Ascent Blog: Tag: student loan forbearance

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How does student loan forbearance work?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Student loan forbearance is an arrangement students can make with their student loan company that gives them the chance to pause payments on their student loans for a certain period. Although your payments are on hold during the forbearance period, interest will continue to accrue on any federal direct loans. Your forbearance options may differ for private student loans, but we’ll review these options later in this blog. In periods of forbearance, some borrowers choose to make interest-only payments during this time to help lower their overall loan balance. Making small payments every month, even in times of forbearance, can help you pay off your loan sooner, but we know this isn’t always an option for every student. In many cases, you’ll have to request and apply for forbearance through your loan servicer (who you will make your student loan payments to). Additionally, there are different kinds of forbearances. The most common one is a general forbearance, which is granted under the following circumstances: You have medical expenses. You’re experiencing financial difficulties. You’ve changed employers. Forbearances can be granted in any other case, so it’s important to discuss your situation with your loan servicer and see your options. Your loan servicer can offer you a forbearance if they feel your situation warrants it.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “When does student loan forbearance end?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “You can apply for student loan forbearance with some lenders for up to 12 months. For example, in some instances, you may be able to apply for a 3-month forbearance period, then later apply for more forbearance in the future, as long as you don’t exceed the 12-month limit. For students with Ascent’s college loans, you can apply for up to 24 months of Temporary Hardship Forbearance in 1 to 3-month increments. In some cases, forbearances are granted under serious circumstances. Due to the pandemic, President Biden has repeatedly placed forbearances on federally serviced student loans under the CARES Act, which pauses payments on federal loans until May 1, 2022. Ascent also offers a Natural Disaster/Declared Emergency Forbearance, which allows students to pause payments for up to 3 months in times of natural disasters or global emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.   While COVID-19 remains a worldwide threat, the President may offer other forbearances in the future. But you may want to start making plans — or individual deferment or forbearance plans — as soon as you can.” } }] }