Federal student loans give borrowers several different repayment options to make it easier for them to pay back their loans. One such option is the extended repayment plan. This plan allows borrowers to make lower payments every month by extending the tenure of the loan from the standard plan of 10 years to up to 25 years. The exact extension will depend on various factors.
Pros of an extended repayment plan:
The big benefit is that it reduces your financial burden by lowering the monthly payments and making them much more manageable for you. This is great news as it minimizes the potential for late payments or worse, student loan default.
Cons of an extended repayment plan:
While extending the loan from 10 years to a possible 25 years may offer you a possible lifeline, the downside is that the interest on the loan keeps accruing throughout the extended period. This increases the amount of the loan significantly. By the time you finish paying off the loan, you will have ended up paying much more than what you would have owed with a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Should you opt for this plan?
So is an extended repayment plan a good or bad option? It depends on your unique situation. It may help you get out of a financial crisis but it is important to understand exactly how it works before you sign up for it.
Use College Raptor’s new Student Loan Finder to discover personalized loan options. Compare lenders and interest rates to find the ideal student loan—for FREE!
