Who to Call If You Can't Pay Your Federal Student Loans

• Author: Jenny Wolff
• Posted: 2026-08-12

If you are struggling to make your federal student loan payments, you do not have to wait until you miss a payment to ask for help.

Reaching out to the right organization early can help you lower your monthly payments, pause them temporarily, or fix issues before your loan goes into default.
 

1. Your Federal Student Loan Servicer

Your loan servicer manages your account and handles your billing. Contact them first to ask about income-based repayment plans, deferment, or forbearance options.

• Edfinancial: 1-855-337-6884
• MOHELA: 1-888-866-4352
• Aidvantage: 1-800-722-1300
• Nelnet: 1-888-486-4722

If you do not know which company manages your loan, log in to your dashboard on StudentAid.gov to check.
 

2. Federal Student Aid Information Center

If you have general questions about your loans or repayment options, you can call the official helpline at 1-800-433-3243 (1-800-4-FED-AID).
 

3. Default Resolution Group

If your loans are already in default, contact the Default Resolution Group handled by the U.S. Department of Education. They can help you explore repayment arrangements or loan rehabilitation to get your account back on track.
 

4. Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group

If you have an ongoing dispute with your loan servicer that you cannot resolve directly with them, reach out to the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group at 1-800-433-3243 for help settling the issue.

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