SoFi (Social Finance) Cosigner Release Requirements?

cosigner means someone who signs with you and shares legal responsibility, and yes, SoFi can accept cosigners but it depends on the product and when the loan was originated. Some in-school private student loans historically allowed cosigners, while refinances, personal loans, and mortgage-style products have different rules. Liability and credit reporting differ from a co-borrower: a cosigner guarantees repayment but usually does not hold ownership rights, and the account typically appears on both credit reports.

Before you apply, check the exact product page and SoFi's official customer support center to confirm current policy, since origination date and product type matter. Expect many lenders to require refinancing rather than offer cosigner release. A soft-pull credit review can indicate whether a cosigner is needed. Compliance note: verify specific terms for your loan on SoFi's official pages before relying on this summary.

Most SoFi loans can involve a cosigner at origination, but which ones allow a formal cosigner release varies by product and loan vintage.

• Private student (in‑school) loans, likely release path: sometimes eligible after graduation and steady payments, but older vintages may not offer release.
• Private student (student refinance), likely release path: many refinances require a full refinance rather than a simple release, so removal often means a new application and credit approval.
• Personal loans, likely release path: uncommon to have a formal release; removal typically needs debt payoff or refinancing.
• Mortgage or home loans, likely release path: handled like any mortgage co-borrower removal, often via refinance or loan modification.

SoFi's exact rules change by product, state, and when the loan was issued, and many fintech lenders prefer a full refinance instead of a standalone release. Check product disclosures and confirm current policy before relying on a release. For the latest official guidance, see SoFi's cosigner release policy and support page.

You can be released only if you meet SoFi's borrower standards for removing a cosigner, demonstrating stable payments, income, and credit on your own.

• Clean payment history, no 30-day+ lates during the review window.
• No active forbearance, deferment, or recent loan modifications.
• Required minimum on-time payment count (verify SoFi's exact number).
• If student loan, appropriate graduation or enrollment status proof.
• U.S. residency and valid SSN or ITIN.
• Verifiable, stable income (pay stubs, W-2/1099, tax returns).
• Prime-range credit score (SoFi defines thresholds).
• Acceptable debt-to-income ratio, usually conservative for release.
• No active defaults, collections, or recent charge-offs on the account.
• Lender confirmation that loan terms allow a cosigner release.

Verify SoFi-specific thresholds and required documents at SoFi Help Center – Eligibility & Documents, and gather pay stubs, bank statements, W-2/1099, and tax returns before you apply.

You usually need a continuous, multi-month streak of on-time payments before SoFi will consider removing a cosigner.

This "seasoning window" means consecutive on-time payments with zero delinquencies or forbearance pauses, typically measured in months; lenders often state a minimum (check your note), and you should aim to exceed that minimum by 3–6 extra on-time payments to build margin and strengthen your case. Always confirm the exact, product-specific requirement in your loan agreement or the SoFi Help Center payment rules.

Warning: any missed payment or forbearance usually breaks the streak and resets the seasoning clock, so protect the continuous record until release is granted.

Aim for a score that lands you in prime credit so SoFi will view you as the borrower, not the cosigner's safety net.

Lenders weigh both score and income, so a higher score can cover thinner earnings. Prefer FICO-based models, many lenders use industry-specific FICO variants, while consumers also see VantageScore; expect differences. Fix big negatives first: utilization above 30%, recent 30+ day lates, collections, or a thin file hurt most. A full report review shows the exact fixes.

Run a soft-pull pre-check before applying, dispute or resolve derogatories, and build steady on-time payments to qualify for cosigner release later. For an official free report, check annual credit report access. For SoFi-specific checks and policies, see SoFi Help Center credit checks.

Target tiers for stronger odds:

• 700+ solid prime, good odds.
• 720+ very strong, eases underwriting.
• 760+ excellent, offsets low income.
• 800+ near-perfect, maximum flexibility.

You must prove steady income and an acceptable back-end debt-to-income ratio to qualify for a SoFi cosigner release.

• Back-end DTI formula, and target ranges: back-end DTI = total monthly debt ÷ gross monthly income. Aim for <35–40% for a strong case. Many approvals allow up to ≈45% as a maximum threshold.
• Documents to gather: recent pay stubs (30–60 days), W-2 or 1099, prior-year tax return, employer letter, and 2–3 months of bank statements.

Provide clear evidence if you are self-employed: two years of personal and business tax returns plus a year-to-date profit and loss statement and recent bank statements. Make sure names, Social Security numbers, and employer details exactly match the documents you submit. Expect lender verification calls to confirm employment, income and signature authenticity.

• Submitables and checklist: include signed tax forms, up-to-date pay records, P&L for self-employed, and contact info for employer verification; follow SoFi's required document list at SoFi Help Center – Income & DTI Docs.

Start here: you can submit a cosigner release by applying through your SoFi account and supplying eligibility documents and consent for a credit check.

1. Log in at the SoFi Login page.
2. Open your loan, choose Manage, then select 'Cosigner/Release' or use the support request form.
3. Confirm eligibility on-screen (on-time payment count, account standing, no recent forbearance).
4. Upload required documents, typically proof of income, government ID, and recent pay stubs or tax returns.
5. Authorize SoFi to run a hard credit check on the primary borrower.
6. Certify there was no forbearance or active relief during the required review window, then submit the application.
7. Save the confirmation, monitor in-app messages, and inform the cosigner, confirming their contact details for any acknowledgments.

Follow SoFi instructions exactly and use the SoFi Help Center if you hit a roadblock.

Expect a decision in roughly 1–3 weeks, depending on how complete your file is and how busy SoFi's team is.

Typical stages and sample durations:

• Document review, 1–5 business days, faster if you upload everything at once.
• Employment and credit verifications, 3–7 days, may take longer for third-party verifiers.
• Underwriting decision, 3–10 days, depends on complexity and manual review needs.
• Final paperwork and release, 1–3 days after approval, includes e-signing and account updates.

Service levels vary, so cite official timing where possible and keep an eye on your secure message center. For official published timelines see the SoFi Help Center – Processing Times. If it's delayed, politely request a status update via the in-app secure message channel.

Start by fixing the strongest, clearest parts of your profile so SoFi sees you can repay without the cosigner.

• Keep revolving‑utilization under 30%, lower if possible.
• Add verifiable income, a side job, or paystubs to raise qualifying income.
• Reduce DTI with targeted paydowns of high‑rate or large balances.
• Let your on‑time payment streak age before applying for release.
• Find and dispute obvious credit‑report errors that hurt score or DTI.
• Consolidate many small installment accounts into one manageable loan.
• Do a soft pull or use SoFi's prequalification tool to pre‑check approval odds.

Get a professional full credit‑report analysis before you apply, it often finds quick wins. Verify SoFi's current cosigner‑release criteria and documentation requirements, see the CFPB credit reports overview.

You can learn concrete paths borrowers took to get SoFi cosigner release or fail it, and why score, DTI, and a clean payment streak matter.
What lenders check, put simply, is steady payments, low DTI, and reliable income. Meet those and your odds rise; miss them and you risk denial.

Examples from anonymized composites:

• Approved after income boost - starting: 640 score, 48% DTI, 24 on-time payments. Intervention: salaried promotion plus updated pay stubs to SoFi. Outcome: release approved; note: score unchanged but DTI dropped under 40%.
• Denied due to forbearance window - starting: 690 score, 38% DTI, 36 on-time payments. Intervention: applied while recent forbearance still on file. Outcome: denial; must finish waiting period and rebuild streak.
• Approved after refinancing instead of release - starting: 710 score, 45% DTI, 30 on-time payments. Intervention: refinanced with a different lender to remove the cosigner. Outcome: cosigner released via payoff, not formal SoFi release.
• Thin-file who waited to 720+ - starting: 600 score, 50% DTI, 20 payments. Intervention: concentrated credit-building and small debt paydown, hit 725. Outcome: approved after reapply.

Takeaways:

• Score, DTI, and streak all matter; weakness in one can be offset by strength in others.
• Income proof can substitute for modest score gaps.
• Any recent forbearance or missed payment usually blocks release.
• Refinancing is a viable alternative if release criteria are hard to meet.

SoFi lets eligible primary borrowers request cosigner removal for some private student loans after meeting product-specific payment and underwriting criteria.

Does SoFi offer cosigner release on refi loans?

SoFi generally does not provide cosigner release for refinanced student loans or certain other products; removing a cosigner usually requires refinancing the loan or paying it off. Check your original loan terms because private student loans issued after certain dates may allow a release under different rules.

Who must start the cosigner release request?

The primary borrower must initiate the cosigner release application, not the cosigner. SoFi will then underwrite the borrower's credit, income, and payment history before deciding.

How many on-time payments and underwriting checks are required?

Requirements are product-specific: some private student loans allow release after 12 on-time payments, others require 24 consecutive full payments, plus proof of income and a credit check during underwriting. Meeting the payment count does not guarantee approval; underwriting still evaluates debt-to-income and credit history.

If my release is denied, when can I reapply?

If denied, improve credit and income, reduce DTI, and reapply once you materially strengthen qualifying factors; timing varies by case and SoFi may require several months of improvement or additional on-time payments. Refinancing remains an alternative route to remove a cosigner.

For the latest, official details see SoFi Help Center – Cosigner/Release.