Student loan interest is interest you paid during the year on a qualified student loan. It includes both required and voluntarily prepaid interest payments. You may deduct the lesser of $2,500 or the amount of interest you actually paid during the year.
When it comes to paying federal taxes, through December 31, 2025, any amount discharged on a student loan will not be considered taxable income and will not be taxed. This taxable income exemption was part of the American Recue Plan Act of 2021.
The Cons of Private Student Loans
Most private student loans do not offer income-driven repayment plans. Private student loans do not qualify for teacher loan forgiveness or public service loan forgiveness. Private student loans have limited options for financial relief when a borrower experiences financial difficulty.
Chance for low interest rates: If you're a graduate or professional student or a parent, it is possible to get a lower interest rate through a private lender than through the federal government if you have excellent credit.
Private student loans don't qualify for federal forgiveness programs like PSLF because they're not federal loans. They're separate agreements with private lenders like banks, credit unions, or online companies. Think of it this way: borrowing money from a bank differs from borrowing from a family member.
Regardless, one rule of thumb for student debt is that you should try not to borrow more than the first year salary you can expect in your chosen field. For example, if you expect to earn $38,000 in the first year of your career, you should try to borrow $38,000 or less for your degree.
Are Sallie Mae loans better than federal student loans? In general, federal loans are the best first choice for student borrowers. Federal student loans offer numerous benefits that private loans do not.
Room and board: Private student loans can pay for living expenses and meals while you're enrolled in school. These may include on-campus housing, like a dorm room and cafeteria meal plan, or off-campus housing expenses, like rent for an apartment, utilities and groceries.
Reporting the amount of student loan interest you paid in 2023 on your federal tax return may count as a deduction. A deduction reduces the amount of your income that is subject to tax, which may benefit you by reducing the amount of tax you may have to pay.
Income-driven repayment plans allow student loan borrowers to make monthly payments based on their income and family size, as opposed to the amount they owe. However, this benefit is available only for federal student loans. Most private student loans do not offer income-based repayment options.
To claim the American opportunity credit complete Form 8863 and submit it with your Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Enter the nonrefundable part of the credit on Schedule 3 (Form 1040 or 1040-SR), line 3. Enter the refundable part of the credit on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 29.
Usually only the state and federal governments are able to take your tax refund, therefore you'll probably get your refund if your student loan debt isn't: With the state or federal government. Part of a federally insured student loan program.
Student loan borrowers may be eligible to deduct up to $2,500 in interest paid on student loans. Students with qualified tuition reductions may not have to include the value of the reduction in the income they report. Have student loans?
CON: You need to have good to excellent credit to qualify for a loan or the lender may require a co-signer. CON: Private student loans have fewer and repayment and forgiveness options than federal student loans.
The average debt for a 4-year Bachelor's degree is $35,530. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a public college is $31,960. 61% of students who completed a Bachelor's degree have received student loans. The average 4-year Bachelor's degree debt from a private for-profit college is $47,730.
What is considered a lot of student loan debt? A lot of student loan debt is more than you can afford to repay after graduation. For many, this means having more than $70,000 – $100,000 in total student debt.
Private lenders typically check a borrower's financial standing to help them analyze the risk they take by lending money. They'll run a credit check to see how you've handled debt in the past. It can be tough to qualify independently without a credit history or a limited one.
Sallie Mae is not a federal loan servicer.
When Sallie Mae first formed, it was a government-sponsored enterprise servicing federal student loans — or loans made by the government. But in 2014, it split into two separate companies.
Private student loans can present some potential issues for borrowers, such as limited repayment plans, ineligibility for federal forgiveness programs and fewer relief options during financial hardship. More than that, they also typically require a good credit score or a cosigner.
Those who borrowed from Sallie Mae after this 2014 split have private student loans, which aren't eligible for federal forgiveness programs. However, Sallie Mae will discharge debts for borrowers who die or become totally and permanently disabled.
How to get rid of private student debt. One of the few ways to get rid of private student debt is through discharge bankruptcy. It's an arduous — and expensive — process. You'll have to file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, then file an additional lawsuit known as an adversary proceeding.