FAQs

For Nelnet borrowers whose accounts begin with “E,” you can view the status of your IDR application by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. We’ll also follow up through email every 10 days after we’ve received your application with a status update. Please note that we’ve received a large number of applications leading to longer-than-normal processing times.

You may be eligible to lower your monthly student loan payment by enrolling in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. Under an IDR plan, payments may be as low as $0 per month. Compare your loan repayment options through Federal Student Aid’s Loan Simulator.

You can also check out our Ready to Repay video series page, and watch videos discussing repayment options, like how to lower or postpone your payments. For more helpful guidance on staying on track during repayment when you may have had trouble in the past, visit I've Had Difficulty Managing My Payments and Need Help.

How to Apply for IDR

You can apply for IDR plans quickly and conveniently at StudentAid.gov/idr or, if you prefer, on Nelnet.com. On Nelnet.com, just log in to your account, and select Repayment Options & Resources from the menu. Choose "My payments are too high for my income," then "income-driven" to start. The process takes only a few minutes to complete.

The SAVE Plan is one of four income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. Find detailed information about the SAVE repayment plan, including eligibility criteria and benefits, at StudentAid.gov/save. You can apply for IDR plans quickly and conveniently at StudentAid.gov/idr or, if you prefer, in your Nelnet.com account. You can also watch our detailed video, “Applying for the SAVE Plan”, which walks you through the plan and how to apply, on our Ready to Repay video series page.

If you’re unable to access your Nelnet.com account, visit Nelnet’s Trouble Logging In? page or view our video called Logging In to Nelnet.com on our Ready to Repay video series page.

As a reminder, if you’re new to Nelnet’s website or have transferred from another servicer, you’ll need to create an online account. You’ll need your Social Security number and date of birth, and either your email address, phone number or zip/postal code to complete registration. We have a step-by-step video that you can view located on our Ready to Repay video series page, called Creating Your Online Account, which walks you through the entire registration process.

You have access to view your previous payment history from Great Lakes by logging in to your Nelnet.com account and selecting Inbox from the Documents menu. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to sign up for eCorrespondence to activate your Nelnet.com inbox, which will also allow you to view billing statements and other messages online. To sign up for eCorrespondence from your Nelnet.com account, choose Manage Paperless from the My Profile menu.

Nelnet is an official servicer for the U.S. Department of Education. We’re here to help you successfully manage your student loans. Learn more about Nelnet.

It's possible Nelnet owns your student loan(s). However, we also act as a student loan servicer — in other words, we provide customer service on behalf of many lenders and the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Get details on all of your federal student loan(s) with Nelnet and other loan holders and servicers online by logging in to StudentAid.gov. If you haven’t already, you will need to create an FSA ID to access your account with ED’s office of Federal Student Aid.

You may already have an FSA ID from when you applied for financial aid as a student; visit https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/ to find or create one.

Subsidized student loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need. Your school determines the amount you can borrow. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a subsidized loan during certain periods including while you’re enrolled in school at least half-time, during your six-month grace period, and during periods of deferment.

Unsubsidized student loans are available to both undergraduate and graduate students and parents (Parent PLUS loan). There’s no requirement to demonstrate financial need, and you’re responsible for paying the interest that accrues (adds up) on unsubsidized loans while you’re in school, during your grace period, and once you’ve entered repayment (whether you’re in a repayment status or your payments are postponed).

Generally, loans in these programs have the same terms and conditions. There are a few differences, including available repayment plans, borrower benefits (for example, an interest rate reduction for making on-time payments), loan forgiveness programs, and interest rates. The primary difference between the two loan programs is that the U.S. Department of Education funds loans under the Direct Loan Program, and private lending institutions funded loans under the FFELP. There are still many FFELP loans in existence, but since July 2010, no new FFELP loans are being made.

To determine if your loan(s) is part of the Direct Loan Program or FFELP, you can:

• Log in to your account with ED’s office of Federal Student Aid at StudentAid.gov
• Log in to your Nelnet.com account and go to My Loans to see your loan information
• Review the promissory note you signed for your loan(s)

Your Nelnet.com account is a secure section of the Nelnet website where you can view your account and loan details, make payments, ask to lower or postpone your payments, sign up for auto debit, and more. To access your account, log in with your username and password. If you haven’t created your online account, you can create one by selecting the Create Online Account button at Nelnet.com.

If you're a borrower and you want to make a payment on your loan, explore repayment options, or view loan details, visit our Log In page and select Log In and enter your username and password.

If you're making a payment on someone's behalf, visit our Log In page, select "Make a Payment for Someone Else," and enter your username and password.

If you do not have a username and password, create your Nelnet.com account on the site. We also have a step-by-step video located on our Ready to Repay video series page, called Logging In to Nelnet.com, which walks you through the process.

Create your online account to access your loan information, make payments, and explore repayment options.

• Gather what you need. To register, you'll need your Social Security number, birth date, and email address, zip/postal code, or phone number.
• Secure your account. During the registration process, you'll create a username and password.
• Stay current. Be sure to review your contact information and update it when needed.

We also have a step-by-step video located on our Ready to Repay video series page, called Creating Your Online Account, which walks you through the registration process.

If you’re having trouble creating a new account, please try using alternative emails, zip codes or phone numbers. If you are brand new to student loan repayment, this may be your email, zip code or phone number, or that of a parent from when you first signed up for loans.

Visit Forgot Username to retrieve your username.

You'll need to validate your identity by providing your Social Security number and birth date. Next, as another layer of security, you’ll be prompted to have an authorization code emailed to you.

After you successfully enter the authorization code, your username will be emailed to you. Follow the instructions in the email to log in to your account.

Visit Forgot Password to reset your password.

You'll need to validate your identity by providing your Social Security number and birth date. Next, as another layer of security, you’ll be prompted to have an authorization code emailed to you.

After you successfully enter the authorization code, you'll be prompted to create a new password. Then you can log in with your new password.

It’s an added layer of security for your Nelnet.com account. After you enter your username and password, we’ll send a one-time security code to your primary email address or phone number and ask you to enter it to securely log in. You can update your phone number and email address by choosing Update Contact Info from the My Profile menu. We also have a video located on our Ready to Repay video series page, called Understanding Two-Factor Authentication, which explains the additional security steps and how it works.

The authorization code is sent to either the email address or primary phone number you provided in your contact information. Look for an email or text from Nelnet. It may take a few minutes for your code to be sent. We also have a video located on our Ready to Repay video series page, called Understanding Two-Factor Authentication, which explains the additional security steps and how it works.

Enabling cookies allows you to use the Back button on your browser while on the Nelnet website. It also allows Nelnet to recognize your personal computer as a trusted computer.

Instructions for setting up cookies on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge are provided below. Keep in mind, browser versions vary, so these instructions might not be the exact steps you need to take to enable cookies for your personal computer and browser setup. If we haven’t provided accurate guidance for your personal browser, please refer to the information you can access from the Help icon on your browser menu bar.

How to accept cookies:

Google Chrome

1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Select the Chrome menu icon at top right.
3. Select Settings.
4. Near the bottom of the page, select Advanced.
5. In the Privacy and Security section, select Content Settings.
6. Select Cookies
7. Enable or disable cookies:
   • To enable cookies, turn on Allow Sites to Save and Read Cookie Data (recommended).
   • To disable cookies, turn on Block Third-Party Cookies.

Firefox

1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Select the menu button at top right.
3. Select Options.
4. Select Privacy & Security.
5. Go to the Cookies & Site Data section.
6. In the History section, after Firefox Will…, select the drop-down menu and choose Use Custom Settings for History.
7. In the Cookies and Site Data section, turn on (select the radio button) Accept Cookies and Site data from Websites; turn it off (select radio button again) to disable cookies.
8. To choose how long cookies are allowed to be stored, go to Keep Until… and select the drop-down menu:
   • Select Until They Expire if you want all cookies to be removed when they reach their expiration dates, which are set by the sites that sent the cookies.
   • Select Keep Until I Close Firefox if you want cookies stored on your computer to be removed when Firefox is closed.

Internet Explorer

1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Select Tools from the menu bar.
3. Select Internet Options.
4. Select on the Privacy tab.
5. Ensure settings are set to medium-high or lower.
6. Select OK.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Select the menu button at top right.
3. Select Settings from the menu (scroll down to the bottom of the list).
4. Select View Advanced Settings, and then scroll down to the Cookies section.
5. Choose one of the following to turn cookies on or off:
   • Block all cookies
   • Block only third-party cookies
   • Don't block cookies

1. Log in to your Nelnet.com account, and then select My Profile at the top of the screen.
2. Select Update Contact Info in the drop-down menu.
3. Update your contact information, and then select the Save Changes button.

Nelnet.com was recently updated to ensure it works great on mobile devices and offers more features than our mobile app. Due to this, the Nelnet mobile app has been retired and you can no longer log in to your account from it. Please visit Nelnet.com for all of your account needs, as the improved experience offers a full range of tools to help you manage your loans on the go.

The term of a student loan (the amount of time you have to repay it in full) is based on the type of loan and repayment plan you choose. In some cases, the loan term is based on your outstanding loan amount. Periods when your loan(s) is not in repayment due to school enrollment, a grace period, a deferment, or a forbearance do not count toward your repayment term. Log in to your Nelnet.com account to view your repayment schedule, repayment plan, and other student loan information, or contact us. To explore loan options that may be available to you, see Repayment Plans.

If you plan to pursue Public Service Loan Forgiveness, visit StudentAid.gov for information about periods when your loan(s) is not in repayment, qualifying payments, and how prepayments impact qualifying payments.

Nelnet sends monthly billing statements for each account about three weeks before your due date, either in a paper statement sent to your physical mailing address or in an electronic update to your Nelnet.com account. While you are in school, in your loan's grace period, in a deferment, or in forbearance, you might not receive a monthly statement.

You can log in to your Nelnet.com account to verify upcoming payment due dates and payment amounts. In your online account, you have 24/7 access to all kinds of important, helpful information about your loan(s).

If your monthly payment is too high, you have several options to reduce it — sometimes even to as low as $0 a month, depending on your income and family size. To explore options or make changes that could help you avoid default, log in to your Nelnet.com account, and select Repayment Options & Resources, or see our Repayment Plans page. You also can visit the office of Federal Student Aid's website at StudentAid.gov to review other options, such as consolidation.

We also have a detailed video, I Need to Lower My Payments, on our Ready to Repay video series page that also walks you through your options. If you have trouble making your payments at all — even if you’re already behind — remember we're here to help you find a solution that works for you.

Nelnet is grateful to those who serve or have served our country, and we recognize the sacrifices you have made. As a member of the U.S. military, you’re entitled to special benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Defense. To learn more about these benefits, see Resources for Servicemembers.

To bring your account up to date, you have the option to make a payment anytime, anywhere. See How to Make a Payment. If you can’t make the payment(s) to bring your account up to date, Nelnet may be able to grant you a loan forbearance to cover the delinquency. Interest may continue to accrue during a forbearance and may be capitalized at the end of the forbearance period. Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources to explore your options.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “E”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance. Payments made when your account returns to a repayment status (when payments are due) will be applied to any unpaid interest that accrued before or during this forbearance and then to the outstanding principal balance.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “D” or “J”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance, and any unpaid, accrued interest from before or during the forbearance will be added to the outstanding principal balance (known as capitalization) if it’s not paid before the end of the forbearance. For more information about interest capitalization, refer to our Interest Capitalization page.

This is a six-month period of time after you’ve left school before you’re required to start making payments on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. For graduate and professional students with Grad PLUS loans, you have a similar six-month deferment period after leaving school before you begin repayment. For more information about grace and other stages in a student loan life cycle, see Stages of a Student Loan.

Although Parent PLUS Loans don’t have a grace period, borrowers with PLUS Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, might be eligible to postpone payments while the parent or student is in school and up to six months after graduation or when they drop below half-time enrollment status. For more information about Parent PLUS Loans, including the option to postpone payments, see Stages of a Student Loan.

In general, to pay less interest over the life of your loan(s), you can make payments toward your student loan when they aren’t due (when you’re in school, in your grace period, or in a deferment period). You can also make extra payments or pay more than your regular monthly payment amount when you’re in repayment. All of these scenarios cause less interest to accrue overall. To learn more about how interest accrues and capitalizes, and how to minimize the interest you pay, see What Does It Mean That Interest Is Capitalized?.

Yes. While you aren’t required to make payments while you’re in school, you’ll save money on interest in the long run if you do. To learn more about how making payments while you are in school helps you pay less interest over the life of your loan, see What Does It Mean That Interest Is Capitalized?.

If you make a payment within 120 days after the date your school disbursed your loan funds (the disbursement date), your payment is first applied to the original principal balance of that disbursement. This reduces the amount of your loan(s). For more information about payments made within 120 days of disbursement, see How Are Payments Allocated? Please note: this excludes loans that are already in repayment status and consolidation loans.

If you’re enrolled at least half time at an eligible school and aren’t currently required to make payments, Nelnet won’t send you a monthly billing statement. Nelnet sends a monthly billing statement about three weeks before each due date.

In your online account at Nelnet.com, you have 24/7 access that allows you to:

• Update your demographic information to make sure you receive all of Nelnet’s important messages about your account
• Sign up for Nelnet eCorrespondence
• View your account summary
• Make a payment

For information about the benefit of making payments while in deferment or forbearance, see What Does It Mean That Interest Is Capitalized?.

For information about how to read your statement, see Statement Overview.

You may have more than one student loan account with Nelnet (account numbers start with D, J, or E). If you do, we send monthly billing statements for each account about three weeks before a payment is due. For more information about the way payments work, see How Payments Work.

An account number that starts with E is made up of loans owned by the U.S. Department of Education; an account number that stars with a D or J is made up of loans owned by other lenders.

Nelnet’s eCorrespondence messages are electronic versions of your monthly billing statements and other correspondence from us that show up in your online Nelnet.com account. If you choose eCorrespondence, almost all of your communications from Nelnet will be delivered in this manner, and you’ll access them by logging in to your account.

After you have logged in to your Nelnet.com account, select Documents, then choose Inbox.

When a new message is delivered to your Nelnet.com account, Nelnet sends an email to your email address on file. Every email includes a link to log in to your Nelnet.com account. After logging in with your username and password, select Documents so you can quickly and securely view your billing statements and other correspondence online.

If your personal email address is invalid or you remove it from your Nelnet account, we will be unable to send you notifications by email. However, we will still deliver messages to your Nelnet.com inbox. You still will be responsible for checking your account online and making your monthly payments on time. If we receive a late payment, you may be assessed a late fee (if applicable) ^* even if you didn't receive an email notification that your billing statement was available. To help us keep you informed, please make sure a valid email address is on file at all times. You can verify your email address, due date, and your payment amount any time by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. At Nelnet.com, you also can sign up to receive text message alerts before, on, or after your due date.

If you would like to view or change your correspondence preference, log in to your Nelnet.com account. To enroll in or cancel eCorrespondence:

1. Select My Profile
2. Choose Manage Paperless

If you choose to opt out of eCorrespondence, please remember you can opt back in at any time. Not only does eCorrespondence help the environment — it helps you get your statements quickly, conveniently, and securely.

*The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late fees. _back

After you log in to your Nelnet.com account, select My Profile and choose Update Contact Info from the drop-down menu. Update your email address, and then select the Save Changes button. If you have yet to add an email address to the contact information in your account, the system will prompt you to do so at login. However, the system won’t know if a listed email address is invalid. If you aren’t receiving emailed notifications from us, you may want to make sure your email address is correct in your Nelnet.com account.

Yes. If for some reason your statement doesn't arrive as planned, you are still responsible for making payments on time. If we receive late payments, a late fee (if applicable) ^* may be assessed even if you didn’t receive your statement. To help us keep you informed, please make sure you have a valid address on file at all times. You can verify your address, due date, and payment amount any time by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. In your account, you also can sign up to receive text message alerts before, on, or after your due date.

*The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late fees. _back

For more information on ways to pay, see How to Make a Payment.

Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Documents, then choose Statements from the drop-down menu. When the statement is displayed on your browser window, select Print.

If you delete a message from your Nelnet.com inbox, there is no way to restore it. For that reason, it's important not to delete messages you might need later.

When you sign up for electronic correspondence, your messages are stored for 12 months. After 12 months, they are deleted. If you want to keep messages longer than 12 months, you can save them to your own computer, a computer disc, or a flash drive before they are deleted by the system. Note: If you delete a message from your inbox, there is no way to restore it.

If you wish to permit a third party to make payments on your behalf, you'll need to set them up as an authorized payer. Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Payments, then choose Authorized Payers from the drop-down menu. Once you’ve added an authorized payer, provide them with their username and password. Please ensure they can access the phone number and email address you entered in their profile, because we’ll text or email an authorization code to them to complete their login as an added layer of security.

Here are some important tips about Authorized Payers:

• If you would like to give copies of your Nelnet statements and correspondence to a third party, print or save the documents from your Nelnet.com account inbox and send them by email or post office mail.
• Authorized payers can visit our Log In page, select "Make a Payment for Someone Else," and log in with their username and password. Then, they can make a payment on your behalf.
• Authorized payers have access to your account details, including account number, due date, amount due (past and current), payment amount, payoff amount, accrued interest, account balance, interest rate, loan type, and payment history.

Nelnet provides email notification of statements and correspondence in a Nelnet.com account only to primary student loan borrowers. Co-signers and endorsers receive correspondence from Nelnet via post office mail. If you are a co-signer/endorser on someone else’s loan(s) and you also have your own student loan(s) serviced by Nelnet, you will receive statements and correspondence through your Nelnet.com account only for the account on which you are the primary borrower.

If you would like to make payments online for your co-signed/endorsed loan(s), the primary borrower may add you as an authorized payer — a person the primary borrower designates who can view account details and make student loan payments on the primary borrower’s behalf. To learn how to add an authorized payer, see Authorized Payer.

You can retrieve or change an authorized payer’s username, primary phone number, or email address, or reset their password by logging in to your Nelnet.com account and selecting Payments, then choosing Authorized Payers from the drop-down menu. Authorized payers do not have access to view or change this information themselves.

It’s an added layer of security for your Nelnet.com account. After your authorized payer enters their username and password, we’ll send a one-time security code to their primary email address or phone number and ask them to enter it to securely log in.

The authorization code is sent to either the email address or primary phone number you entered in their authorized payer profile in your Nelnet.com account. They should look for an email or text from Nelnet. It may take a few minutes for the code to be sent.

Making a payment on your student loan(s) with Nelnet is easy. You have options to pay anytime, anywhere, so you can manage the account your way. For more information about ways to pay, see How to Make a Payment. You can also view our Making Payments video, which walks you through all of your payment options, on our Ready to Repay video series page.

Just follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Nelnet.com account.
2. Select Make a Payment.
3. You can pay the amount due or select the Other Amount radio button.
   1. If you would like to direct your one-time payment (including partial payments) to specific loan groups, select Pay by Group and enter the amounts in the fields corresponding to the loan groups to which you would like the payment directed. For information on how to direct a payment to an individual loan or loan group, see the specific question under “Making Payments.”
   2. You have the option to request that one-time online payments not advance your due date more than one month. Depending on the payment amount you enter, the Do Not Advance My Due Date checkbox may appear. Select this option if you want your due date to advance only a single month even though you’ve paid more than the current amount due. If your account is already paid ahead, select this option to keep your due date from advancing further. For more information, see How Payments Are Allocated.
4. Enter or select the desired Payment Date.
5. Enter your checking or savings account information, and then select the Continue button.
6. On the Review and Submit page, verify that the information displayed is correct.
7. Read the payment authorization at the bottom of the page, and then select the Submit Payment button.

Yes. If you don’t want to re-enter your name, contact information, and bank information each time you make a payment, you have the option to save your payment profile.

Auto debit is a convenient, simple payment option that offers you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your student loan payments are being made accurately and on time every month. You only have to sign up once to have all of your monthly payments made automatically.

Your Nelnet.com account allows you to make a one-time online payment even when your student loan payment is not due. Plus, you can direct your payment to specific loan groups. For more information on these and other ways to pay, see How to Make a Payment.

You can contact your financial institution to set up payments using your bank’s online bill pay service. If your bank’s bill pay service requires an address to be entered when setting up the payment profile, please use the payment address from your billing statement. If your Nelnet account number begins with “E”, that address is:

Once payments are received, it can take up to two business days to post to your account. A payment made online, over the phone, or through check/money order sent by you or your bill pay provider is posted effective on the date of receipt.

Note: A payment made online or over the phone must be submitted by 4 p.m. (Eastern) on a business day to be effective the same day. If you submit a payment after 4 p.m. (Eastern) on a business day, you are given the option to select an effective date as early as the following business day. Business days do not include weekends.

For more information on how payments are allocated to your student loan(s), see How Payments are Allocated.

Co-signers receive their monthly billing statements from Nelnet via post office mail. Unless you direct your payments to an individual loan or loan group, when you mail your payments using the payment coupon attached to your monthly billing statement, they are allocated across only the individual loan or loan group(s) for which you have co-signed. If you want your payments to allocate differently, you can direct payments (including partial payments) to individual loans or groups as a one-time or recurring special payment instruction.

To view your payment history, log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Payment Activity from the Payments drop-down menu.

Yes, you have the option to request your payments be allocated differently than the standard payment allocation method, as a one-time or recurring special payment instruction.

Please keep in mind that staying with the standard allocation may save you money in the long run. For more information, see How Are Payments Allocated?

You can provide one-time or recurring special payment instructions when:

• You are making a payment greater than the current amount due and do not want to advance your due date more than one month.
• You are making a payment (including partial payments) and would like to direct it to individual loans or loan groups.
• You would like to allocate excess payments across all loan groups in repayment status, instead of targeting the loan(s) with the highest interest rate. This will keep the due dates for all loan groups aligned.
• You want your payment (including partial payments) to be allocated differently than the standard payment allocation method.

Requesting Special Payment Instructions:

Schedule your payments to be automatically debited from a checking or savings account you choose. Enrolling in our auto debit is easy. Just log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Manage Automatic Payments under the Payments menu. You can also watch our detailed video, Enrolling in Auto Debit, on our Ready to Repay video series page.

Auto debit is a convenient, simple payment option offering you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your student loan payments are being made accurately and on time.

Nelnet does not charge a service fee for using auto debit. In addition, you don't need to use stamps, envelopes, or a check, which saves you time and money.

Additionally, when you sign up for auto debit, you may be eligible for a 0.25% interest rate reduction ^* while your account is in an active repayment status.

*Your lender may modify or terminate its borrower benefit program at its discretion and without prior notice. Your failure to satisfy benefit eligibility requirements may result in the loss of benefit. Some lenders do not offer this benefit. _back

The first debit date depends on many factors, including how close you are to your current statement due date, your loan status, and your repayment plan. Your upcoming debit date(s) and amount(s) will be reflected on your monthly billing statement.

If your debit date falls on a weekend or holiday, your payment will be automatically debited the following business day, but your loan(s) will not be considered past due. Auto debit payments are posted with an effective date of your scheduled debit date.

Yes, you will continue to receive monthly billing statements while you are signed up for auto debit.

Generally, you are eligible to sign up for auto debit as long as your loan(s) is in repayment or will enter repayment within the next 180 days. To determine your eligibility, log in to your Nelnet.com account.

Yes, depending on your repayment plan you may be eligible to request an auto debit amount greater than your regular monthly payment amount.

• Standard, Graduated, and Extended repayment plans. Your monthly auto debit will be made each month your loans are in an active repayment status, even if you have loans that are past due or if you have previously paid more than the minimum amount due (known as being paid ahead). You can request an auto debit amount greater than your regular monthly payment. Doing so will allow you to pay off your student loan faster.
• Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans (Income-Based, Income-Contingent, Pay As You Earn, Revised Pay As You Earn), or Reduced Payment Forbearance. Auto debit will not occur for loans that are paid ahead. If all of your loans are in one of these repayment plans, only your regular monthly payment amount will auto debit.

You can always make additional, one-time payments at any time by logging in to your Nelnet.com account or mailing payments to the address on your monthly billing statement.

It can take up to two business days after your scheduled debit for your payment to debit from your bank account. Your bank may take additional time for processing before you are able to see the debit reflected in your checking or savings account.

• Standard, Graduated, and Extended repayment plans. Your monthly auto debit will be made each month your loans are in an active repayment status, even if you have loans that are past due or if you have previously paid more than the minimum amount due (known as being paid ahead). You can request an auto debit amount greater than your regular monthly payment. Doing so will allow you to pay off your student loan faster.
• Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans (Income-Based, Income-Contingent, Pay As You Earn, Revised Pay As You Earn), or Reduced Payment Forbearance.Auto debit will not occur for loans that are paid ahead. If all of your loans are in one of these repayment plans, only your regular monthly payment amount will auto debit.

You can always make additional, one-time payments at any time by logging in to your Nelnet.com account or mailing payments to the address on your monthly billing statement.

A request to change or cancel auto debit can be honored up to three business days before your next scheduled auto debit date by logging in to your Nelnet.com account and choosing Manage Automatic Payments under the Payments menu. Here you can make changes to your auto debit information. Please allow adequate time for us to receive and process your request.

No. Automatic monthly payments may only be debited from a bank account for which you are the account holder. A third party can, however, quickly and easily make a one-time payment (on one or more occasions) by logging in to their free online authorized payer account at Nelnet.com First, you need to set up the person as an authorized payer. For more information about setting up an authorized payer, go here. Any authorized payer can also mail a payment, pay through their bank with its bill pay service, or make a payment over the phone.

Auto debit is able to debit a final payment even if the payoff amount is less than your regular monthly payment amount. It will automatically calculate and debit the final payment.

Automatic monthly payments are not debited during deferment or forbearance. If the 0.25% auto debit interest rate reduction incentive or an on-time payment incentive is active on the account, it may become inactive during the deferment or forbearance period, and may return to an active status once your deferment or forbearance ends, depending on your lender’s guidelines ^*. If your account is set up for auto debit when your deferment or forbearance ends, the auto debit will resume.

*Certain lenders, including the U.S. Department of Education, suspend the .25% interest rate reduction when your loan is not in an active repayment status. _back

To explore options or make changes to your repayment plan, contact us, log in to your Nelnet.com account, or see Repayment Plans. You can also visit the office of Federal Student Aid's website at StudentAid.gov to review other options like consolidation.

You may prepay your loan at any time without penalty, regardless of repayment plan.

To learn more about the various repayment plans you may be eligible for, log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources.

To know which repayment plan options you may be eligible for, log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources.

You will receive notification via post office mail or email depending on the preference you selected in your Nelnet.com account.

In most cases, choosing a different repayment plan will change the amount of your monthly payment. The amount you repay each month determines how quickly you pay down your principal balance. Interest accrues based on the principal balance of your loan(s). Lowering your monthly payment by choosing a repayment plan that offers a longer term will increase the amount of interest you accrue, costing you more money in the long run. For more information, see How Is Student Loan Interest Calculated?.

No. The type of repayment plan used to repay a student loan is not reported to the consumer reporting agencies. Using a deferment or forbearance for your student loan(s) will not adversely affect your credit history; However, making a late payment could impact your credit history. For more information, check out ways to postpone your payments, or log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources to explore your options.

No. There is no charge for changing your repayment plan. Please note, if your loan(s) is on the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan and you wish to change your repayment plan, federal regulations require you to make one scheduled payment on the Standard Repayment Plan or in a Reduced Payment Forbearance after exiting IBR before you may change plans.

Any unpaid interest that accrued while you were on the IBR Plan will be added to your principal balance (this process is called capitalization) when you exit the IBR Plan. For more information about interest capitalization and its effect on your loan balance, see Interest Capitalization.

You can apply for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan online by going to StudentAid.gov/idr or, if you prefer, on Nelnet.com. On Nelnet.com, just log in to your online account and select Repayment Options & Resources from the menu. Choose "My payments are too high for my income," then "income-driven" to start the process. The process takes only a few minutes to complete.

You can also view our video, Applying for the SAVE Plan, which walks you through the SAVE plan and how to apply online, as an example. This is located on our Ready to Repay video series page.

Each of the four Income-Driven Repayment plans has unique qualifications for eligibility. The Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) repayment plan, and Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE, formerly the REPAYE Plan) repayment plan are for Direct Loans only. The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan is for both Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and Direct Loans.

There may be other reasons you didn’t qualify; for example, if we did not receive all of the information needed to evaluate your eligibility. For more information about qualification requirements, see Repayment Plans. You can also log in to your Nelnet.com account to find out if you're eligible.

Renewing your IDR Plan requires you to submit annual recertification of your income and family size. You can recertify your IDR Plan by going to StudentAid.gov/idr and choosing any “Log in to Start” button. After logging in, choose the “Manage Your Plan” button next to “Manage Your Income-Driven Repayment Plan”.

You can ask us to recalculate your monthly payment amount on your IDR Plan anytime by going to StudentAid.gov/idr and choosing any “Log in to Start” button. After logging in, choose the “Manage Your Plan” button next to “Manage Your Income-Driven Repayment Plan”.

The four IDR Plans — Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment, and Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE, formerly the REPAYE Plan) — were designed so your payment will reflect your income as it changes over time. For that reason, it’s necessary to provide us with your current income information annually.

If you choose not to provide us with your current income information each year, or we determine your current income makes you ineligible for a reduced payment amount, in most cases you will remain on your IDR Plan. Your interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan (this is called capitalization), and your payment amount will be adjusted to the amount you would have paid on a Standard Plan at the time you entered the IDR Plan. This most likely will result in an increase to your monthly payment amount. The only IDR Plan that is different is SAVE. If you are on SAVE and don’t recertify your income, you’ll be removed from SAVE and placed on the SAVE Alternative Repayment plan.

Yes, you can. To learn more about loan consolidation, see What Is Loan Consolidation?.

A deferment is an authorized temporary suspension of repayment that can be granted under certain circumstances. To get a deferment, you must apply for it, meet the qualifications, and make arrangements with the servicer of your loan(s). Depending on your loan type, interest may continue to accrue during a deferment, and any unpaid interest will be capitalized (added to your principal balance) at the end of the deferment. While not required, you can continue making payments without penalty even if no payment is due, which will reduce your total cost of borrowing and save you money in the long run.

If you are willing but unable to make payments and don’t qualify for a deferment, you can request forbearance. Forbearance allows payments to stop temporarily or decrease in amount for a specific length of time. Your lender may grant forbearance of principal, interest, or both. With forbearance, you are always responsible for repayment of accrued interest. While not required, you can continue making payments without penalty even if no payment is due, which will reduce your total cost of borrowing and save you money in the long run.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “E”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance. Payments made when your account returns to a repayment status (when payments are due) will be applied to any unpaid interest that accrued before or during this forbearance and then to the outstanding principal balance.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “D” or “J”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance, and any unpaid, accrued interest from before or during the forbearance will be added to the outstanding principal balance (known as capitalization) if it’s not paid before the end of the forbearance. For more information about interest capitalization, refer to our Interest Capitalization page.

To apply for a forbearance to postpone your payments or for a Reduced Payment Forbearance, log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources.

Log in to your Nelnet.com account, and then select Repayment Options & Resources. You can also check out our Ready to Repay video series page, and watch a video discussing postponement options, titled I Need to Postpone My Payments.

If you have any trouble making your payments, please contact us immediately to explore your options. We can help. Also, learn more about other Repayment Plans.

To learn more about deferments and forbearances, go here.

To apply for a deferment or forbearance, log in to your Nelnet.com account, and then select Repayment Options & Resources.

It typically takes about three business days from the day we receive your application. To potentially reduce this time, apply online: log in to Nelnet.com and select Repayment Options & Resources. Many deferments and forbearances requested online are processed within 24 hours. If we need additional information from you to fully process your application, we'll let you know and then process the deferment or forbearance once you have provided what we need.

Nelnet will review the application to ensure it is complete and we've received all required supporting documentation. We will notify you by post office mail when we’ve processed your deferment or forbearance.

Periods when your loan(s) is not in repayment due to school enrollment, a grace period, a deferment, or a forbearance do not count toward your repayment term. See How Long Do I Have Before I Must Completely Repay My Loan(s)? for more information.

IMPORTANT:

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “E”: During a deferment (depending on the loan type), you are responsible for paying the interest that accrues on your loan. If accrued interest is not paid before the deferment ends, or if your loans are on an Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan and you voluntarily exit the plan, you don’t recertify timely, or you no longer qualify for a reduced payment amount, interest will be added to your outstanding principal balance (known as capitalization), which will increase the overall amount you'll have to pay. To see how interest capitalization can affect your balance and the total amount of interest paid over the life of the loan, refer to our Interest Capitalization page.

Unpaid, accrued interest will not capitalize when a forbearance ends. Payments made when your account returns to a repayment status (when payments are due) will be applied to any unpaid interest that accrued before or during this forbearance and then to the outstanding principal balance.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “D” or “J”: During a deferment (depending on the loan type) or forbearance, you are responsible for paying the interest that accrues on your loan. If accrued interest is not paid before the deferment or forbearance ends, or if your loans are on an Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan and you voluntarily exit the plan, you don’t recertify timely, or you no longer qualify for a reduced payment amount, interest will be added to your outstanding principal balance (known as capitalization), which will increase the overall amount you'll have to pay. To see how interest capitalization can affect your balance and the total amount of interest paid over the life of the loan, refer to our Interest Capitalization page.

To apply for a deferment or forbearance, log in to your Nelnet.com account, and select Repayment Options & Resources.

The maximum length of your deferment or forbearance depends on your situation, the type of deferment or forbearance you applied for, and the attributes of your loan.

If your situation hasn't changed and you require more repayment assistance, log in to your Nelnet.com account, and then select Repayment Options & Resources to review additional options that may be available to you.

In certain situations, you can have your federal student loan(s) forgiven, canceled, or discharged. If this occurs, you will no longer be required to repay some or all of your loan(s). To explore these options, see Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge.

If you work in public service, you may qualify for forgiveness of your remaining Direct Loan balance after making 120 qualifying payments under a qualifying repayment plan while employed full time by a qualifying employer. For more information, see Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Certain types of student loans may be discharged if you qualify for the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge Program. The loans that qualify are Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) Loans, Perkins Loans, and Direct Loans, and also the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant service obligations. To apply and to get status information about your application, you can create an account at DisabilityDischarge.com or call 888.303.7818. For more information about the TPD process, visit StudentAid.gov.

If you teach full time for five consecutive, complete academic years at certain schools and educational service agencies serving low-income families, the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program may forgive as much as $17,500 of your federal student loan principal and interest. Qualifying loans include subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) and Direct Loans. Portions of consolidation loans may qualify. Visit StudentAid.gov for more information and to see which schools and agencies qualify.

If you or your benefitting student (in the case of a Parent PLUS Loan) should pass away before your student loan is paid in full, your family or representative can get the loan discharged by sending an original or certified copy of the death certificate to Nelnet. If a death certificate isn’t available, other documents are sometimes accepted on a case-by-case basis. These alternative documents include:

• Verification from an official of a county clerk’s office stating the student/borrower is deceased and a death certificate could not be readily provided
• Letter from a clergyman or funeral director
• Confirmation of death from a consumer reporting agency
• Announcement of death from a local newspaper containing enough information to verify the announcement is referring to the student/borrower
• Confirmation from the Social Security death registry

Any payments made on the loan after the confirmed date of death are returned to the estate. It’s important to note that if Nelnet doesn’t receive acceptable documentation of death, the loan resumes servicing at the same delinquency level it was being serviced when Nelnet was notified of the death.

Student loans are rarely discharged in bankruptcy. If you are having trouble making your payments, remember Nelnet has many repayment plans to fit your budget and ways to postpone payments. Please contact us to learn more about these options. We are here to help.

Here are a few important things to know if you find yourself considering bankruptcy:

• Once you’ve filed for or begin bankruptcy proceedings, your creditors are notified, including your student loan servicer, and an automatic stay begins.
• The automatic stay prohibits creditors from continuing with collection efforts during your bankruptcy case.
• If your student loans aren't discharged in your bankruptcy case, the student loan servicer will resume collection efforts once the case is over.
• Even if you’re in a pending bankruptcy, interest will continue to accrue and the total amount you owe may increase. Please consult with a bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

You can provide one-time or recurring special payment instructions when:

• You are making a payment greater than the current amount due and do not want to advance your due date more than one month.
• You are making a payment (including partial payments) and would like to direct it to individual loans or loan groups.
• You would like to allocate excess payments across all loan groups in repayment status, instead of targeting the loan(s) with the highest interest rate. This will keep the due dates for all loan groups aligned.
• You want your payment (including partial payments) to be allocated differently than with the standard payment allocation method.

To learn how payments are allocated to your student loan(s), see How Payments are Allocated.

You have the option to request your payments be allocated differently than the standard payment allocation method, as a one-time or recurring special payment instruction.

Please keep in mind that staying with the standard allocation may save you money in the long run. For more information, see How Are Payments Allocated?

Requesting Special Payment Instructions:

One-Time Special Payment Instructions

Log in to your Nelnet.com account, select Make a Payment from the Payments drop-down menu, then choose Pay by Group. Enter payment amounts to apply to one or more of your loan groups. Then simply confirm your payment to submit it.

If you want to direct future online payments to an individual loan instead of directing to a loan group, you may request that your loans be ungrouped by calling us. Additionally, you may request to not advance your due date when selecting Make a Payment.

For more information on making online payments, see How To Make a Payment.

Please note that you may also request one-time special payment instructions by calling us at 888.486.4722.

Recurring Special Payment Instructions

Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Special Payment Instructions from the Payments drop-down menu. Select a recurring special payment instruction from the drop-down menu to apply to future payments and select the Submit Request button.

Yes. If your account is not delinquent (past due), you may request to change your payment due date to any date between the 1st and 28th of the month. (The payment date cannot be the 29th, 30th, or 31st of the month.) To request a change to your payment due date, contact us.

No. When a portion of a payment is allocated to a specific loan group, payments are applied to individual loans proportionally to fees first (if applicable) ^*, then to interest, and then to principal. If you are on an Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan, payments are applied to interest, then to fees (if applicable) ^*, and then to principal. For more information about how payments are applied to your student loans, see How Payments are Allocated.

*The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late or returned payment fees. _back

Federal student loans use a method of interest accrual known as "simple interest.” Simple interest is calculated only on the principal balance. The principal balance may include previously capitalized interest.

To calculate your daily interest accrual, use the following formula:
(Current Principal Balance x Interest Rate) ÷ 365.25

With this equation, your current principal balance is multiplied by the interest rate. Then that product is divided by 365.25 (the number of days in one year). The result then can be multiplied by a specific number of days to determine how much interest would accrue in a specific time frame (for example, for a 30-day month).

Example:

• Current principal balance: $10,000.00
• Interest rate: 5.750%
• Number of days of interest: 30

[(10,000 x .0575) ÷ 365.25] x 30 = 47.22780, or approximately $47.23 in monthly accrued interest.

Capitalization is the addition of unpaid interest to the outstanding principal balance of a loan. When your unpaid interest capitalizes, it increases the outstanding principal amount due on your loan. Then your interest is recalculated based on that higher principal balance, increasing the overall cost of your loan. And depending on your repayment plan, capitalization may also cause your monthly payment amount to increase.

Refer to our Interest Capitalization page for more information and examples.

Interest subsidy is a benefit provided to student loan borrowers in which the federal government pays the interest that accrues during certain periods (for example, the federal government pays the interest on Direct subsidized loans during the period the borrower is in school).

Sometimes, when you’re on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, your monthly payment doesn’t cover all of the interest that accrues on the loan(s) each month. If you are on the SAVE, PAYE, or IBR plan, the government will pay all or a portion of the remaining unpaid accrued interest that is due each month. The specific interest benefit varies depending on the plan. If your payment covers the amount of interest that would accrue monthly, you may not receive an interest subsidy.

If you are late on a payment(s) or your payment is returned, your lender has the discretion to charge you a fee. ^* Your lender may charge other fees related to collecting a defaulted loan. Below is a list of possible fees. If you have specific questions regarding fees, contact us.

* The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late or returned payment fees. _back

• Late fee: Any payment not received within 15 or more days after the due date may incur a late fee of up to six cents for each late dollar as determined by your lender and described in the terms of your promissory note. Your late fee is calculated based on the unpaid portion of your regular monthly payment amount. You can find information about late fees in the account snapshot on your monthly billing statement.
• Returned payment fee: A payment returned due to non-sufficient funds may be reattempted a maximum of one time. A returned payment may be assessed a $5 fee.
• Miscellaneous fees: You may be charged certain reasonable costs incurred in collecting your loan. Costs can include, but are not limited to, attorney fees and court costs.

If you are charged a fee(s), it isn’t included in your current amount due. When you pay your current amount due (which includes outstanding interest and principal), your payment is applied first to fees (if applicable) and interest and then to the principal balance. This reduces the amount applied to your principal for that payment. Because your principal isn’t reduced as much as it would have been without the fee, this could increase the total cost of your loan by the end of your loan term. (Future interest will be calculated using the higher amount of principal that is owed after some of your payment goes toward the fee.)

You may reduce this extra cost by paying more than your current amount due to cover the amount of your fee. If a fee is charged to your account, we will include detailed information about the fee on your monthly billing statement.

Your payoff amount includes your outstanding principal balance, any outstanding fees (if applicable), ^* outstanding interest, and the interest that will continue to accrue through the payoff date.

*The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late or returned payment fees. _back

You may find or request your payoff amount in several ways, detailed below. First, here is some information on how the payoff amount is determined.

The payoff amount includes the outstanding principal balance, any outstanding fees (if applicable), ^* outstanding interest, and the interest that will continue to accrue through the payoff date. If a payoff payment is received after the payoff date, an additional amount may be needed to pay the loan(s) in full based on interest that accrues between the payoff date and the date the payment is received.

You can find your final loan payoff amount:

• Online: When you log in to your Nelnet.com account, select Estimated Payoff Amount from the Payments drop-down menu. When you request a payoff amount from your Nelnet.com account you can select the date (a number of days between 1 and 30) on which you want to pay the loan in full. The payment amount is valid through the payoff date provided.
• By phone: Payoff information can be obtained 24 hours a day through Nelnet's automated phone system when you call 888.486.4722.
• On your monthly statement: Your payoff amount is shown on your monthly statement and is valid through the date indicated.

*The U.S. Department of Education does not assess late or returned payment fees. _back

IMPORTANT: If you have both U.S. Department of Education-owned loans (account number starts with E) and loans owned by other lenders (account number starts with D or J), the address to which you mail payments is different for each. You must send mailed payments separately to the post office addresses on the front of your billing statements to have them applied to your loans correctly. If you make your payment online, you can submit a single payment for all of your accounts.

All payments made online and by phone must be submitted by 4 p.m. (Eastern) on a business day to be effective the same day. If you submit a payment after 4 p.m. (Eastern) on a business day, you have the option to select an effective date as early as the following business day. Business days do not include weekends. To learn more about making payments, see Making Payments.

If your payment is not enough to pay your loan(s) in full, the payment will be applied to your loan(s) as payments normally are, and you will continue to receive billing statements from Nelnet until you make the payment(s) that pays the loan(s) in full. To learn more about how your payments are applied, see How My Payment is Allocated.

Within about 30 days after you have paid your loan(s) in full, we will mail a letter confirming the payoff to the address we have on file for you. You don’t need to make a special request for this letter. You also can confirm your loan balance by logging in to your Nelnet.com account and selecting My Loans.

To file your federal tax return, you will need the amount of interest you paid on your student loan(s) during the prior year. You may be able to deduct some or all of your paid interest from your income, which could reduce the amount you owe in income tax. To determine how much of your paid interest may be deducted, we recommend that you contact your tax advisor; refer to IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education”; or use the “Student Loan Interest Deduction Worksheet” in your Form 1040 instructions.

You can find the amount of interest you paid on your IRS Form 1098-E, on your monthly billing statement sent in January and/or February, through the automated telephone system, or by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. If you have more than one loan account, the amount of interest you paid is provided separately for each account. To determine the total amount of interest paid for all of your loans, add the amount you paid for each account.

To file your taxes, you don’t need IRS Form 1098-E. If you want a copy of your student loan interest paid information for your records, see below for more information on how you can find out how much interest you paid last year.

If you made any payment that was applied to interest on your student loan(s) during the prior year, this information will be provided on your IRS Form 1098-E, on your monthly billing statement sent in January and/or February, through the automated telephone system, or by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. If you have more than one loan account, the amount of interest you paid will be provided separately for each account. To determine the total amount of interest paid for all of your loans, add the amount you paid for each account.

Nelnet provides the amount of interest you paid on your student loan(s) during the prior year because you may be able to deduct some or all of your paid interest from your income on your tax return. Deducting your paid interest could reduce the amount you owe in federal income tax.

You may be able to deduct some or all of your paid interest from your income on your tax return, which could reduce the amount you owe in federal income tax. To determine how much of your paid interest may be deducted, we recommend that you contact your tax advisor; refer to IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education”; or use the “Student Loan Interest Deduction Worksheet” in your Form 1040 instructions.

To file your taxes, you are not required to include a copy of your IRS Form 1098-E. However, you do need the amount from the form to know how much paid interest to deduct. To access the form electronically, log in to your Nelnet.com account. Once you’re logged in, select Tax Info from the Documents drop-down menu.

To determine how much of your paid interest can be deducted, we recommend that you contact your tax advisor; refer to IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education”; or use the “Student Loan Interest Deduction Worksheet” in your Form 1040 instructions.

Your amount of interest paid may be lower than in previous years if your payments were postponed with a deferment or forbearance at any time during the tax year. Additionally, borrowers with Department of Education-owned loans (accounts starting with an E) did not accrue interest during all of 2021.

An IRS Form 1098-E is only mailed to borrowers who paid $600 or more in student loan interest in the previous year if they are not in a repayment status or they do not have an active Nelnet account (meaning the loans have been paid in full). Borrowers in a repayment status, who paid any amount of interest in the previous year, will see their IRS 1098-E information on their monthly billing statement sent in January and/or February according to their correspondence preference in our system.

Regardless of your loan status and the amount of interest you paid, you can also obtain your IRS 1098-E information when you log in to your Nelnet.com account or through our automated phone system.

You are considered delinquent the day after your payment is due. For example, if your payment is due on May 15 and we don't receive your payment, you are considered delinquent as of May 16.

If you are having trouble making your monthly payments, we have options that can help. Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources.

To bring your account up to date, you have the option to make a payment anytime, anywhere. See How to Make a Payment. If you can’t make the payment(s) to bring your account up to date, Nelnet may be able to grant you a forbearance to cover the delinquency. Log in to your Nelnet.com account and select Repayment Options & Resources to explore your options.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “E”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance. Payments made when your account returns to a repayment status (when payments are due) will be applied to any unpaid interest that accrued before or during this forbearance and then to the outstanding principal balance.

For Nelnet account numbers beginning with “D” or “J”: Interest will continue to accrue during a forbearance, and any unpaid, accrued interest from before or during the forbearance will be added to the outstanding principal balance (known as capitalization) if it’s not paid before the end of the forbearance. For more information about interest capitalization, refer to our Interest Capitalization page.

Regulations require us to contact you by phone and through mail until your account is up to date. If you’ve brought your account up to date and you’re still receiving messages from us saying your payment(s) is late, this is likely because the payment, deferment, or forbearance is still being processed. If you've recently made a payment or applied for a deferment or forbearance, please allow 7 to 10 days for mailing and processing. You can check the status of your account at Nelnet.com.

If you have a FFELP Loan and we have an incorrect address or phone number on file for you or your account is delinquent (you are behind on making payments), we are required by regulations to communicate with you to resolve the delinquency or get updated demographic information. Your guaranty agency (a state or nonprofit entity that administers the FFELP) is also notified of the delinquency and will also attempt to reach you by telephone and/or mail.

You can conveniently update your address and phone information by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. Select Update Contact Info from the My Profile drop-down menu, correct your information where needed, and select the Save Changes button.

When we talk with you, we want to ensure we have your most current information. In part, this is because we need to make certain we only discuss account details with the correct parties associated with your loan(s). In addition, in the Borrower's Rights and Responsibilities section of the promissory note you signed for your loan, you promised to provide your servicer with your most current contact information to help us reach you with important account notifications.

When you completed your federal student loan application, you listed several personal references. When we don't have a valid telephone number or mailing address for your account, we will contact your listed references by mail or telephone to get correct information.

You can conveniently update your address and phone information by logging in to your Nelnet.com account. Select Update Contact Info from the My Profile drop-down menu, correct your information where needed, and select the Save Changes button.

Nelnet reports credit information monthly to the four consumer reporting agencies (Innovis, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). Until an account reaches 90 days past due, it's reported as up to date. When an account reaches 90 days past due, it's reported as delinquent. Once your account has been reported to the consumer reporting agencies as delinquent, the information may remain on your credit history for as long as seven years.

Complete and return the Release of Authorization form.

You can conveniently download a mortgage credit reference online. Log in to your Nelnet.com account, and then select Mortgage Letter from the Documents drop-down menu.

You can reach each consumer reporting agency by selecting the name below. You will be redirected to their website.

• Experian
• TransUnion
• Equifax
• Innovis

If you believe Nelnet has reported your credit to one of the major consumer reporting agencies in error, follow the steps outlined below to request a credit review.

1. First, obtain a credit report from one of the 4 major consumer reporting agencies ( Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis) which contains the error in question. We do not accept credit review requests based on reports from a third-party source, such as Credit Karma.
2. If you have questions about how the consumer reporting agency displays information on your credit report, it’s best to speak directly with them before contacting Nelnet.
3. Prepare a copy of your credit report, along with an explanation of your dispute (see example below), for Nelnet to review. Please include the full PDF or printed copy of the report and not a screenshot of a specific section.

   Dispute Issue Example: Credit report shows that my student loan is in an active status, when it has been paid in full.

4. Submit the credit dispute request in one of these convenient ways:
   1. Complete our online form at Nelnet.com/email-us, choosing “Credit Reporting” as the topic;
   2. Send a fax to 1.402.458.2298; or
   3. Mail to: Nelnet Customer Solutions, P.O. Box 82561, Lincoln, NE 68501-2561

   You should receive a credit review response from Nelnet within 10 business days.