How to Get an Unemployment Deferment for Federal Student Loans
If you are unemployed and you have a federal student loan payment, you may be able to postpone the payments without penalty through for an unemployment deferment. The government approves deferments for many reasons, including economic hardship, military service and disability. There's even a deferment for single working mothers with low incomes. Protect your credit score, stay out of collections and obtain your student loan deferment in a few quick steps.
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Things You'll Need
- Proof of unemployment compensation
- Social Security number
- Direct loan PIN
Instructions
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By Mail
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Call the federal direct loan servicing center at 1-800-848-0979. If you are currently late with your payments, you must request a forbearance to prevent your account from going into collections. Once that happens, the process of bringing your account back to good standing changes. The forbearance will remain in effect until your unemployment deferment is processed.
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Ask the direct loan representative to mail you an unemployment deferment application.
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3
Read the requirements for an unemployment deferment. If you are already receiving unemployment compensation, the qualification process is as simple as submitting proof with your deferment application. Read through all of the instructions to make sure you send everything required.
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Verify that your deferment was granted. After you mail in your application, you'll receive a letter in the mail that states whether your deferment was granted. You may also log into your account online to verify that the deferment was granted.
Online
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Visit the U.S. Department of Education website "Start here Go Further" at dl.ed.gov.
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Click on "Contact Us" in the lower left-hand corner.
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Click on "Deferment Request" in the column of links on the left-hand side of the page.
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Confirm that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or a more recent version by clicking on "Yes, I Already Have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher."
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Select the appropriate application based on your reason for requesting a deferment, then click on either "Interactive Form Download" or "Download Blank Form." Complete the application and submit it following the instructions provided.
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