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Anyone who has a student loan knows just how complicated it can be. The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic does not make it any easier to navigate the almost limitless alternatives and you must be looking for ways to manage student loans during Coronavirus pandemic.
Most of these alternatives are based on your personal circumstances and we are not able to answer all your possible questions. We can focus on the broad principles and draw your attention to the questions you should be asking if you are looking for ways to manage student loans during Coronavirus pandemic.
But first, you should know that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides automatic suspension of principal and interest payments until September 30th, 2020. These suspended payments will count towards any student loan forgiveness program (as long as all the other requirements of the forgiveness program are met).
Now for some of the FAQs. We give you some broad answers. For more detailed answers you should talk to your lender, loan servicer, or someone from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) WEB SITE.
Do I need to apply to suspend my payments or interest on my federally-held student loans?
No. From March 13 through September 30, 2020, the interest rate is set to 0%, and payments are suspended for student loans owned by the federal government. Your federal student loan servicer will suspend all interest and payments without any action from you. You do not need to contact your student loan servicer.
If you made a payment toward your federally-held student loans after March 13, you can request a refund from your student loan servicer.
Are interest and payments suspended on all of my student loans, including my private student loans?
No. The suspension of payments applies only to student loans that are held by the federal government, which are the vast majority of student loans issued since 2010.
NOTE: The benefits authorized by the CARES Act do not apply to private (non-federal) student loans owned by banks, credit unions, schools, or other private entities. Many private student loan lenders are offering extended forbearance options and other benefits. Contact your lender or servicer for more information. If you don’t think you can afford your payment, some of your options are discussed below.
Someone contacted me to pay a fee to suspend my payments. Is this a scam?
Yes! The federal government will not ask for a fee to suspend your payments. There is no action required of you. If someone asks for money to process this information, it is a scam and you should report them to the FTC’s complaint assistant .
NOTE: If you aren’t sure who services your loans you should check.
For federal student loans: Find your servicer by visiting the Department of Education’s website .
For private student loans: Look at your latest billing statement or check your credit report.
Will I get confirmation that interest and payments have been suspended for my federally-owned student loans?
As noted above, your federal student loan servicer will suspend all interest and payments without any action from you. Servicers are required to send you a written notification explaining the suspension of interest and monthly payments between March 13 and September 30, 2020. These notices were expected to be sent by mid-April. Make sure your servicer has up-to-date contact information and check your mail or email.
I can’t afford my student loan payments, what should I do?
For your federally-held loans, you don’t have to make a payment because your payments will be suspended until September 30, 2020.
For all other loans, including federal loans held by commercial lenders, schools, or other private lenders, you should contact your servicer to explore the available options discussed below.
Federal student loans held by commercial lenders or your school
Not all federal student loans are held by the Department of Education. Some loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program are owned by commercial lenders, and some Perkins Loans are held by the institution or school you attended.
FFEL lenders and schools may choose to offer interest and payment suspension benefits. If you have FFEL or Perkins loans, you should contact your student loan servicer for more information.
All federal student loan borrowers
You may also want to investigate income-driven repayment plans if you are not already enrolled. Depending on your income or family size, your payments could be as low as $0. You may be able to enroll online without calling your servicer by visiting: https://studentaid.gov/app/ibrInstructions.action .
NOTE: If you already enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan but are experiencing a change in income, ask your servicer to recalculate your monthly payment.
If you are still required to make a payment that you can’t afford and you only need a temporary pause on payments, investigate whether deferment or forbearance is an option for you. Servicers have been authorized to grant a 90-day forbearance to borrowers who are experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic. Putting your loans into a deferment or forbearance will not result in negative credit reporting. Again, you should contact your loan servicer to explore your options. You can fill out forms on your servicer’s website or ask your servicer for assistance.
NOTE: For Perkins loan borrowers, the Department of Education authorized institutions to grant forbearance, not to exceed three months. You must request this from your institution.
Private student loans
Many private lenders have already implemented forbearance options that will allow borrowers to postpone monthly payments, some for up to 90 days. Some private lenders also are waiving late fees and will not file negative reports to consumer reporting agencies. Some private lenders also offer their own reduced payment options. To find out what is available to you, contact your student loan servicer.
My federal student loans are in default. Is there anything I can do?
The Department of Education has stopped the collection of defaulted federal student loans, including the garnishment of wages and the offset of tax refunds and Social Security benefits. In addition, the CARES Act also suspends interest in federally-owned loans that are in default, through September 30, 2020. There is no additional action required from you for your federally-owned loans. For all other defaulted federal loans, contact your loan holder to find out about your options.
If you are rehabilitating a defaulted student loan, any missed payments due to the Coronavirus pandemic will not be considered as missed payments against your rehabilitation. Visit the Department of Education’s website to learn more about rehabilitating a defaulted federal student loan .
When do I need to contact my servicer?
If you are experiencing hardship or a loss of income and can’t afford your payment for your non-federally held loans, you should contact your servicer as soon as possible. They can discuss options with you. For all other matters, see if you can find out information on your servicer’s website, then call your servicer if you need additional help.
We hope that these answers would help you to manage student loans during Coronavirus pandemic. Read more about
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