{"id":26794,"date":"2026-04-22T17:04:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/didebta.com\/?p=26794"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:04:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:04:42","slug":"what-happens-if-you-dont-pay-your-student-loans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/didebta.com\/?p=26794","title":{"rendered":"What Happens if You Don\u2019t Pay Your Student Loans?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>If you\u2019re struggling to cover your student loan payment every month, you\u2019re not alone. But what would happen if you just . . . didn\u2019t pay?\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"BlogInsert-copy\">\n<p>Pay off debt fast and save more money with <em>Financial Peace University<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Unfortunately, ignoring your student loans will only make things <em>way<\/em> worse. Just a few things you can expect: being reported to credit agencies, late fees and payments being taken straight out of your paycheck. You could even be looking at some court time if things aren\u2019t cleared up. Yikes!\n    <\/p>\n<p>The good news is, there are ways to avoid these penalties and get on top of your student loan payments.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>What Happens if You Don\u2019t Pay Your Student Loans?<\/h2>\n<p>As tempting as it may be to ignore your student loans and not pay them, it does come with consequences (some more intense than others). But what happens to you ultimately depends on the type of student loan you have: federal or private.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>If You Don\u2019t Pay Federal Student Loans<\/h3>\n<p>Federal student loans are owned by the U.S. Department of Education, and federal loan servicers have the power of the government behind them to get money from you. (Yikes!) That said, here\u2019s what happens if you don\u2019t pay your federal student loans:<sup>1<\/sup>\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your loan becomes delinquent <em>immediately<\/em> after you miss a payment. <\/strong>You\u2019ll probably get charged a late fee (which can be up to 6% of the monthly payment).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Your loan servicer will report your student loan as delinquent. <\/strong>If your payment is 90 days (three months) late, the major credit agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) will know about it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Your loan will go into <\/strong><strong>default<\/strong><strong>. <\/strong>This is usually after 270 days (nine months) of missed payments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once your federal student loan is in default, here\u2019s what happens next:<sup>2<\/sup>\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your <em>entire<\/em> loan balance becomes immediately due (plus interest).<\/strong> This is called <em>loan acceleration<\/em>\u2014and yeah, it\u2019s as scary as it sounds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The default is reported to credit agencies.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>You can\u2019t apply for deferment or forbearance.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>You\u2019re no longer eligible for an income-driven repayment plan.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>You can\u2019t apply for more financial aid (including grants).<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Your wages can be garnished, as well as your tax refund and Social Security benefits.<\/strong> This means the government can take your student loan payment straight out of your paycheck, no questions asked (oof!).<\/li>\n<li><strong>You could be taken to court. <\/strong>Your lender can sue you for the money you owe.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>If You Don\u2019t Pay Private Student Loans<\/h3>\n<p>Private student loans are owned by private lenders, so the rules are a little different when it comes to not paying them back. They may not have the same power federal lenders do, but you definitely don\u2019t get off easy!\n    <\/p>\n<p>The consequences for not paying your private loans depends on your specific lender. But here\u2019s generally what happens:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Most private student loans are delinquent <em>immediately<\/em> after you miss a payment. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>As soon as your loan is delinquent, you\u2019ll get charged a late fee<\/strong> (either a flat fee or a certain percentage of your monthly payment).<\/li>\n<li><strong>After 30 days (one month), your lender can report your delinquency to credit agencies.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>After 90 days (three months), your private student loans go into default.<\/strong> This is much sooner than federal loans!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once your private student loan is in default, here\u2019s what can happen:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your loans get sold to a collections company. <\/strong>And listen, debt collectors can be pretty ruthless.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Your credit score takes a hit, as well as anyone who cosigned for you. <\/strong>While we don\u2019t put much stock in credit scores, you definitely don\u2019t want to trash your credit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>You can be taken to court. <\/strong>Your lender can sue you for the money you owe.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Your wages may be garnished. <\/strong>But this only happens if your lender sues you and gets a court order to do so.<strong> <\/strong>And they can\u2019t take anything from your tax refunds or Social Security checks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0\n    <\/p>\n<h2>Can You Go to Jail for Not Paying Your Student Loans?<\/h2>\n<p>No, you can\u2019t go to jail for not paying your student loans. So if that was a fear you had, take a deep breath\u2014no one is coming to arrest you if you miss a payment.\n    <\/p>\n<p>But like we mentioned, you <em>can<\/em> be sued over defaulted student loans. This would be a civil case\u2014not a criminal one. So again, you don\u2019t have to worry about doing any jail time if you lose. But unless you want to deal with a drawn-out legal mess while paying attorney fees and other court costs, do whatever you can to keep from defaulting on your loans.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>Can You Get Rid of Student Loans Through Bankruptcy?<\/h2>\n<p>Technically yes. But it\u2019s not easy, or even realistic. As a general rule, student loans <em>cannot<\/em> be cleared through filing bankruptcy. This is especially true for federal loans\u2014because you know the government\u2019s getting their money back one way or another.\n    <\/p>\n<p>There is the rare chance of student loans being discharged (cleared) through a separate bankruptcy process called an <em>adversary proceeding<\/em>. You basically have to prove you wouldn\u2019t be able to eat if you paid your student loan payments. But the odds aren\u2019t great.\u00a0<strong>Less than 1% (0.1% to be exact) of people who try to have their student loans discharged through bankruptcy are actually successful.<\/strong><sup>3<\/sup>\u00a0Plus,\u00a0bankruptcy is a long and brutal process\u00a0that should be avoided at all costs.\u00a0\n    <\/p>\n<h2>What to Do if You Can\u2019t Pay Your Student Loans<\/h2>\n<p>We get it. No one likes having to pay back their student loans. But as you can see, you either pay up or pay the price\u2014one way or another. So if you\u2019re able to pay back your loans, you need to. But if you\u2019re actually struggling to make your student loan payment, here are the steps to take.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Contact Your Loan Servicer<\/h3>\n<p>If you think you\u2019re going to miss your payment, get ahead of it by contacting your student loan servicer. Not sure who that is? Your loan servicer is the company assigned to manage your loan\u2014including handling payments, answering questions, and helping you navigate your options. They\u2019re your go-to contact when you need help with anything related to your student loan.\n    <\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ll probably try to move you to a different payment plan, most likely an income-driven repayment plan (like the SAVE plan) to make your monthly payments more manageable. But don\u2019t let a lower payment keep you from trying to get rid of your student loans as fast as possible!\n    <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re going through a particularly rough time financially (for example, if you lost your job or had a medical emergency), your loan servicer might recommend applying for deferment or forbearance. But in most cases, interest will continue to add up, and you\u2019d just be pushing your loans to the side for later\u2014so that should be your last resort! Only go that route if you\u2019re not able to pay for the basic necessities (food, housing, utilities and transportation).\n    <\/p>\n<h3><strong>Find the Right Place to Get Help<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Not sure who to call when you need help with your student loans? Figuring out where to turn can feel as confusing as piecing together IKEA furniture. But don\u2019t worry\u2014you\u2019re not alone!\n    <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to cut through the chaos:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Check your loan statements or emails<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong> Your monthly statements or official emails usually list your loan servicer and their contact info front and center.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Look up your loans online<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong> If you\u2019re not sure who holds your loans, check your online loan account to find the name of your servicer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phone a friend (or parent)<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong> If someone cosigned your loan, check with them\u2014they might have the info you need on hand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask your bank or credit union<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong> Some private student loans go through local banks or credit unions, so your bank may be able to point you in the right direction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Reach out directly to your loan servicer\u2019s customer service for help if you\u2019re confused about payments or want to talk through your options. Getting the right support now can save you a lot of hassle (and headaches) later!\n    <\/p>\n<h3><strong>Need Help Making a Payment?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If your question is simply about how to pay your loan or where to send your payment, your loan servicer can walk you through the process. They\u2019re the ones you\u2019ll contact to set up payments, update your information, or address any issues with your account.\n    <\/p>\n<h3><strong>Make Your Monthly Student Loan Payment<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve lined up your student loan payment plan, it\u2019s time to make sure those payments actually go out each month. Don\u2019t worry\u2014it\u2019s not as intimidating as it sounds.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Most student loan servicers give you a few ways to pay:\n    <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Online:<\/strong>\u00a0Log in to your loan servicer\u2019s website and set up a one-time or recurring payment with your bank account. (Set a calendar reminder so it doesn\u2019t slip your mind!) Some servicers offer a small interest rate discount (like 0.25%) if you sign up for autopay. This can help you never miss a due date\u2014and save a little cash in the process!<\/li>\n<li><strong>By mail:<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re old-school, you can mail a check or money order\u2014just make sure to include your account info so it gets credited correctly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>By phone:<\/strong>\u00a0Most loan servicers also let you pay over the phone\u00a0with your bank info.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pick the method that works best for you, but whatever you do, make sure you\u2019re paying every month\u2014on time.\n    <\/p>\n<h2>Steps to Pay Off Your Student Loans<\/h2>\n<p>If that student loan payment-due notification gives you a pit in your stomach every month, you need to make some changes. It\u2019s nice to have a diploma nailed to a wall (or stuffed in a drawer somewhere), but you don\u2019t want student loans hanging around forever.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Get on a Budget<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t have enough money for your student loan payment? Then you need to get on a budget. If things feel out of control with your money, a budget helps you take<em> <\/em>control. When you write everything out and see exactly what you\u2019re spending, you can find ways to free up more money for your student loans (and for any other debt payments). And this helps you every single month.\n    <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead and create your budget right now with EveryDollar!\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Lower Your Expenses<\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve made your budget, start cutting your spending. Can you dial back the amount of money you spend eating out each month? Do you really need <em>all <\/em>those subscriptions and memberships? (Those suckers add up!) We know it\u2019s not fun to tell yourself no. You\u2019d much rather buy that overpriced margarita than think about paying off your student loans. But the little sacrifices add up and keep you from falling behind on your payments.\n    <\/p>\n<h3>Increase Your Income<\/h3>\n<p>If you lower your spending and still don\u2019t have enough to afford your payment, it may be your income that\u2019s the problem. So find ways to get your income up. Can you take on more hours at your current job? Are you a freelancer who can work with more clients? Or can you pick a side hustle (or two) to get some extra cash flowing into your budget? Even spending a little bit of time each week walking dogs, delivering food, or babysitting can help you cover your payment. Remember: It\u2019s only temporary until you knock out your loans. You\u2019ve got this!\n    <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\n    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramseysolutions.com\/debt\/what-happens-if-you-dont-pay-student-loans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" rel=\"nofollow\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re struggling to cover your student loan payment every month, you\u2019re not alone. But what would happen if you just . . . didn\u2019t pay? Pay off debt fast and save more money with Financial Peace University. Unfortunately, ignoring your student loans will only make things way worse. Just a few things you can<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-26794","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Happens if You Don\u2019t Pay Your Student Loans? | Didebta<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re struggling to cover your student loan payment every month, you\u2019re not alone. But what would happen if you just . . . didn\u2019t pay? 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