When the incentives loan lenders offer aren’t clear, many students may turn to lender broker companies for help in evaluating a lender. What most students don’t know is that these lender brokers are getting 5% to 7% premiums from loan lenders when they sell a student loan.

Today, more than ever, financial aid professionals need to be on the lookout for lender brokers that target students without having the actual reward to back up their promises. You need to ask lender brokers how they can reap such premiums and still deliver on the borrowing incentives. If a lender broker says the borrower incentive terms are built into the sales contact, contact the company buying the loan and confirm that the borrower benefits are real.

“Some of these programs just don’t add up,” says T.H.E. CFO Jamie Wolfe, “these companies need to show you the money.”