Can You Remove Student Loans From Your Credit Report?

Can You Get Student Loans Erased From Your Credit Report?

There’s no shortcut to getting a student loan off your credit report. It will automatically age off of your credit report just like other financial information. That said, if you see that a lender has reported incorrect information about your student loan, you can dispute that information. 

If you remained in good standing and paid off your student loans, congrats! Information about your loans will stay on your credit report for up to 10 years. This is usually good news though. Having long-term accounts with a regular payment history helps increase your credit score and shows lenders you are trustworthy.

If you defaulted on your student loans, this will be reported on your credit report for seven years from the original delinquency date. Accounts in default can be quite harmful to your credit score. 

What Happens if I Default on My Student Loans?

If you default on your student loans or any other loan, it will harm your credit score. If your payment goes even one day past the due date, it is considered delinquent. If your payment stays delinquent for an extended period of time it is then considered a defaulted student loan. The amount of time it takes for a loan to go from delinquent to default depends on the type of student loan.  

To avoid defaulting, make sure you have a workable student loan repayment plan.

Defaulted Federal Student Loans

Federal student loans that are 90 days past due will be reported to the credit bureaus and appear on your credit report. A federal student loan payment that’s been delinquent for 270 days will be reported as a defaulted student loan. 

If you’re in default on one or more of your federal student loans, there are steps you can take to get back in good standing.  

To find out if your federal student loan is in default, you can:

• Check with your student loan servicer

• Check with the Department of Education to verify your repayment status

• Check your credit report to see the status of your federal student loans

You can get federal student loans out of default by obtaining a consolidation loan or completing federal student loan rehabilitation.  

Defaulted Private Student Loans

Private student loans don’t have to follow the federal student aid guidelines. Private student loan payments can be reported “past due” as soon as 30 days after the first missed payment. Private lenders often report loans as defaulted after 120 days of delinquency. Depending on the loan terms, your payment can be classified as “in default” after a single missed payment. 

Contact your private loan lender to discuss options you might have to get your private student loan out of default. 

Can I Refinance My Student Loans To Get Out of Default?

You can refinance both private and federal student loans, though refinancing federal loans ends your right to repayment options you might need to take advantage of later. A refinanced loan is a new, private loan that pays off your original loans and leaves you with one monthly payment to make moving forward. 

Eligibility for refinancing one or more student loans depends on your credit score and overall creditworthiness. 

How Exactly Do Student Loans Work?

After you take out a student loan, the lender will report it to the three major credit bureaus. Each loan will be listed as a separate account on your credit report. Federal student loans and private student loans may begin reporting while you’re still in school and in deferment. Student loans will not interfere with your credit report while in deferment or forbearance.

Once you’re out of school and making student loan payments, your payment history will be reported on your credit report. On-time payments and late payments will both be reported. 

It’s important to monitor your credit report as incorrect credit reporting can harm your credit scores. You can have multiple credit scores; the most well-known is called your FICO score. FICO scores take into account the credit histories reported by the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below. 

Why Are Credit Scores Important? 

Credit scores affect eligibility for future credit and the terms of that credit. Borrowers with higher credit scores can get better interest rates on future loans, credit cards, and other lines of credit. Refinancing federal student loans or private loans is easier for borrowers with higher credit scores and good credit history. 

Keeping an eye on your credit report is free and easy. You’re entitled to a copy of your credit report for free from one of the three main consumer reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. You’ll want to regularly monitor your credit report from each credit bureau.

How To Make Sure Your Information Is Correct on Your Credit Report

There’s a lot of information in your credit reports, so take each of them one section at a time. Make sure to review all of your accounts and verify that: 

• You are identified as the borrower 

• Your name and Social Security number are correct

• Your payment history is correct

• Your account status & student loan status are accurate

• All other reported details are accurate including account balances and names of lenders or loan servicers 

What if the Information on Your Credit Report Is Inaccurate?

If you notice inaccurate information on your credit report, you can dispute those errors. If any of your student loan accounts include incorrect information, you can dispute it and have the incorrect information removed or corrected. This only applies to incorrect information and/or reporting errors on your credit report—you can’t get information removed from your credit report if the accounts are being accurately reported.

Can Credit Repair Remove Student Loans?

Credit repair is the process of fixing inaccurate credit history reports that appear on your credit report. Credit repair cannot remove student loans that are correct; it can only help you dispute errors on your credit report. 

If a company is offering to wipe accurate information from your credit report, it is a scam so be very careful when seeking credit repair.  

Need To Raise Your Credit Score? 

There are a handful of things you can do to increase your credit score, such as:

• Making monthly payments on time (or early if possible)

• Keeping an eye on your credit report 

• Keeping old accounts open—and working to catch up on payments if behind

• Limiting your new credit inquiries 

• Being strategic and careful about opening new credit accounts