Sallie Mae loans, now serviced by private lenders, do not qualify for federal forgiveness programs. Loan forgiveness is generally reserved for federal student loans under specific programs. Private student loans might offer assistance or flexible terms, but typically lack formal forgiveness options.
Private student loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students from financial institutions like Sallie Mae®. They're designed to fill the funding gap when savings, scholarships, and federal student aid aren't enough.
Private student loans are usually only forgiven when the borrower becomes permanently disabled or dies—sometimes not even then. While there are several options for federal student loan cancellation and forgiveness, private programs for cancellation are less common.
Look at a recent billing statement for a company or lender name. If the lender on your statement isn't one of the aforementioned loan servicers, then the debt is a private student loan. If you're still unsure about the type of debt it is, call the phone number that's listed on your billing statement.
Student loans are owned by the federal government or private institutions, depending on the type of student loan. Federal student loans are owned by the U.S. Department of Education while private student loans are owned by the financial institution that granted them.
Generally, there are two types of student loans—federal and private. Federal student loans and federal parent loans: These loans are funded by the federal government. Private student loans: These loans are nonfederal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school.
How to get rid of private student debt. One of the few ways to get rid of private student debt is through discharge bankruptcy. It's an arduous — and expensive — process. You'll have to file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, then file an additional lawsuit known as an adversary proceeding.
No, there is no way to change private student loans to federal loans. However, you can refinance your private and federal loans together, ideally to qualify for a lower rate or better loan terms.
Private student loans don't go away unless you pay them off, but in most cases, they'll fall off your credit report after seven years. But keep in mind that lenders can still contact you to collect an old debt, even if it's decades old and they can no longer take you to court over it.
Sallie Mae is not a federal loan servicer.
When Sallie Mae first formed, it was a government-sponsored enterprise servicing federal student loans — or loans made by the government. But in 2014, it split into two separate companies.
Pay Off High-Interest Loans First
With this approach, you pay off your loans from the highest interest rate to the lowest. You make the minimum payments on each balance except the highest-rate loan. You also make an extra monthly payment based on how much you can put toward the debt.
Thus, if you ever had a Sallie Mae loan or had Sallie Mae conduct loan servicing, that loan and servicing, likely, was transferred to Navient. Further, Navient then changed its name in 2021 to Aidvantage. See here.
If you're experiencing financial hardship, you could contact Sallie Mae to see if it would be willing to forbear or reduce your payments temporarily. However, this is only a short-term fix. Generally, the only way to permanently reduce your loan payment is to refinance your loan.
After a referral from the CFPB, in 2014, the Department of Justice and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ordered Navient and its predecessor, Sallie Mae, to pay almost $100 million for illegally overcharging nearly 78,000 servicemembers.
What student loans are not eligible for forgiveness? Private student loans, by definition, are private and are not eligible to be forgiven. These are loans the borrower owes to student loan providers and not the federal government.
Private student loans do not qualify for any federal programs, including forgiveness and federal income-driven repayment plans.
Student Loan Interest Deduction
You can take a tax deduction for the interest paid on student loans that you took out for yourself, your spouse, or your dependent. This benefit applies to all loans (not just federal student loans) used to pay for higher education expenses. The maximum deduction is $2,500 a year.
If you qualify for a low interest rate and can repay your loan soon, a private student loan may be best. If you'd like to take advantage of income-driven repayment plans, extensive deferment programs and potential loan forgiveness, a federal student loan is the best option.
Those who borrowed from Sallie Mae after this 2014 split have private student loans, which aren't eligible for federal forgiveness programs. However, Sallie Mae will discharge debts for borrowers who die or become totally and permanently disabled.
Delinquency and default
Delinquency occurs when you fail to pay all or part of your monthly student loan payment. You may be charged late fees for delinquency, which can add to your Total Loan Cost. You may lose any interest rate reduction programs you were eligible for.
Defaulting on private student loans triggers immediate and significant financial consequences, such as lawsuits, wage garnishment, and asset seizure. Consider asking your lender for options to help you avoid defaulting on your debt. Some private lenders may offer repayment assistance programs.
Sallie Mae is a company that currently offers private student loans but it has gone through several shifts. In 1972, Congress created the Student Loan Marketing Association (SLMA) as a private, for-profit corporation.
Any loans that are listed on your studentaid.gov account are federal student loans. If any loans on your credit reports are not listed on your studentaid.gov account, they are probably private student loans.