Student loan deferment and forbearance

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.

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.

Consolidating student loans

If you are having trouble keeping track of and paying multiple federal student loans, you may be able to combine them into one loan at a lower interest rate. Learn about Direct Consolidation Loans, including:

• The benefits and drawbacks of loan consolidation
• The types of federal education loans you can consolidate
• Eligibility rules
• The application process

Student loan disputes

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