The Department of Repayment Success is here to help students who have attended American National University with questions or concerns regarding student loan repayment. 
If you are having problems repaying your federal student loans or if you have questions about your loans, please contact us today. The Repayment Success department is here to help both current and former students. We want to make sure that all of your questions are answered!
Are you considering postponing your payments with a deferment or forbearance?
If you’re experiencing a financial hardship, postponing your student loan payments may help but make sure you understand the consequences.
If you can’t make any payments at all, then a deferment or forbearance may be the right choice to keep your loan from entering default. However, it’s important that you understand the impact of a deferment or forbearance on your loan. Making payment is always your best option, but if you cannot, a forbearance or deferment may help you.
Consider this before you decide:
- A deferment or forbearance is temporary. These are authorized temporary suspensions of repayment, granted under certain circumstances.
- Interest keeps accruing. Even if a deferment or forbearance suspends your monthly payments, you are responsible for repaying interest accrued on all federal and private loans during the time of your deferment/forbearance. The only exceptions to this are subsidized Stafford loans and consolidation loans on deferment.
Forbearance and deferment are designed as short-term options aimed at helping students experiencing financial hardship who cannot pay their loans – but it’s important to realize that these actions extend out the life of your loan. This means that you will pay more on your loan overall due to the interest on your loan accruing over a longer period of time.
Explore the options below first:
If you can’t afford your student loan payments, don’t wait until you fall behind to seek assistance. We can go over options that can help. The Department of Repayment Success is happy to help address your specific situation over the phone with you in person and help you walk through what choices would be the best for successful repayment of your loan.
If you… |
Then… |
|---|---|
| Have problems making payments when they’re due | Change your date. This can ensure you have money in the bank when it’s time to pay your bill. |
| Have multiple payments to multiple lenders each month | Consolidate your federal loans. Make one payment to one lender. Loan consolidation may reduce your monthly student loan payment. |
| Can make smaller monthly payments | Reduce your payments by changing payment plans through Alternative Payment Plans This can help reduce your monthly payments or allow you to make interest-only payments. |
| Can’t make any payments | Postpone payments with a deferment or forbearance Postponing your monthly payments may be the right choice to prevent your loan from entering default. |
Defaulted Loans
What is Default and What Does it Mean for Borrowers?
A loan is in default status when it is 270 days past due. At this point it is declared in default. When this happens, the entire balance of your loan(s) become due and you will no longer be eligible for any Title IV financial aid or for any of the options described above.
Consequences of Defaulted Loans Include:
- Reporting the default to all national credit bureaus.
- Withholding of a percentage of your wages until repaid in full.
- Adding collection and attorney fees to the balance of your loan.
- Seizure of your IRS tax refund by the U.S. Department of Education.