Ready or not, federal student loan payments are back. After more than 3 years on pause, 43 million student loan borrowers resumed having payments due this month.
If student loan payments resuming has you feeling stressed, you’re not alone and you have options!
Take these five steps today:
1. Confirm your servicer: many servicers changed during the payment pause. Log into your Federal Student Aid account to find out your current servicer.
2. Update your info: once you know who your servicer is, log into or register for an account on their website and confirm your contact information is accurate. If you want your payments to come out automatically, verify or add your account info (pro tip: this may give you a discount on your interest rate!).
3. Pay attention to correspondence: your servicer will be in touch (if they haven’t already) with your billing statement soon. Pay close attention to all correspondence you receive, and take any requested action immediately.
4. Explore your options: if your payment amount is stressing you out, explore your options! Use the Loan Simulator at StudentAid.gov to determine if a different repayment plan is a better fit for your financial situation and goals. The new SAVE Plan may be a good fit for those looking for a lower monthly payment, depending on your income and household size!
5. Review your budget: once you know what your payment will be, look at your spending plan closely to determine if it will fit. If you’re not sure it will, contact our partners at GreenPath Financial – they’re a nonprofit organization that can help you understand the options across your entire financial situation.
Learn more at www.greenpath.com/usccu or call our GreenPath Financial Wellness Partners now at 877-337-3399.