The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Provides Broad Relief for Federal Student Loan Borrowers
Professionals with federal student loan debt may be entitled to some relief under the newly enacted CARES Act.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid has automatically placed federal student loan borrowers in “Administrative Forbearance,” which enables borrowers to temporarily stop making monthly student loan payments from March 13, 2020 up through September 30, 2020.
During this period of time, certain federal student loans owned by the Department of Education will also have temporary interest rates set at %0 up through September 30, 2020.
Loans Owned by the Department of Education that Qualify for Temporary %0 Interest Rate:
- Defaulted and Non-Defaulted Federal Direct Loans
- Defaulted and Non-Defaulted Federal Family Education (FFEL) Program Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
If you are unsure whether your student loan qualifies for the temporary %0 interest rate, or whether your student loan is owned by the Department of Education, then you can contact your Loan Servicer to find out if you are eligible for the new CARES Act benefits. If you do not know who your Loan Servicer is, then visit StudentAid.gov/login.
For questions, concerns, and more detailed information on how your federal student loan might be affected during the COVID-19 pandemic and its eligibility under the new applicable CARES Act provisions, please visit the FAQ page, for the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid.
