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Income<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
DTI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Find lenders that fit your needs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Lock in your cosigner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Ready your cosigner for applications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Make a final decision alongside your cosigner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What lenders look for in a cosigner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strong credit history and credit score<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A debt-to-income ratio that\u2019s not out of whack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stable employment history<\/h3>\n\n\n\n