According to the National Consumer Law Center, it is possible to default on private student loans. Private student loans are different than federal loans in that they are not subsidized by the government. They are also not guaranteed by the government, as with federal loans. This means that if you default on your private student loan, there is no guarantee that you will have a second chance at repaying the loan in full or even partially. In this article we will give answers to can you default on private student loans, private student loan default statute of limitations, how long does it take to get student loans out of default, defaulted student loans and what happens if you default on private student loans.

When you default on a private student loan, it can take years before any action is taken against you. If this happens, it’s important to know what actions can be taken against you and what steps can be taken to stop them from happening. Read on to know more on can you default on private student loans, private student loan default statute of limitations, how long does it take to get student loans out of default, defaulted student loans and what happens if you default on private student loans.

can you default on private student loans

We begin with can you default on private student loans, then, private student loan default statute of limitations, how long does it take to get student loans out of default, defaulted student loans and what happens if you default on private student loans.

Yes, you can default on private student loans.

When you default on a private student loan, your lender can take steps to collect the money you owe them. If you don’t pay what you owe, your lender may be able to sue you and get a judgment against you. They can also add extra fees and interest to what you owe, which will increase the amount of money they expect to recoup.

If your student loans go into default, that means that you haven’t made payments for 90 days (three months). It doesn’t matter whether or not those payments were on time; all that matters is that they weren’t paid off in full by the end of the three-month period.

If this happens with a federal loan, it will probably stay in default until you’ve made six consecutive on-time payments—but it may come out of default sooner if there are extenuating circumstances (like an illness) or if it’s been more than 270 days since you last made any payments at all (this is called “rehabilitating” the loan).

Private student loans are different: they usually go into default as soon as three consecutive monthly payments aren’t made on time (that’s 90 days total).

private student loan default statute of limitations

Next, we review private student loan default statute of limitations, how long does it take to get student loans out of default, defaulted student loans and what happens if you default on private student loans.

If you’ve defaulted on a private student loan, you might be wondering how long the loan holder can legally pursue you for payment. The answer depends on the applicable statute of limitations for your state and whether or not you’re in default.

In California, for instance, private student loans have a statute of limitations of three to 10 years. After this time has passed, the loan becomes “time barred.” This means that the creditor cannot use the courts to compel repayment from you or garnish your wages.

If you’ve been in default for more than one year and haven’t paid back any money at all, then it’s possible that your lender could sue you and file a judgment against you. If this happens, they may be able to garnish up to 10% of your wages unless there are exceptions to this rule (such as if there are dependent children involved).

how long does it take to get student loans out of default

Now, we find out how long does it take to get student loans out of default, defaulted student loans and what happens if you default on private student loans.

The length of time it takes to get student loans out of default depends on the type of loan you have, as well as the type of delinquency or default.

For example, if you’ve missed a payment on your Direct Consolidation Loan—or any other Direct Loan—you can rehabilitate (return the loan to good standing) within 120 days of missing your first payment. If you choose not to rehabilitate your loan after 120 days, it will go into default.

If you’d like to learn more about how long it takes to get student loans out of default, we encourage you to review your loan’s delinquency and default policies. It’s also important to know that defaulting on your loan will negatively impact your credit scores and that this information will generally remain on your credit reports for seven years after the date of default.

defaulted student loans

Student loan default means you did not make payments as outlined in your loan’s contract, also known as its promissory note. Default timelines vary for different types of student loans. Federal student loans. Most federal student loans enter default when payments are roughly nine months, or 270 days, past due.

Federal Perkins Loans. For these loans, default occurs after 270 days of nonpayment.

Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). For these loans, the defined period of ineligibility for forgiveness is 180 days after the first missed payment on a Direct Loan or FFELP loan that is in default.

Federal Consolidation Loans and TEACH Grants are ineligible for forgiveness until they have been in repayment for at least 10 years; however, they can be eligible at any time if you consolidate them into a Direct Loan through the Department’s Direct Consolidation Loan program and meet other requirements.

what happens if you default on private student loans

If you default on your private student loans, you could face a number of consequences.

First, your credit report will be negatively impacted. After you miss your first monthly payment, your loan servicer will report late payments to you and your cosigner’s credit reports hurting your FICO credit scores in the process.

Second, you may be sued by the lender for repayment of the loan. If the lender sues you and wins, they can collect the money by garnishing wages or bank accounts, withholding tax refunds and other government benefits such as Social Security or disability benefits, taking property that belongs to you—including cars or homes—and/or placing liens on real estate property (such as a house).

Third, if you don’t pay back the loan after a lawsuit has been filed against you and if there is enough money in your bank account or paycheck to cover it, lenders can take those funds directly from your bank account or paycheck without first obtaining a court order (known as an attachment).

In the end, there are a lot of factors at play in whether you can default on private student loans or not. You must have some income or guaranteed means to pay. If you go into default, your options can range from negotiating a settlement with the lender, having the loan transferred to a collection agency, or having the courts garnish your wages.