I’ve Had Difficulty Managing My Payments and Need Help
When you were in repayment before the student loan payment pause, did you occasionally fall behind? Or were you able to manage your payments before, but you’ve experienced a loss in income or increase in expenses since then?
If you’re worried whether your budget can handle the return of a student loan payment, the great news is that federal student loans are more flexible than other types of debt. We can assist you with options so you can start strong and stay on track! Here’s how to get organized and feel confident before repayment resumes in October.
Log in to your Nelnet.com account. If you’ve forgotten your username or password, we can help you troubleshoot.
When you log in, we’ll review some important actions you should take to get ready for payments to start. These include:
- Review your estimated monthly payment amount to confirm you can afford it
- If you can’t afford it, you can tell us your situation or explore options to lower your payments
- Check your loan status and remaining balance so you know what you owe
- Update your contact information to be sure we can reach you about your account if needed
If you’re worried that your payment won’t fit in your budget, select Update My Situation. Nelnet will present you with repayment options suited to your needs, including income-driven repayment plans like the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. It’s important that you act now so you’ve made the switch in plans before repayment begins.
You can apply for income-driven repayment plans quickly and conveniently at 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.
Not sure you can make any payments for a while? Select Repayment Options & Resources on your dashboard to apply for deferment or forbearance.
Watch for your first billing statement, which we’ll send about three weeks before your first payment is due in October.
Make sure you’ve set up a payment method that works best for you. Pro tip: auto debit allows you to put your payments on autopilot without having to think about them every month! It’s the maintenance-free method that automatically deducts your monthly payment from the bank account of your choice.
Even better? Signing up for auto debit may allow you to earn a 0.25% interest rate reduction while your loans are in an active repayment status. *
Simply log in to your Nelnet.com account and choose Payments from the menu, then Manage Automatic Payments.
*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 the benefit.
Need help or have questions? Get in touch and we’ll help you start repayment with confidence!
Something you may want to consider…
Consolidation
If you’re finding it difficult to manage multiple student loan payments, you could consolidate your loans via the Direct Consolidation Loan program offered by the U.S. Department of Education.
By obtaining a consolidation loan, you merge multiple eligible loans into a single loan with a single monthly payment. You’ll no longer have to keep up with multiple due dates and payment amounts.
Of course, you’ll want to review the benefits and considerations of loan consolidation to determine if it’s the best choice to help you manage your federal student loan debt.
Something you may benefit from…
The SAVE Plan
Something you may be wondering about…
Student Loan Debt Relief
The Supreme Court issued a decision blocking the U.S. Department of Education from moving forward with the Biden-Harris Administration’s student debt relief program.
Learn more about the actions President Biden announced following the decision and find out how this decision impacts you.
Please visit StudentAid.gov/debtrelief for more information.