MAKE A PLAN TO RESTART STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS

A three-year pause on federal loan payments ends in October. Here's how to prepare.

- LAURA PETRECCA

IF you’re among the millions of borrowers who took advantage of the hiatus on federal student loan payments, it’s time to tighten your belt. With the Supreme Court’s June decision to strike down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan— which would have given qualifying borrowers up to $20,000 in federal student debt relief—and repayments beginning in October, you’ll need to make monthly payments again soon.

The thought of parting with that cash might evoke the same sense of dread you felt during your final exams in college. Yet, just as in those college days, the more you prepare, the better off you’ll be.

GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT

A lot has happened since loan payments and interest accrual were first suspended in early 2020: A pandemic swept the globe, a new U.S. president took office, and civilians went on the first trip to space without any professional astronauts. Much has likely happened in your personal life as well. Perhaps you moved, landed a new job or got married. Maybe all three.

In the meantime, there’s a good chance you may not remember who your student loan servicer is or how much you owe. In addition, your home address, e-mail address and bank information may have changed. On top of that, you may have a new loan service provider or platform. More than 17 million accounts for federal student loans have been transferred, and more transfers—either to different servicers or different servicing technology platforms—are expected in the coming months, ultimately reaching more than 30 million accounts, according to a June report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.