Student loan servicers are the companies that manage your federal student loans. These included companies like Navient, Granite State, and FedLoan Servicing. These servicers no longer manage federal student loans and if you had previously been with them, you should have received an email notification.
If you’re having trouble with a student loan servicer or don’t even know who your servicer is, keep reading. This article will teach you how to identify your servicer and what to do if you can’t find out.
What is a student loan servicer?
A student loan servicer is a company that collects student loan payments on behalf of the federal government. A loan servicer is assigned by the Department of Education to handle your federal student loan.
Student loan servicers are a critical part of managing your student loans. They’re responsible for communicating with you about payments, handling any billing issues and negotiating deferments and forbearances when necessary. If you have multiple loans with multiple companies (which is common), it can get really confusing to manage everything.
What are the implications of not knowing who your student loan servicer is?
The implications of not knowing who your loan servicer is are significant. Not only do you lose control of your student loans, but you're missing out on taking action against them. It's a big deal, and here's why:
Students who don't know their loan servicers are more likely to struggle making payments. This is because they haven't been provided with sufficient information on how to repay their debt, or what steps to take.
Missing student loan payments can hurt your credit score which in return can make it harder for you to buy your first home and move on with your life. If you default on your federal student loans, the government can take up to 15% of your paychecks. This is called student loan wage garnishment and you definitely want to avoid it!
How to find out who your student loan servicer is!
Visit your account dashboard on the Federal Student Aid website. Here you can Login or create an account. From there, you will scroll down to the "My Loan Servicers" section.
You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-433-3243.
With loan servicer contracts ending and changing, it's important that you update your contact information to reflect your most recent address, email, and phone number. This will allow you to stay up to date with any new changes when a loan servicing transfer happens.
Below is a list of current Loan Servicers. Click on each to learn more:
Aidvantage (formerly Navient)
- As of Dec. 14, 2022, all borrowers have been transferred successfully from PHEAA (FedLoan Servicing) to either MOHELA, Edfinancial, Aidvantage, or Nelnet.
Great Lakes Education Loan Services (transferred loans to Nelnet)
Default Resolution Group (services federal student loans in default)
Final Thoughts
Your student loan servicer can make a huge difference in your student loan repayment experience. With servicers changing and possibly taking over your student loan account, it's important to know who is servicing your student loans.
Federal student loan payments are still paused with student loan forgiveness being held up at the Supreme Court. With interest rates currently set to 0%, it could be a great time to take advantage and pay down your principal balance.
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