Category: Community

Never take out more in student loans than you absolutely need.

Make Sure You Never Default

The U.S. Department of Education makes it easy for you to avoid defaulting with student loans. Simply contact your local school district and ask to talk to an Education Department loan officer. There are no fees or additional costs to talk to your loan officer. Once you’ve told them you’ve had enough, the loan officer will find out your eligibility for “fault discharge.” This means the loan can be discharged if you fail to make payments for more than 60 days. If the loan is in default, you will not be eligible for fault discharge.

Talk to your child’s school about loan forgiveness if:

You have a student loan and want your child to borrow at least $75,000 per year, (including any student loan forgiveness), through a private student loan for specialized tuition and fees. You must be unable to work. You must have your child taking certain classes at school.

Your child lives with you. He or she attends school full-time and is registered for college classes. He or she attends college on a full-time basis. He or she will graduate in the spring or summer and should be enrolled full-time in a four-year college or university or vocational school. The child has a high school diploma or its equivalent.

You pay rent for a room in your home as well as your child’s school room rent and insurance premiums. You both use the bedroom. You both work or are self-employed.