Affiliate Disclosure

Transparency about how StudLoans earns revenue and our relationships with partner companies.

In the interest of full transparency: StudLoans is an independently operated website that earns revenue through advertising and affiliate partnerships. This page explains exactly how we earn money and how it does (and does not) affect our content.

How We Earn Revenue

StudLoans provides all of its calculators, tools, guides, and educational content completely free of charge. To support the ongoing operation, maintenance, and improvement of our site, we earn revenue through the following channels:

1. Display Advertising (Google AdSense)

We display advertisements on our site through the Google AdSense program. These ads are served by Google and may be personalized based on your browsing history and interests. We earn revenue when visitors view or click on these advertisements. The presence of advertising does not influence our editorial content.

2. Affiliate Links to Lending Partners

Some links on our site to student loan refinancing companies and other financial service providers are affiliate links. When you click on these links and subsequently apply for or obtain a financial product, we may receive a referral fee or commission from the lender. This compensation is paid by the lender, not by you. Using our affiliate links does not increase the cost to you in any way.

Our current affiliate and referral partners may include, but are not limited to:

SoFi (student loan refinancing)
Earnest (student loan refinancing)
Credible (multi-lender rate comparison marketplace)
Other lending partners featured on our refinance comparison pages

3. Skimlinks

We use Skimlinks, a service that automatically converts outbound links to commerce partners into affiliate links. This means that some links on our site that point to third-party financial services or products may earn us a small commission if you make a purchase or sign up for a service through that link.

4. Lead Generation

When you voluntarily submit your information through our rate comparison or loan-matching forms, we may share that information with lending partners who may contact you with loan offers. We are compensated by these partners for qualified leads. You are never obligated to accept any offer, and submitting your information through our forms does not commit you to any financial product.

What This Means for You

As a visitor to StudLoans, you should know:

You pay nothing extra. Using our affiliate links does not increase the price of any product or service you purchase.
We may be compensated. When you click certain links on our site, we may earn a commission if you apply for or purchase a product.
Not all links are affiliate links. Many links on our site, including links to government resources like studentaid.gov, are standard links with no affiliate tracking.
Affiliate links are identified. Links to lending partners include rel="nofollow sponsored" attributes in the HTML, indicating their commercial nature.

Editorial Independence

Our commitment to editorial independence is fundamental to our mission. Here is how we ensure our content remains unbiased:

Calculator results are never influenced by compensation. Our calculators use standard financial formulas published by the Department of Education. The results are purely mathematical and are not adjusted based on affiliate relationships.
Editorial opinions are independent. Our guides, articles, and educational content reflect our genuine analysis and research. We do not accept payment in exchange for favorable reviews or recommendations.
We include non-partner options. Our content frequently references government programs, nonprofit resources, and strategies that do not generate affiliate revenue, because they may be the best option for the reader.
We disclose potential conflicts. Where affiliate relationships exist, we identify them through disclosure notices on the relevant pages and in our site footer.

FTC Compliance

This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255). The FTC requires that material connections between endorsers and the products or services they recommend be clearly disclosed to consumers.

Questions About This Disclosure

If you have questions about our affiliate relationships or revenue model, please contact us at hello@studloans.com.

Last updated: April 2026. We may update this disclosure from time to time to reflect changes in our affiliate partnerships or revenue sources.

Explore More Student Loan Tools

0 of 8 tools explored

Start exploring!

Student Loan Facts You Should Know

$1.77T Total U.S. student loan debt held by 43 million borrowers

$503/mo Average monthly student loan payment for borrowers in repayment

$14K–$20K Potential savings from refinancing to a lower interest rate

50–70% Payment reduction possible with income-driven repayment plans

$62B+ Forgiven through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) to date

Frequently Asked Questions About Student Loans

How do I know if I qualify for student loan forgiveness?

Eligibility depends on the forgiveness program. For Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), you must work full-time for a qualifying government or nonprofit employer, have Direct Loans, be on an income-driven repayment plan, and make 120 qualifying payments. For income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness, any remaining balance is forgiven after 20–25 years of payments. Teachers may qualify for Teacher Loan Forgiveness after 5 years at a low-income school. Use our forgiveness checker to evaluate your eligibility.

Should I refinance my student loans?

Refinancing can save you thousands if you have a strong credit score (typically 700+) and can secure a lower interest rate. However, refinancing federal loans into private loans means permanently losing access to income-driven repayment plans, PSLF eligibility, and federal forbearance protections. Refinancing is usually best for borrowers with private loans or those who don’t need federal protections. Compare your options with our refinance rate comparison tool.

What is income-driven repayment and how does it work?

Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans cap your monthly payments at a percentage of your discretionary income. The main plans include SAVE/REPAYE (5–10% of discretionary income), PAYE (10%), IBR (10–15%), and ICR (20%). After 20–25 years of payments, any remaining balance is forgiven. IDR plans are ideal for borrowers whose payments under standard repayment are unaffordable relative to their income. Calculate your IDR payments with our IDR calculator.

How can I pay off student loans faster?

Proven strategies include: 1) Make extra payments toward principal each month. 2) Use the avalanche method by targeting the highest-interest loan first. 3) Set up biweekly payments instead of monthly (adds one extra payment per year). 4) Refinance to a lower rate to reduce total interest. 5) Direct windfalls like tax refunds and bonuses toward your loans. Even an extra $100/month can shave years off a 10-year repayment plan. Try our repayment comparison tool to see the impact.

What’s the difference between federal and private student loans?

Federal loans are issued by the U.S. Department of Education with fixed interest rates set by Congress, and they offer income-driven repayment, forgiveness programs, deferment, and forbearance. Private loans are issued by banks, credit unions, or online lenders with rates based on your creditworthiness. Private loans typically lack IDR plans, forgiveness, or federal protections, but may offer lower rates for borrowers with excellent credit. Most financial advisors recommend exhausting federal loan options before borrowing privately.

Can I deduct student loan interest on my taxes?

Yes. You can deduct up to $2,500 per year in student loan interest paid, even if you don’t itemize deductions. The deduction phases out for single filers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) between $75,000 and $90,000, and for married filing jointly between $155,000 and $185,000. Both federal and private student loan interest qualifies. Learn more with our student loan tax guide.

How Much Can You Save? Real Scenarios

Refinancing Savings

$50,000 in loans at 6.8% interest rate

↓ Refinance to 4.5%

Save $8,400 over the life of the loan

Compare Refinance Rates →

Income-Driven Repayment

$30,000 in loans on standard repayment

↓ Switch to IDR plan

Payments drop from $345/mo to $180/mo

Calculate Your IDR Payment →

PSLF Forgiveness

Teacher with $40,000 in federal loans

↓ PSLF after 10 years of qualifying payments

Remaining balance may be forgiven if all requirements are met

Check Your Forgiveness Eligibility →