Student Loan Delinquencies Nearly Double Since Pandemic, Study Finds. What to Do if You're Behind on Payments
Getty Images/Zooey Liao/CNET
It's hard to get in the swing of new money habits, especially when it means making more room in your budget. That may be the case for many student loan borrowers, whose payments resumed after a five-year pause.
More than 20% of federal student loan borrowers were late on their payments by 90 days or more -- also known as delinquent -- as of February 2025, according to a new study by TransUnion, one of the three main credit bureaus. That's nearly double what TransUnion reported (11.5%) in 2020, just before the start of the pandemic.
The reasons for the increase are likely varied, but some of it may have to do with habits, according to Charlie Wise, TransUnion's senior vice president of global research and consulting. A lot can happen in five years, and some consumers may have gotten out of the habit of making payments. They may instead be using the money to cover increased living expenses, family obligations or other debts.
"They don't have the ability to now resume making those payments," Wise said. "They're maxed out."
On the other hand, millions of recent graduates have never had to get in the habit of making a payment, so budgeting for a new bill can be a "new muscle they need to build," he said.
Falling behind on student loan payments can result in serious consequences and hurt your credit score. A higher credit score makes it easier to borrow money, like for a car or a house, and can help you get a lower interest rate on loans.
Here's what to do if you're behind on your student loan payments.
Why borrowers are falling behind
"Unfortunately, many borrowers fell out of the habit of repaying their debt because of pandemic relief and the SAVE Plan forbearance."
Elaine Rubin, student loan expert
Think about how much has changed since student loan payments were paused in March 2020. The pandemic initially resulted in widespread layoffs and soaring inflation, among other big changes in the world and economy. And now there are concerns about what looming tariffs could have on prices.
Student loans went through a lot of changes, too, including the initial pause on payments, which was extended multiple times until Sept. 1, 2023, when payments resumed.
"Unfortunately, many borrowers fell out of the habit of repaying their debt because of pandemic relief and the SAVE Plan forbearance," said Elaine Rubin, student loan expert and Edvisors Corporate Communications Director. "While it was understood that these relief options were not permanent, being offered relief for years makes it hard for a borrower to add student loan payments back into their budget."
Additionally, Wise noted that there could be issues with student loan servicers' ability to reach borrowers so they can resume payments. Servicers may not have updated addresses, and borrowers may have lost track after being transferred to new a servicer over the years.
How delinquency can affect your credit
First, it's important to note that your federal student loans become delinquent if you're even one day late with your monthly payment. But servicers don't report delinquent loans to the credit bureaus until they're 90 days past due, so if you're within that window, you can repay the past due amount or reach out to your servicer for options to avoid having it affect your credit.
If you're already behind on student loan payments, ignoring the situation will only make things worse. Loans that are 270 days past due go into default, and the consequences can become much more severe. Defaulted borrowers have seen their credit scores decline by an average of 63 points, according to a TransUnion's analysis. Super prime borrowers, who have a credit score of 800 or higher, saw an average 175-point decrease.
The Office of Federal Student Aid resumed sending defaulted student loan accounts to collections on May 5. It's already begun informing borrowers that they could have their tax refund and government benefits withheld and wages garnished.
"Consumers need to realize that these obligations are very real, the government is very serious about resuming repayments," Wise said. "This is an obligation that I don't think the government's going to say just walk away from."
That means now's the time to make a plan to fit the payments into your budget to protect your credit score and borrowing options in the future.
What to do if you're behind on student loan payments
Your first step should be to find out the status of your loans, which you can do at StudentAid.gov or by reaching out to your servicer.
If you discover you're mistakenly designated as delinquent but you're in a repayment or forbearance program, reach out to your servicer immediately.
If your loans are correctly classified as delinquent, the fastest and best way to get your loans current is to pay the past due amount on your loan. However, this may not be realistic if you're struggling financially, but there are additional options.
You may need to consider a deferment or forbearance, which can help resolve a past-due delinquency if the loan is not already in default. "Typically, these options are considered last resort, but they can be helpful options to avoid falling behind or defaulting on a loan," Rubin said.
Both deferment and forbearance offer temporary postponements on your payments, but interest may still accrue. That could put you further behind on paying off your balance and increase your monthly payment when you exit either plan.
If you're struggling to make your current monthly payment, Rubin recommends exploring all of your federal student loan repayment plan options. "IDR plans typically offer the lowest monthly payment for many borrowers, [but] that will not be true for everyone," Rubin said.
If you need help getting back on track to make your student loan payments, Rubin recommends reviewing your household budget and making decisions that prioritize your necessities and debt obligations. You may look for ways to cut costs, like negotiating other bills or a using no-spend month to give you time to reevaluate your budget.
Wise pointed out that figuring out a way to make on-time payments can help get your credit back on track quickly.
"It may require a change in lifestyle. It may require you to cut back in some areas, but if you have aspirations of buying a home or buying a vehicle or making other major financial plans in the near future, having a good credit score is going to be critical," Wise said.
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