It is likely that you have heard many stories of some young adults using student loans to pay for their international trips, trendy clothes, fancy dinners, and almost everything except education. Perhaps you can even mention some yourself.
Although living life is surely alluring, what if you consider putting those finances towards a startup instead? But you could be wondering, is this possible? And is this even legal? Well, let’s find out.
When To Focus On Paying Your Student Loan
If you are trying to determine what you should prioritise, there are several things you will need to put across. These may include your general financial status, student loan amount, interest rate, monthly payment, and how it affects your budget every month.
Then you might want to do the maths to determine how much interest you’re paying in total. Failure to consolidate your student loan to get a low-interest rate may take you ten years or so to clear off the debt.
When To Consider Investing
Investing in that student loan sooner or later may help set you up for a very successful retirement, as you will take advantage of compound interests.
Although investing doesn’t provide a guaranteed return, business owners like Stephen Taylor suggest that in case your findings show the return rate for investments is likely to be more than the interest rates for the loan, it will be a great idea to consider investing that cash in a really great business idea – providing you’re certain it is a great idea, of course.
Risks Of Investing Student Loans
Apart from the slim potential of legal issues when you invest in your student loan, there could be other risks. A few students may prefer to invest some of their loans and then generate a return to clear their debts off or at least pay part of it.
But usually, there are no guarantees that you will not make enough profit when you invest the cash. This potentially leads to a loss that may take time to recover from. Another common risk is the fact that you will be in debt when you invest. Student loans are basically debts, and they usually come with some interest rates.
When you choose to invest with debts, you will be hoping to generate enough return to offset the interest rate you pay on your loan. Although the stock market normally provides long-term returns that could be enough to pay off student loans, there is no guarantee, and you might end up with low returns and student loan payments.
Potential Benefits
In the best scenario, you may earn some cash on the investments you make. If you make lucky or wise investments, and the crypto or stock market works in your favour, you may generate enough profit.
Investing As You Pay Off The Student Loan
It would be best to work towards your goals for the future. Though it doesn’t mean you should lose sight of your current needs. This is why it is imperative to be familiar with your current financial situation and option for the following:
- Alternative repayment options
- Federal loan forgiveness program
- Mentors or a business coach
- Business funding options
Concluding Remarks!
Many students who wish to invest in their student loans while incurring little legal action need to avoid investing in subsidised government loans. Investing the full amount is also a very risky move. This is why it is best to invest your student loan wisely so that you will be able to repay it over time.
