Biden-Harris Administration Student Debt Relief
The White House announced on August 24, 2022, that federal student loan debt-cancellation is being provided for loans held by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Pell Grant recipients may receive up to $20,000 in debt-cancellation and non-Pell Grant recipients may be awarded up to $10,000.
Private education loans are not eligible for this debt relief plan. We are working with ED to determine how this announcement may affect your commercially held Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans serviced by AES; however, we do not have further information at this time.
Refund Requests
We are not currently processing refund requests related to this announcement to prevent potential negative consequences that may result from refunds such as delinquency, negative credit reporting, interest accrual and capitalization from using a forbearance, etc.
Resources
We are experiencing heavy call volumes due to the announcement and appreciate your patience while we wait to receive more information regarding this debt relief plan. We encourage you to subscribe to receive updates relating to this announcement at ED.gov/subscriptions and visit StudentAid.gov/debtrelief for specific up-to-date details.
Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Program Changes
On April 19, 2022, ED announced several changes and updates related to IDR plans to include adjustments to borrower accounts, several one-time loan forgiveness actions, and new policies. If you wish to benefit from the recent changes, you will need to consolidate your commercially held Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan no later than May 1, 2023. These adjustments are expected to be completed in July 2023. For more information, please visit StudentAid.gov.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Options for Student Loan Borrowers
Due to impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the government has announced that customers with ED owned Federal student loans (Direct and FFELP Loans) are granted an Administrative Forbearance until December 31, 2022; however, this forbearance does not extend to loans serviced by AES as these loans are not owned by ED. Some alternative relief options may be available based on your loan type and lender.
DISASTER FORBEARANCE
A disaster forbearance may be available to allow you to postpone payments for both federal and private education loans if your home or work has been impacted by COVID-19. Depending on the lender of your private education loan, your forbearance request may require additional documentation. The requirements may vary by lender. Please understand that all requests must be reviewed to confirm eligibility.
CAUTION: During the disaster forbearance interest may continue to accrue. Any unpaid interest at the end of the forbearance may capitalize and be added to your principal balance.
Special Considerations - Although you may be eligible for the special disaster forbearance, there may be options that could be better for you in the long run, especially if you have a commercial FFELP loan. If you can still make payments, it is encouraged that you continue to do so to keep paying down your overall loan debt. However, if you can’t make full payments, consider these options first.
REPAYMENT PLAN CHANGES OR POSTPONE PAYMENTS
For Commercial FFELP Borrowers
Change your repayment plan
This can help reduce your monthly payments or allow you to make interest-only payments.
Consider a deferment
Unlike a forbearance, a deferment will cover the interest on subsidized loans while you are postponing payments.
If changing your repayment plan or applying for a deferment are not applicable options for you currently, consider requesting the special disaster forbearance for COVID-19.
For Private Education Loan Borrowers
Some lenders may offer additional options for those who need assistance. If you’re having trouble paying, sign in to your online account to review your repayment options.
If other options aren't available or don’t meet your current financial needs, consider requesting the special disaster forbearance for COVID-19.
How to Request a Disaster Forbearance – Commercial FFELP & Private Education Loans
Speaking to a customer service representative over the phone is the fastest way to know if you qualify for the disaster forbearance. If you are eligible, our team can help you take any additional steps needed to apply. To request a disaster forbearance, please contact us.
