Should I refinance my federal student loans with a private lender?

Be very careful — refinancing federal loans into a private loan can lower your interest rate, but it permanently forfeits federal protections you can never get back. You'd lose access to income-driven repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, generous deferment and forbearance, and the possibility of broad federal forgiveness. That's a steep price. Refinancing can make sense if you have high-interest loans, a stable high income, strong credit, and you're certain you won't need those safety nets — for example, a well-paid professional with private loans already, or someone refinancing only private debt. For most borrowers carrying federal loans, the better move is to optimize within the federal system first using IDR or PSLF. If you do refinance, shop several lenders in one window and never refinance federal loans you might want forgiven. When in doubt, keep federal loans federal.