Although you may not know it, you probably make calculations about your discretionary income every day. From weighing the necessity of our next Amazon Prime purchase to considering the expense of eating out, most of us are conscious of how we spend the money that’s left over once we’ve got our bills covered.

If you’ve recently begun to repay your student loans, the details of your debt may be frustratingly fuzzy. After all, it’s likely been months or years since you closely considered the terms of your loans, and most students aren’t eager to examine what they owe until after graduation.

Teachers enter their field for many noble reasons: the opportunity to help children, their desire to serve their local communities, or simply for the love of their particular subject. To join this valuable profession, many of them invest heavily in their own education, emerging from college with substantial loans.

If you’ve enjoyed tax benefits for being a college student, you may be mourning the loss of those valuable credits now that you’ve graduated. But the upside of your educational investment doesn’t need to stop now: The government offers a special tax deduction for student loan interest, which could save you hundreds of dollars when you file this year.

Imagine having thousands of dollars in extra money to put toward a new car, new home or dream vacation. If you have federal student loans, refinancing could make this possible, but you should be aware of its potential downsides, too. Because refinancing is available only through private lenders, it’s important to know both the benefits and the risks of leaving a federal student loan program.

Across the country, many millennials share a common goal: Paying down their debt as swiftly and smartly as they can. No generation has invested more heavily in its future through student loans, with millions of millennials making hefty payments each month. If you’re one of these young Americans working hard to address your debt, you’ll want the confidence of knowing you’re doing it right.

That’s where this guide’s actionable insights can help...