Whether your student loans are on hold depends on which loan program you have and what the federal government has announced most recently
Federal student loans have been paused multiple times since 2020. The most recent pause ended on September 1, 2023, meaning monthly payments and interest accrual resumed for most borrowers on that date. However, some loan types and borrower situations have different rules, and the status can change if Congress or the Department of Education announces new policies.
The easiest way to find out your exact status is to log into your account at StudentAid.gov using your FSA ID. Your loan servicer's website will show whether your loans are in repayment, in deferment, in forbearance, or in some other status. If you have not made a payment since mid-2020, your loans are almost certainly no longer paused.
If you are unsure whether you owe a payment right now, contact your loan servicer directly. You can find which company services your loans on StudentAid.gov, and the servicer's phone number is on your billing statement or loan documents.
Key Takeaways
- Federal student loan payments and interest accrual resumed on September 1, 2023, after a pause that began in March 2020.
- You can check your loan status by logging into StudentAid.gov with your FSA ID to see whether you are currently in repayment or another status.
- Some borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans may have different pause dates or rules, so checking your servicer's records is the only reliable way to know your status.
- If you stopped making payments during the pause and have not resumed, your servicer may report missed payments to credit bureaus, so contacting them about your options is important.
How to check your loan status on StudentAid.gov
Go to StudentAid.gov and select "Log In" in the upper right corner. Sign in with your FSA ID (the same username and password you use to file taxes). Once logged in, you will see a dashboard showing all your federal loans.
For each loan, look for the "Status" field. It will show one of several states: "In School," "Grace Period," "Repayment," "Deferment," "Forbearance," or "Closed." If your loan shows "Repayment," you are required to make monthly payments. If it shows "Deferment" or "Forbearance," you may not owe a payment right now, but you should verify this with your servicer because the rules differ.
You will also see your loan servicer's name on this page. Write it down and visit that servicer's website or call their customer service line to confirm your current payment obligation and due date. The servicer has the most up-to-date information about your account.
What happened to the payment pause that started in 2020
In March 2020, the Department of Education paused federal student loan payments and set interest rates to zero as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This pause was extended multiple times over the next three years. On September 1, 2023, the pause ended, and borrowers were required to resume making monthly payments.
At the same time the pause ended, the Department of Education launched the SAVE repayment plan, which offers lower monthly payments for many borrowers. Some borrowers who were behind on payments before the pause were also given a "fresh start" — their past-due status was cleared, and they could begin repayment without a default mark on their credit report.
If you did not make a payment between September 2023 and now, your loan may be reported as delinquent. Contact your servicer when ready to discuss your options, which may include deferment, forbearance, or an income-driven repayment plan with a lower monthly payment.
Income-driven repayment plans and pause status
If you are enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan (PAYE, REPAYE, IBR, or ICR), your loan status may be different from borrowers on the Standard 10-year plan. Some income-driven plans had their own pause periods or rules during the COVID-19 relief period.
Additionally, the Department of Education has made changes to how income-driven plans work. For example, borrowers on REPAYE now have their interest waived if they make on-time payments, and borrowers on other income-driven plans may see their monthly payment reduced under the new SAVE plan rules.
To understand how these changes affect you, log into your servicer's website and look for your repayment plan name. If you are unsure whether you should switch plans or whether your current plan is still active, call your servicer and ask them to review your options based on your income and family size.
What to do if you missed payments during or after the pause
If you did not make payments while the pause was in effect (March 2020 through August 2023), those missed payments were not counted against you. However, if you have missed payments since September 2023, your loan may now be delinquent or in default.
Contact your loan servicer as soon as possible. Explain your situation and ask about these options: deferment (which pauses payments temporarily), forbearance (which also pauses payments but may accrue interest), or an income-driven repayment plan with a lower monthly payment. If your income has changed, you may now owe $0 per month under certain plans.
Do not ignore past-due notices. The longer you wait, the more damage occurs to your credit score, and the Department of Education may eventually refer your loan to a debt collection agency. Taking action now, even if you cannot pay the full amount owed, protects your credit and keeps your loan in better standing.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness and the pause
If you work in a public service job (government, nonprofit, military, or certain other fields) and are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), the pause affected your timeline. Normally, PSLF requires 120 may have access to monthly payments over 10 years. During the pause, the Department of Education counted months toward this total even though you were not making payments.
This means some borrowers reached 120 may have access to months sooner than expected and may now be may be able to access for forgiveness. If you think you might may have access to, log into StudentAid.gov and look for the PSLF section, or contact your servicer and ask them to count your may have access to payments.
If you are still working toward PSLF, keep making payments on time and stay in an income-driven repayment plan. Payments made under the Standard plan or other non-income-driven plans may not count toward PSLF, so verify your plan with your servicer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to start paying my student loans again?
Yes, unless your loans are in deferment, forbearance, or another pause status. The federal pause ended September 1, 2023. If you have not made a payment since then, contact your servicer to confirm your status and set up a payment plan. You may be able to lower your monthly payment by switching to an income-driven repayment plan.
What if I cannot afford to pay right now?
You have several options. You can request deferment or forbearance to pause payments temporarily, or you can switch to an income-driven repayment plan, which bases your monthly payment on your income and family size. Under some plans, your payment may be $0 per month if your income is low enough. Call your servicer to discuss which option fits your situation.
Will missed payments from the pause hurt my credit?
No. Payments you missed during the pause (March 2020 through August 2023) do not count as delinquencies. However, payments you have missed since September 2023 may be reported to credit bureaus. Contact your servicer when ready if you have missed recent payments.
Can I get my student loans forgiven?
Forgiveness programs exist, but they have specific requirements. Public Service Loan Forgiveness is for government and nonprofit workers. Income-Driven Repayment forgiveness happens after 20 to 25 years of payments. Other forgiveness programs are limited and may require you to meet certain conditions. Ask your servicer which programs you might be may be able to access for based on your job and loan type.
Where do I find my loan servicer's contact information?
Log into StudentAid.gov, and your servicer's name and phone number will appear on your loan details. You can also check your most recent billing statement or loan documents. If you are unsure which servicer handles your loans, StudentAid.gov will tell you.