The Trump administration has agreed to resume student loan forgiveness for an estimated 2.5 million borrowers who are enrolled in certain in certain federal repayment plans following a lawsuit from the American Federation of Teachers. Under the agreement reached Friday between the teachers union and the administration, the Education Department will provide loan forgiveness for those eligible in certain repayment plans that offer lower monthly payments based on a borrower's earnings. The government had stopped providing forgiveness under those plans based on its interpretation of a different court decision.

If Donald Trump wins the presidential election, Republicans hope he will fulfill a longstanding GOP goal of privatizing the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The two companies have been under government control since the Great Recession in 2008. Republicans believe the conservatorship has stymied competition in the housing finance market while putting taxpayers at risk should another bailout be necessary. But Democrats and some economists warn that ending the conservatorship would cause mortgage prices to jump since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would need to raise fees to make up for the increased risks they'd face without government support.

Mortgage rates haven't been this attractive in more than a year, good news for homeowners eager to refinance. Many homeowners have already jumped at the opportunity to lower their monthly payment, spurring a surge in mortgage refinancing applications. The rush to refinance makes sense, as even a slight drop in mortgage rates can translate into significant savings over the long run. Still, there are more variables to consider than the mortgage rate, including the costs to refinance, the time it will take to break even and whether to hold out for lower rates. Here are some key factors to consider.