Student loan trouble in Washington: what to do

Log in to studentaid.gov to see all your federal loans, their status and your servicer. Private loans won't be listed there.

Why: Your options depend on the loan type and status.

If you answered “Behind, but not in default” to “Where are you now?”

Call your servicer and ask about switching to an income-based repayment plan or a temporary deferment or forbearance.

Why: An income-based payment can be very low if your income is low, and keeps you out of default.

Ignore anyone who asks for an upfront fee to 'fix' your federal loans.

Why: Everything you can do with federal loans can be done free through your servicer or studentaid.gov.

If you answered “In default or in collections” to “Where are you now?”

If you're in default, ask about loan rehabilitation (a series of affordable monthly payments) or consolidation.

Why: These are the main ways out of default; rehabilitation can also remove the default record from your credit report.

If you answered “My wages, tax refund or benefits are being taken” to “Where are you now?”

If you get a notice of wage garnishment or tax refund offset, request a hearing or review by the deadline in the notice.

Why: You can object if the debt isn't yours, is wrong, or if garnishment would cause financial hardship.

If you answered “Private (bank, credit union, other lender)” to “What kind of student loans do you have?”

For private loans, ask the lender about hardship programs, and use your debt-collector rights if a collector contacts you.

Why: Private loans don't have federal income-driven plans; the lender must sue before garnishing wages.

Check whether you qualify for discharge or forgiveness (for example, school closure, disability, or public service loan forgiveness).

Why: Some borrowers don't have to repay at all.

If you answered “Private (bank, credit union, other lender)” to “What kind of student loans do you have?”

If a private lender sues you, follow the sued-by-debt-collector plan and check your state's time limit to sue.

Why: Private student loans are subject to state time limits; federal loans are not.

File a complaint with the Federal Student Aid ombudsman (federal) or the CFPB (private loans) if the servicer or collector won't help.

Why: They can review mistakes and stuck accounts.