Why did my student loan get sold?

Asked by: Joannie Moen  |  Last update: December 23, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (56 votes)

Why do loans get switched or transferred to a different servicer? Sometimes, we need to transfer loans from one servicer to another—for example, when a servicer's contract with us ends. Even if we transfer your loans to a new servicer, we (the U.S. Department of Education) still own your loans.

Do I have to pay my student loans if they were sold?

There will be no change in the terms of your loans. Your previous loan servicer and new loan servicer will work together to make sure that all payments you make during the transfer process are credited to your loan account with the new servicer.

Why was my student loan transferred to Nelnet?

Why are my student loans being transferred to a new servicer? A student loan transfer may happen for several reasons: Private loans may be bought out by another company. Federal loans may be transferred by the U.S. Department of Education from one member of its servicing team to another.

What happens if my student loan is sold to another company?

The loan will be transferred—and your balance may go to $0

The balance will eventually appear in your account with your new servicer or lender, but it can take up to six weeks for everything to move over—including your full payment history.

Why did my loan get sold?

Why do mortgages get sold? Many lenders specialize in originating a mortgage, but often, this initial lender can't afford to wait for 15 or 30 years for you to pay it all back. By selling it, they no longer have to keep your debt on their books, and they can offer loans to other prospective homeowners.

The Truth When Your Loan is Sold To Another Lender

38 related questions found

Can I prevent my loan from being sold?

There's nothing homeowners can do to prevent their loan, or servicing rights, from being sold.

What does it mean when your student loan is sold?

What happens when student loans are sold. The process of selling student loans doesn't affect what you owe, your interest rate or your repayment terms. It can, however, mean a change in your loan servicer, and it may take up to 60 days for that transfer to take place.

Why did Navient sell my loan?

Navient served as a federal student loans servicer in the past, but it has faced legal allegations of loan mismanagement in recent years. The company stopped servicing most federal student loans in December 2021. In July 2024, Navient began transferring its remaining student loan servicing portfolio to MOHELA.

What happens when a loan is sold?

Lenders sell mortgages to other institutions to free up the amount they can lend. When your mortgage is sold, you will send your payment to a new servicer. The loan terms and payment amount will stay the same when your loan is sold.

Why have my student loans disappeared?

Student loans disappear from credit reports 7.5 years from the date they are paid in full, charged-off, or entered default. However, education debt can reappear if you dig out of default with consolidation or loan rehabilitation. Student loans can have an outsized impact on your credit score.

Will loans owned by Nelnet be forgiven?

Teachers with loans through Nelnet can pursue teacher loan forgiveness. Teachers may qualify to have a maximum of $17,500 or $5,000 in student loans forgiven, depending on the subject area taught, if specific requirements are met.

Why are my student loans suddenly paid off?

If your student loan balance is suddenly showing zero, some of the many reasons could be: Your federal student aid or private student loans were forgiven. You've completed one of the student loan forgiveness programs. You qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), or.

What is the Nelnet student loan scandal?

(Nelnet), one of the nation's largest federal student loan servicers, resolving allegations that the company failed to appropriately communicate with borrowers about renewing Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans that provide access to affordable payments.

Why was my student loan sold to Nelnet?

Why do loans get switched or transferred to a different servicer? Sometimes, we need to transfer loans from one servicer to another—for example, when a servicer's contract with us ends. Even if we transfer your loans to a new servicer, we (the U.S. Department of Education) still own your loans.

What happens if you never pay off your student loans?

If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability. Also, the government can collect on your loans by taking funds from your wages, tax refunds, and other government payments.

Is it legal for a student loan company to sell your debt?

Yes, it is possible for private student loans to be sold to collection agencies if the borrower stops making payments for several months in a row. This is because the promissory note that the borrower signed when they took out the loan lets the lender sell it without the borrower's consent.

Is it bad if your loan gets sold?

The terms of the loan — your interest rate, monthly payment and remaining balance — will not change. But it's still important to keep an eye on your information during this transition. While it is fairly common for your mortgage to be sold, mistakes and errors can and do happen.

Do I have to pay a debt if it has been sold?

What happens to me when the debt is sold? Once your debt has been sold you owe the buyer money, not the original creditor. The debt purchaser must follow the same rules as your original creditor. You keep all the same legal rights.

What does it mean when a debt is sold?

Debt is money that you owe to an individual, a financial institution or a business. If you fall significantly behind on your payments, your creditor may sell your debt to a collection agency. Your creditors can transfer and sell your debt to a collection agency without your permission.

Are Navient loans being forgiven?

Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness

Navient will forgive your remaining loan balance forgiven after 20 or 25 years of making on-time monthly payments, depending on the plan. If you consolidate, you can get credit for time spent in deferment and forbearance.

Did MOHELA buy out Navient?

MOHELA is replacing Navient as the servicer of your loans. Please note: MOHELA is not purchasing or merging with Navient.

Do I qualify for the Navient lawsuit if I?

Who Qualifies for the Navient Settlement? If you were a federal student loan borrower steered into forbearance instead of an income-driven repayment plan or experienced payment mismanagement or credit reporting issues, you may qualify for financial relief under the Navient settlement.

Is it legal for my student loans to be sold?

It's not inherently illegal though. Contracts such as these have a lot of terms attached. Normally and usually, one of those terms are going to allow them to transfer the loan, much the same as often happens with mortgage loans.

What does it mean when a loan is sold?

By selling loans, lenders can quickly free up funds to lend to other potential buyers. Lenders often bundle loans together (usually those with similar risk attributes) and sell them to investors. These investing companies (typically government agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) then sell them as bonds.

Why was my loan transferred?

Sometimes, the lender transfers your mortgage to a servicer to handle your payments and keep track of your balance. This can result from difficult housing market conditions, a restructuring of the lender's business, or an existing servicing agreement.