Student Loans
Learn about student loans and how to deal with them. (Hint: you may have options you don’t know about.)
Student loan debt can be eliminated by bankruptcy but it is hard to do. If you need relief from your student loans, learn about all of your options.
This page is your home base for learning about how to deal with student loan debt with and without bankruptcy.
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Navigating Financial Aid During and After Bankruptcy: A Step-by-Step Guide
Written by Attorney Andrea Wimmer. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated April 29, 2025
Filing bankruptcy does not prevent you from getting federal student loans or other types of federal financial aid. So if you filed bankruptcy in the past or you’re currently in a bankruptcy case, you can still get federal student aid. Also, you can file bankruptcy on student loans, and the process for discharging federal student loan debt in bankruptcy got easier at the end of 2022.
Read More →Can You File Bankruptcy on Student Loans? Yes. Here's How.
Written by Attorney Tina Tran. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated July 28, 2025
If you're eligible, you may be able to get certain federal student loans discharged through Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. After you file your bankruptcy case, you must take an additional step to start an adversary proceeding to have your loans discharged. In recent years, this process has been streamlined, and many filers with federal student loan debt have been able to do this on their own without hiring a lawyer to help. Only federal Direct Loans or Direct Consolidation Loans held by the Department of Education can be discharged through bankruptcy. Also, you must be able to show that you are unable to make payments but have made a good faith effort to do so in past years.
Read More →Understanding the Brunner Test: Can You Discharge Your Student Loans in Bankruptcy?
Written by Amy Carst. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 7, 2025
You can discharge your student loans in bankruptcy if you can prove that repaying the loans is causing (and will continue to cause) “undue hardship.” To determine this, bankruptcy courts and judges use what’s called the Brunner test. The test involves establishing whether you: - Would be unable to maintain a minimal standard of living while repaying student loans - Are suffering from circumstances that will make repayment a hardship for the remainder of the student loan term (or permanently) - Have made good faith efforts to repay the student loan(s) The Brunner test is complex. In the past, courts had little guidance to define “undue hardship,” beyond the somewhat vague Brunner test. Late last year, the Department of Justice and Department of Education released new guidelines to clarify this process for federal student loan borrowers.
Read More →How To Fight Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy: Adversary Proceedings Explained
Written by Jonathan Petts. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated August 7, 2025
If you want to get your federal student loan debt discharged as part of your bankruptcy case, you’ll need to file an adversary proceeding (AP). An AP is a legal process used in bankruptcy court to resolve specific issues or disputes that arise during a bankruptcy case. Due to changes in late 2022, APs for federal student loan discharge may look different than other APs. Under the 2022 guidance, discharge proceedings are meant to be simpler and more efficient for bankruptcy filers. If you’re filing an adversary proceeding to discharge federal student loans, you may be able to handle it yourself, without hiring an attorney. This article explains how APs work for bankruptcy filers seeking to discharge student loan debt through bankruptcy.
Read More →Getting School Transcripts (When You Owe Money to the School)
Written by Mae Koppes. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated April 29, 2025
If you owe money to your college or university or you’ve defaulted on your student loans, the school may deny your request to get an official academic transcript. Without these transcripts, you may not be able to transfer to another school, attend graduate school, obtain a professional license, or qualify for some jobs. That said, you can get your transcripts if you take action. This may include paying any overdue school fines/fees, negotiating with your school, contacting your state’s Department of Education, or filing bankruptcy to discharge your student loans.
Read More →Can I Discharge Private Student Loans in Bankruptcy?
Written by Attorney Andrea Wimmer. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 7, 2025
In rare cases, filing bankruptcy can help you get rid of private student loans, but they are much harder to get rid of than other kinds of debts like credit card debt or medical bills. To have your private student loans discharged you will need to prove that your loan was a qualified education loan and that paying off the loan would cause you “undue hardship.” You prove undue hardship as part of an adversary proceeding. This is an additional proceeding on top of your bankruptcy case. For private student loans, these proceedings are run a lot like a civil lawsuit. To file bankruptcy on private student loans successfully, many people chose to hire an experienced bankruptcy attorney.
Read More →Student Loan Forgiveness Through Total Permanent Disability
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated August 21, 2024
Living with a chronic illness or serious injury is hard enough without having to worry about making payments on your student loans. Thankfully, the federal government provides the option of canceling a student loan borrower’s federal student loan debt if the borrower is unable to work due to a disability.
Read More →Student Loans and Borrower Defense to Repayment: An Essential Guide
Written by Attorney Tina Tran.
Updated July 14, 2023
The Borrower Defense to Repayment program is a federal student loan forgiveness program. It allows borrowers to submit a claim for loan forgiveness if they were defrauded or misled by their school and this caused financial harm. If the claim is approved, the borrower may be eligible for loan forgiveness, including the discharge of their remaining loan balance, reimbursement of previous loan payments, and potential reimbursement of related expenses. The program has specific eligibility requirements and deadlines for filing claims.
Read More →Everything You Need To Know About Student Loan Default
Written by Mae Koppes. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 6, 2025
If you’ve fallen behind on your student loans, it’s important to understand what default means and how to avoid it. Federal loans typically go into default after 270 days of missed payments, while private loans may default sooner. Defaulting on a student loan can lead to serious consequences, including wage and tax refund garnishment, damage to your credit, and loss of access to federal aid. The good news is that many borrowers are able to get out of default through loan rehabilitation or consolidation. This guide walks you through the default process, what to expect, and how to regain control of your student debt.
Read More →Can You Arrange a Settlement With Student Loan Lenders?
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated May 15, 2025
If your student loan is in default and you want to clear up your debt, you might be able to enter into a student loan settlement agreement. When you settle a debt, you negotiate with the lender to pay less than you owe in one lump sum. To negotiate a settlement agreement, your account must be in default. There are advantages and disadvantages to using this debt relief option. For example, you may end up paying less than the total amount you owe on your loan, but you must have a large lump sum available to complete your settlement. The settlement rules are different for federal student loans and private lender loans, so you’ll first need to determine what type(s) of student loan you have before weighing your options.
Read More →The Complete Guide To Disputing Student Loans on Your Credit Report
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 7, 2025
Some student loan borrowers find errors on their credit report. So, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of checking your credit report from each of the big three credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — at least once a year. Luckily, you can get your credit report for free, without impacting your credit score. You also have the right to dispute inaccurate information on your credit report and have it removed. Let’s review what to check for and how to deal with inaccuracies.
Read More →Can You Get Student Loan Forgiveness if You Drop Out?
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated January 30, 2025
Most people go to college with hopes of getting a degree and creating a good life for themselves. Unfortunately, unforeseen hardships — often financial — lead many students to drop out before they finish their degree. If that’s you, know that you have options to deal with your student loan debt! You may still qualify for student loan forgiveness programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), or loan forgiveness after paying on an income-based repayment plan. If you need a temporary repayment pause while you find work or figure out your next steps, you can apply for forbearance or deferment.
Read More →25 Companies That Will Help You Pay Your Student Loans
Written by Natasha Wiebusch, J.D..
Updated January 30, 2025
Many companies recognize how much student loan debt can affect their employees. In order to ease that burden, a lot of companies had added student loan repayment assistance and tuition reimbursement as a part of their employee benefits. Below, we list 25 well-known companies that help repay their employees’ student loans.
Read More →Student Loan Forgiveness for Healthcare Workers: The Ultimate Guide
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 29, 2023
There are many programs designed specifically for healthcare workers to receive student loan forgiveness. Most serve specific types of healthcare workers and have other requirements around the length of time you work in healthcare and where you work. Consider each of these factors as you look at your options. If you’re struggling to pay your loans, you can also consider applying for a loan deferment or forbearance or switching to an income-driven repayment plan to help make your monthly payments more manageable.
Read More →Want To Get Rid of Student Loans? Try These 6 Ideas
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 7, 2025
If you feel like you’re drowning in student loan debt and need help managing or getting rid of it, you’re in luck. In this article, we rounded up six potential options to deal with overwhelming student loan debt, including loan forgiveness programs, loan discharge programs, loan settlement options, repayment plans, refinancing options, and bankruptcy.
Read More →Is an Income-Contingent Repayment Plan Right for You?
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated May 5, 2025
The Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan is one of four income-driven repayment options for federal student loans. It’s the only one of these four options that parent PLUS borrowers can utilize, which is one of the main upsides, if you have that kind of loan. The ICR has the longest repayment period of any income-driven plan at 25 years. This allows for lower monthly payments for borrowers but, the total amount paid over the loan's lifespan, including interest, is generally higher compared to other plans.
Read More →Debt Forgiveness: The Options & Consequences
Written by Attorney Tina Tran. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated May 15, 2025
Debt forgiveness is when one of your lenders forgives or erases some or all of your debt. This debt could be from a credit card, a student loan, or an installment loan. Sometimes you can get a full debt forgiven, but more often, you’ll get partial forgiveness. For example, if you come to a debt settlement agreement with a credit card company, you agree to pay part of your outstanding debt in exchange for having the rest of the debt erased. With many student loan forgiveness programs, you must pay a portion of your debt for a certain period of time before you get the remaining balance forgiven.
Read More →What Is the Standard Repayment Plan for Student Loans?
Written by the Upsolve Team. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 7, 2025
Standard repayment plans are available thanks to several different repayment option choices. These plans include extended, graduated, income-contingent, and income-based. All of these options provide borrowers with the ability to lower their monthly payments or extend the term of their loan thereby keeping their payments low.
Read More →The Ultimate Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness
Written by Attorney Kassandra Kuehl.
Updated June 9, 2025
There are several federal student loan forgivness programs, for example: the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness programs. These programs often require working a certain number of years for specific employers or in designated professions. Additionally, some borrowers may qualify for forgiveness after making payments for 20–25 years on an income-driven repayment plan. However, recent studies suggest this approach may not be effective for most borrowers seeking loan forgiveness. The Biden Administrations is working on fixing this issue.
Read More →What’s the Best Student Loan Repayment Plan for Me?
Written by Mae Koppes. Legally reviewed by Attorney Andrea Wimmer
Updated August 6, 2025
Federal student loan repayment plans offer different paths based on how much you earn, how much you owe, and what your financial goals are. These plans range from fixed payment options to income-driven plans that adjust based on your earnings. Big changes are coming in 2026, when most current income-driven plans will be replaced by a new program called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). Understanding your options now can help you choose a plan that fits your needs and avoid being automatically moved into a plan that may not work for you later.
Read More →How Student Loans Work: Your Complete Guide
Written by Elena Botella. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 5, 2025
There are two major categories of student loans: federal and private. Most students opt for federal student loans because they usually have lower interest rates and more generous repayment options. There are other differences between private and federal student loans as well, including payment terms, interest rates, and eligibility requirements. Student loans can be used to finance tuition, room and board, and living expenses.
Read More →Using the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) To Get Your Federal Student Loan Information
Written by Attorney Andrea Wimmer. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated June 24, 2025
You can find all of the info you need to know for your federal student loans in the National Student Loan Data System. This central database contains all of the information you will need to understand your federal student loans including: your loan balance, due dates, eligibility for new loans, and more. If you need to download an NSLDS report, log in to your account on studentaid.gov using your FSA ID and password. Once you're in your account, hover over your name on the top right of the screen and select "My Aid." From there, you can select "Download My Aid Data." Your data will be downloaded as a .txt file.
Read More →What’s the Difference Between Student Loan Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge?
Written by Attorney Paige Hooper.
Updated August 7, 2025
If you're struggling with student loan payments, you may be wondering about student loan forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge. While all three options aim to reduce or eliminate student loan payments, the eligibility requirements differ. They vary based on factors such as the type of loan you have, your occupation, and the specific hardship you’re facing. Understanding the differences between these options can help you determine which one is the right choice for you.
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