Payment difficulties

Delinquency and default

Delinquency occurs when you fail to pay all or part of your monthly student loan payment.

• You may be charged late fees for delinquency, which can add to your Total Loan Cost.
• You may lose any interest-rate reduction programs for which you were eligible.
• Late payments may be reported to consumer reporting agencies and can have a negative impact on your credit report.

Default is the most serious—it means you’ve failed to repay your student loan and can have serious consequences.

• Once your student loan is in default, the entire Current Balance becomes due, not just the missed monthly payments.
• Your default may be reported to the consumer reporting agencies, where it can stay on your credit report for up to seven years.

Before your student loan becomes delinquent and goes into default, chat with us or call 800-472-5543. Let’s work together for a solution.

Abby explains student loan delinquency and default

If you’re considering bankruptcy

It’s important to understand that many student loans are not discharged through bankruptcy, but an automatic stay is imposed when any bankruptcy is filed. The effect of the automatic stay and what we do depends on which type of bankruptcy is filed.

• If a Chapter 12 or 13 bankruptcy is filed, we suspend online access and communications, including billing statements, for both the borrower and the cosigner.
• If a Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy is filed by the borrower or cosigner (but not both parties), we suspend online access and communications for only the person who filed the bankruptcy.

In all cases, interest continues to accrue during the bankruptcy case, which is likely to increase the Total Loan Cost. After the automatic stay ends, servicing, collection efforts, online access, and all communications will resume if the student loan is not discharged. In cases where a loan is discharged, we remove the filing party from responsibility for the loan. The non-filing party remains responsible for the loan, no matter which type of bankruptcy is filed. If you have questions about the treatment of your student loan in bankruptcy, please consult with an attorney.

If you’re experiencing financial difficulty, please chat with us or call 800-472-5543 so we can discuss any options that may be available for your loan.