Why Is My Student Loan In Administrative Forbearance?

• Your loan is likely in administrative forbearance due to the SAVE Plan court order or servicer processing issues.

• During this forbearance, your payments are paused and no interest is accruing, but it may not count towards forgiveness programs like PSLF.

• You can choose to take no action, make voluntary payments, or explore other repayment options, but exiting forbearance may be challenging due to current processing limitations.

Administrative forbearance is a temporary pause on your student loan payments, typically initiated by your loan servicer or the government. If you’ve recently noticed that your student loan is in administrative forbearance, it’s likely because you are enrolled in the SAVE Plan.

The U.S. Department of Education directed federal student loan servicers to put all borrowers in the SAVE Plan into an administrative forbearance to comply with a court order that blocks the plan from being implemented. This action affects millions of borrowers who had signed up for the new income-driven repayment plan. Additionally, some servicers like MOHELA and Nelnet have been using administrative forbearance more broadly while they work through backlogs and calculate correct payment amounts under various repayment plans.

While administrative forbearance provides temporary relief from making payments, it may impact your overall repayment or forgiveness strategy.

For example, no interest will accrue on your loans during this court-ordered forbearance. But time spent in this specific administrative forbearance does not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness or income-driven repayment plan forgiveness.

This differs from other administrative forbearance types that may count towards these programs.

Related: Why Are MOHELA Loans in Administrative Forbearance?

Administrative forbearance is a temporary suspension of your obligation to make payments on your federal student loans. Unlike other types of forbearance, you don’t need to request it — your loan servicer or the Department of Education automatically applies it to your account.

Key points about administrative forbearance:

• It’s initiated by your loan servicer or the government, not by you.

• You don’t need to submit an application or prove financial hardship.

• It can be applied to your loans for various reasons, including processing delays or policy changes.

• The duration can vary depending on the reason for the forbearance.

• Your account remains in good standing even though you’re not making payments. You will not have late payments or any delinquency added to your credit report.

Administrative forbearance differs from other types of forbearance in several ways:

• General forbearance: You must request this type, usually due to financial difficulties, medical expenses, or job changes.

• Mandatory forbearance: You must request this type, but your loan servicer is required to grant it if you meet specific criteria, such as serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program.

There are several reasons why your loans might be placed in administrative forbearance:

1. SAVE Plan court order: The Education Department has put all SAVE borrowers into administrative forbearance indefinitely due to a court order blocking the plan. Payments aren’t due during this time, and interest rates are set to 0%. Unlike some other forbearance and deferment periods, this time doesn’t count toward student loan forgiveness programs like PSLF and IDR Forgiveness.

2. Servicer errors: Some student loan borrowers have been placed in administrative forbearance due to servicer mistakes. For example, in late 2023, MOHELA placed 2.5 million borrowers in forbearance after failing to send timely billing statements. And in early 2024, Aidvantage, EdFinancial, and Nelnet put a combined 758,000 borrowers in forbearance for similar issues.

3. Legal settlements: Borrowers involved in the Sweet v. Cardona class action lawsuit for defrauded students are placed in administrative forbearance until they receive their settlement or a final decision.

4. PSLF processing: Some borrowers may be placed in administrative forbearance while their Public Service Loan Forgiveness application is being processed.

5. Processing delays: Your servicer might use administrative forbearance while processing changes to your account or repayment plan.

Administrative forbearance can have several effects on your student loan:

• Paused payments: You’re not required to make payments during this period. This can provide temporary financial relief if you’re experiencing difficulties.

• Interest accrual: For the current court-ordered administrative forbearance related to the SAVE Plan, no interest will accrue on your loans. But in other types of administrative forbearance, interest may continue to accrue.

• Loan balance: If no interest is accruing (as in the current SAVE Plan situation), your loan balance will remain the same. In cases where interest does accrue, it may be added to your principal balance at the end of the forbearance period, potentially increasing your overall debt.

• Repayment timeline: While payments are paused, your repayment term is essentially extended by the length of the forbearance period.

• Loan forgiveness progress: For the current court-ordered administrative forbearance, time spent in this status does not count toward PSLF or IDR plan forgiveness. This is different from some other types of administrative forbearance that may count towards these programs.

• Credit reporting: Administrative forbearance is typically reported to credit bureaus as a neutral event and shouldn’t negatively impact your credit score.

The duration of administrative forbearance can vary depending on the reason it was applied to your loan. Here are some key points about the length of administrative forbearance:

• SAVE Plan court order: For borrowers placed in administrative forbearance due to the recent court order affecting the SAVE Plan, the duration is uncertain. It will last until the legal situation changes or servicers are able to send bills to borrowers at the appropriate monthly payment amount.

• Processing delays: When administrative forbearance is used due to servicer processing delays, it typically lasts until the servicer resolves the issue. This could be a few weeks to a few months.

• Policy changes: If administrative forbearance is implemented due to major policy changes, it could last until the new policies are fully implemented and understood.

• Natural disasters: In cases of natural disasters, administrative forbearance might last for 90 days or longer, depending on the severity of the situation.

To check the status of your administrative forbearance:

1. Log into your servicer’s website or the StudentAid.gov portal

2. Look for information about your current loan status

3. Check for any messages or updates about the duration of your forbearance

While your loans are in administrative forbearance, you have several options to consider:

• Take no action: You’re not required to make payments during this time. If you’re facing financial difficulties, you can use this period to focus on other financial priorities.

• Make voluntary payments: Even though payments aren’t required, you can still make payments if you’re able. For the current court-ordered forbearance related to the SAVE Plan, any payments made will be applied to future bills due after the forbearance ends.

• Review your repayment strategy: Use this time to assess your overall student loan repayment plan. Consider factors like your career plans, financial goals, and eligibility for forgiveness programs.

• Update your contact information: Ensure your loan servicer has your current contact details so you don’t miss important updates about your loans.

• Stay informed: Keep an eye on official communications from your loan servicer and the Department of Education for updates on the forbearance status and any policy changes.

• Explore other repayment options: If you’re concerned about future payments, research other income-driven repayment plans that might be suitable for your financial situation.

• Consider your forgiveness options: If you’re pursuing PSLF or IDR forgiveness, be aware that the current court-ordered forbearance doesn’t count toward these programs. You may want to explore options like buying back credit or enrolling in a different IDR plan to continue making progress.

Exiting administrative forbearance isn’t always straightforward, especially for borrowers affected by the SAVE Plan court order.

Here’s what you need to know:

You can opt out of the forbearance to switch to another IDR Plan like Income-Based Repayment or Pay As You Earn. But as of August 21, 2024, servicers weren’t processing IDR Applications. So, even if you wanted to switch plans, you would still be stuck in an indefinite forbearance.

Does this feel illegal? Absolutely. But is it illegal? No. The Biden administration is trying to comply with an unclear court order that has thrown millions of American households into financial disarray.

If you’re able to exit administrative forbearance, follow these steps:

1. Contact your loan servicer. Call or email to request exiting forbearance.

2. Choose a repayment plan. Discuss options like income-driven repayment plans.

3. Submit required documents. Provide income information if needed for your chosen plan.

4. Confirm your new status. Get written confirmation of your forbearance exit and new plan details.

5. Prepare for payments. Set up auto-pay if desired and note your new payment start date.