Resolve student loan payment problems

Student loan deferment and forbearance

• Learn the latest about the new Student Debt Relief Plan, which would cancel federal student loan debt of up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for other borrowers. Courts have blocked the plan.
• Learn about the COVID-19 emergency relief pause in federal student loan repayments that has been extended through sometime in 2023. The exact date depends on the unblocking of the Student Debt Relief Plan.

If you are having trouble paying back your student loans, you may qualify for:

• Loan deferment - Payments are postponed. In most cases, the interest money you owe will continue to accrue (grow).
• Forbearance - Payments are suspended or reduced but the interest you owe continues to accrue.

Both give you a temporary pause in your loan payments. Learn more about how student loan deferment and forbearance work.

Make student loans easier to repay with an income-driven repayment plan

If your student loan payments seem too high for your income level, you might be able to switch to an income-driven repayment plan. This bases your payment amount on your income and family size. Find out how to apply for an income-driven repayment plan to lower your monthly payments.

Student loan delinquency and default

If your student loan payment is one day late, your account is delinquent. If it stays delinquent, it will go into default.

To prevent default, contact your loan servicer right away. Default has serious financial consequences, including:

Get more information to help you avoid student loan delinquency and default.

Student loan disputes

If you do not agree with your loan servicer about the balance or status of your loan, take these steps: