• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The College Investor

Student Loans, Investing, Building Wealth

  • About
  • Podcast
  • Research
  • Contact
  • Save For College
      • How To Start

      • How To Save For College
      • How To Pay For College
      • What Is the Average Cost of College?
      • What Is A 529 Plan and Where to Open One in Your State
      • How Much Should You Have In A 529 Plan By Age
      • How To Use A 529 Plan For Private Elementary And High School
      • What Are Qualified Expenses For A 529 Plan (And What Doesn’t Count)?
      • The Best Brokers To Open A 529 Plan
      • Tools + Accounts

      • 529 Plans: The Ultimate College Savings Plan
      • 529 Plan Contribution Limits
      • Prepaid Tuition Plans | What To Know
      • Understanding And Using 529A ABLE Accounts
      • Using A Roth IRA To Save And Pay For College
      • FAFSA Deadlines for Financial Aid
      • CollegeBacker Review
      • Upromise Review
      • UNest Review
      • Other Options

      • Student Loan And Financial Aid Programs By State
      • The Guide To Military And VA Education Benefits
      • How To Fill Out The FAFSA
      • How To Find College Scholarships
      • The Best College Scholarship Search Websites
      • How To Find Grants To Pay For College
      • Pell Grants: What They Are And How To Qualify
      • Understanding Federal Work-Study
      • How To Use A 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn’t Go To College
  • Student Loans
      • Borrowing

        • How Student Loans Work
        • How To Apply For A Student Loan
        • Best Student Loans And Rates In January 2023
        • 10 Best Private Student Loans Of January 2023
        • Best Student Loans To Pay For Graduate School
        • Best Student Loans To Pay For Medical School
        • Parent Loans To Pay For College
        • No-Cosigner Student Loan Options
        • Guide To Income Sharing Agreements (ISAs)
        • Best International Student Loans
      • Get Out Of Debt

        • Best Student Loan Refinance Companies In January 2023
        • Best Student Loan Repayment Plans
        • Best Student Loan Refinancing Bonuses And Promotional Offers Of January 2023
        • Student Loan Forgiveness Programs (The Complete List)
        • The Full List Of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
        • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
        • Top Student Loan Scams
        • Average Student Loan Monthly Payment
        • Average Student Loan Debt By Year
      • Reviews

        • Credible Review
        • Splash Review
        • Ascent Review
        • Citizens Bank Review
        • Commonbond Review
        • Earnest Review
        • ELFI Review
        • Laurel Road Review
        • LendKey Review
        • SoFi Review
  • Investing
      • How To Start

        • How To Start Investing in High School
        • How To Start Investing In College
        • How To Start Investing In Your Twenties For 22 – 29 Year Olds
        • How To Start Investing In Your 30s For 30 – 39 Year Olds
        • How To Start Investing With $100 Or Less
        • How To Give Kids The Gift Of Stock
        • What Is Dividend Growth Investing
        • IRA Rollover Chart
      • Tools + Accounts

        • Best Online Stock Brokers
        • The Best Traditional And Roth IRA Accounts
        • The Best Robo-Advisors
        • The Best Investing Apps
        • The Best Places to Trade Options
        • The Best Places To Open A Health Savings Account
        • The Best Solo 401k Providers
        • The Best Self-Directed IRA Providers Of 2023
        • Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges
      • Reviews

        • Vanguard Review
        • Fidelity Review 2023
        • M1 Finance Review
        • TD Ameritrade Review 2023
        • Charles Schwab Review
        • Robinhood Review
        • Webull Review
        • Betterment Review 2023
        • Wealthfront Review
  • Earn More Money
      • Extra Income

        • 20 Best Side Hustles You Can Start Earning With In 2023
        • 53 Side Hustle Ideas To Make Money Fast
        • 100 Ways To Make Money In College
        • 80 Ways To Make Money From Home In 2023
        • 5 Quick Money Making Ideas (That Take Less Than 1 Hour)
        • 10 Interesting Ways You Can Make Money Driving
        • High-Paying Side Gigs That Earn $1,000 or More Per Month
        • The 10 Best Money-Making Apps
        • Paid Surveys: Earn Money For Giving Your Opinion Online
        • 10 Crazy Ways To Make $10,000 You’ve Never Heard Of
      • Build Wealth

        • 40 Passive Income Ideas You Can Use To Build Wealth In 2023
        • 3 Ways To Make $50,000 Per Year Without Working With Passive Income
        • How To Become A Real Estate Investor With Just $500
        • 15 Best Online Business Ideas
        • Residual Income: 7 Super Smart Ways to Build It
        • The Most Common Multiple Income Streams
        • How To Become A Real Estate Mogul With Only $10,000
      • Reviews

        • Fundrise Review
        • RealtyMogul Review
        • FarmTogether Review
        • AcreTrader Review
        • Swagbucks Review
        • Survey Junkie Review
        • TopCashback Review
        • DoorDash Review
  • Personal Finance
      • Banking

        • 10 Best High Yield Savings Accounts Of January 2023
        • 10 Best Money Market Accounts Of January 2023
        • 10 Best Free Checking Accounts In January 2023
        • Best Bank CD Rates Of January 2023
        • 10 Best Business Checking Accounts In January 2023
        • Best Online Banks Of January 2023
        • Best Credit Unions Nationwide Of January 2023
        • Best College Student Checking Accounts Of January 2023
      • Insurance

        • Best Life Insurance Companies
        • Renters Insurance
        • Car Insurance
        • Pet Insurance
        • Umbrella Insurance
        • Disability Insurance
        • Tuition Insurance
        • Travel Insurance
      • Credit Tools

        • Best Budgeting Apps
        • Cash Advance Apps
        • How To Get A Free Credit Score Report
        • Best Credit Monitoring Services For 2023
        • Debt Settlement: Inside The Secret World
        • Credit Repair Explained: Should You Pay For Help?
        • Best Personal Loan Companies And Lenders
        • Online Loan Companies To Borrow From Home
      • Tax

        • Best Tax Software
        • Free Tax Software
        • IRS Tax Refund Calendar
        • Common IRS Questions and Errors
        • Federal Tax Brackets
        • Capital Gains Tax Brackets
        • 401k Contribution Limits
        • IRA Contribution Limits
        • HSA Contribution Limits
  • Forum
  • Search
Home » Student Loans » Federal » The Basics Of Spousal Consolidation Student Loans

The Basics Of Spousal Consolidation Student Loans

Updated: September 30, 2022 By Robert Farrington

Tweet3
Share4
Share
Pin105
Email
Print

At The College Investor, we want to help you navigate your finances. To do this, many or all of the products featured here may be from our partners. This doesn’t influence our evaluations or reviews. Our opinions are our own. Any investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. The College Investor does not offer investment advisor or brokerage services, nor does it recommend buying or selling particular stocks, securities, or other investments. Learn more here.Advertiser Disclosure

There are thousands of financial products and services out there, and we believe in helping you understand which is best for you, how it works, and will it actually help you achieve your financial goals. We're proud of our content and guidance, and the information we provide is objective, independent, and free.

But we do have to make money to pay our team and keep this website running! Our partners compensate us. TheCollegeInvestor.com has an advertising relationship with some or all of the offers included on this page, which may impact how, where, and in what order products and services may appear. The College Investor does not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace. And our partners can never pay us to guarantee favorable reviews (or even pay for a review of their product to begin with).

For more information and a complete list of our advertising partners, please check out our full Advertising Disclosure. TheCollegeInvestor.com strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. The information in our reviews could be different from what you find when visiting a financial institution, service provider or a specific product's website. All products and services are presented without warranty.

Spousal Consolidation Loans

Spousal student loan consolidation is something you might be considering, or perhaps it’s something you’re keen to get out of.

Either way, there are some key details about this particular loan situation that are important to know.

I’m going to briefly outline what spousal student loan consolidation is, why you might want to do it, why you might want to avoid it, and ways to change it if you have this kind of loan.

Note: The federal government ended the spousal loan consolidation program. In September 2022, Congress passed legislation to allow couples to separate their spousal consolidation loans, but it's still waiting President Biden to sign it. After that point, it will take time for the Department of Education to create a process to unwind these loans.

Table of Contents
What Is Spousal Student Loan Consolidation?
The Benefits
The Drawbacks
Changing Your Spousal Consolidation Loan
What To Do In The Meantime

What Is Spousal Student Loan Consolidation?

Spousal student loan consolidation is when you combine your student loan or loans with that of your spouse into a joint loan that bears both of your names. This process was previously offered by the government for federal loans. While it’s no longer possible to federally consolidate your student loans with your spouse, a lot of people did so when the program was available and are still paying off those loans, for better or for worse.

However, some private lenders will consolidate a married couple’s loans, though the procedure would technically be considered a refinance. The two loans would be paid off by a single new loan in both your name and your spouse’s name. Some lenders may include federal loans in the consolidation; however, remember that refinancing federal loans into private ones sheds the myriad borrower protections — repayment and forgiveness options and deferment, forbearance, and interest benefits — that federal loans carry.

If you have federal student loans and are considering consolidating your and your spouse’s loans into a private joint loan, check out your other options first. If you need lowered payments, you might want to keep your federal loans and enter into a different repayment plan that is better suited to your income level.

The Benefits

A private spousal consolidation loan may simplify your life if you and your spouse have a confusing or unfavorable student loan landscape. By this, I mean you and your spouse:

  • Have high interest rates on some or all of your loans
  • Have loan terms that aren’t working for you
  • Deal with multiple, possibly problematic servicers


If some or all of these are true, consolidating your loans into a single loan might seem attractive. However, you might want to consider refinancing your loans separately before you decide on a spousal consolidation loan. 



Only if your combined credit scores and incomes would give you the most favorable loan terms and savings on interest should you consider a spousal consolidation loan.

The Drawbacks

A spousal consolidation loan locks you into a financial obligation with your spouse that may be very difficult or costly to get out of, especially if you decide to get divorced. If you have a true joint loan, both you and your spouse are equal borrowers in this debt and are equally responsible, no matter how much of the debt was originally yours.

You cannot release the name of someone on a joint loan. If you and your spouse have a loan where one of you co-signed, you can theoretically release a co-signer, but lenders are not always willing to do this. 

The main drawback is the unpredictable nature of your financial situation and your relationship. If one or both change, you will need to negotiate with your spouse on how to repay this combined debt.

Changing Your Spousal Consolidation Loan

Many of you reading might feel like a warning is a moot point because you already have a spousal consolidation loan and want to split it—now. Maybe you are desperate to take advantage of a loan forgiveness program that’s impossible to access with a joint loan; maybe you’re getting divorced and the prospect of sharing debt with your ex for years to come is a very unpleasant one. Whatever the reason, you are in a tricky situation.

Here’s what we know about making changes to federal spousal consolidation loans.

First, if you want to convert your federal spousal consolidation loan into a different kind of federal loan, there are few, if any options. At least one expert says that there is not necessarily a law forbidding making a FFEL spousal consolidation loan into a Direct Consolidation loan. However, the Department of Education has been known to deny applications attempting to do so. It might take a change in law for the Department to change their practice, which is no small feat. 

It’s also not clear if lenders are willing to refinance a federal spousal loan into a private loan. Refinancing an individual’s federal loans into private loans is definitely possible, but the spousal loan is a different story. If a lender is willing to do this, you and your spouse’s individual incomes and credit histories will be the determining factors in your ability to get a new private loan or loans to pay off the federal spousal one. If you find a lender you like, it can’t hurt to ask them about their refinancing options in regards to spousal loans.

Splash Financial - They are one of the few online student loan lenders that allows spouses to refinance a combined loan. Check out Splash Financial here >>

When refinancing, if you do find a lender who will split up the loan into private loans, you have to make sure you’re getting a good deal not just in terms of the portion of the debt you’re receiving, but the terms and rates of the new loan. While freedom from the spousal loan is the main goal, highly unfavorable terms may present a new unwanted challenge. The same goes for if you have an already-private spousal consolidated loan and decide you want to refinance it. 

Whether you find a lender to refinance your loan and break up your debt or not, breaking up with your spouse will mean the debt needs to be apportioned somehow. If you’re getting divorced, a lawyer will likely have to hammer out the details with your ex’s lawyer. Whoever you choose to use to help you negotiate, it’s important to get in writing and in a legally binding document the responsibilities of each party in paying back the debt.

What To Do In The Meantime

If you’ve hit a roadblock with your spousal consolidation loan—perhaps you have not found a way to split it, or the payments are too high—you need to do what you can to stay in good standing. Delinquency or default on the loan would just exacerbate current problems.

If you have a federal spousal loan, you may be able to enter into an income-driven repayment program, based on both partners’ incomes and family size, and potentially get your monthly payment reduced. This is especially helpful if both you and your partner or ex-partner’s incomes are low.

Robert Farrington
Robert Farrington

Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page, or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.

He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.

He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.

The Basics Of Spousal Consolidation Student Loans

Editor: John Frainee

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Subscribe
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of

I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree

31 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

Student Loan Resources

Featured Lender Reviews

>  Credible (recommended)
>  Splash (recommended)
>  ELFI
>  LendKey
>  Earnest
>  Laurel Road

Paying For College

  • Best Student Loans And Rates
  • Best Private Student Loans
  • Student Loan And Financial Aid Programs By State
  • Student Loans For Community College
  • Best International Student Loans
  • Best Student Loans For Graduate School
  • Best Student Loans For Your MBA
  • Best Student Loans For Medical School
  • How To Get A Private Student Loan With No Cosigner
  • How To Get A Student Loan With Bad Credit

Navigating Repayment

  • How To Select The Best Student Loan Repayment Plan
  • 5 Legal Ways To Lower Your Student Loan Payment
  • How To Use A 529 Plan For Student Loan Repayment
  • These Companies Offer Student Loan Repayment Assistance

Student Loan Forgiveness

  • Student Loan Forgiveness Programs (The Complete List)
  • Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
  • President Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness
  • Borrower Defense To Repayment
  • For-Profit College Student Loan Forgiveness List
  • Private Student Loan Forgiveness
  • Trade School Loan Forgiveness Programs

Student Loan Refinance

  • Best Student Loan Refinance Companies
  • Best Student Loan Refinancing Bonuses And Promotional Offers
  • Lenders That Offer Student Loan Refinancing Without A Degree
  • How To Refinance An International Student Loan
  • Best Medical School Student Loan Refinancing

More On Student Loans

  • Top Student Loan Scams
  • Does The Government Profit Off Of Student Loans?
  • Statue Of Limitations Laws For Student Loans
  • What Should You Do With Your Old FFELP Loans?
  • How To Get A Refund Of Your Federal Student Loan Payments

Footer

Who We Are

The College Investor is an independent, advertising-supported financial media publisher, focusing on news, product reviews, and comparisons.

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Press & Media

About

  • About
  • Our Team
  • Podcast
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • How We Make Money
  • Archives

Social

Copyright © 2023 · The College Investor · Privacy Policy ·Terms of Service · DO NOT Sell My Personal Information

wpDiscuz