Sometimes it’s obvious when you need to see a lawyer who practices student loan law: When you are being sued, when your wages are being garnished, when some form of collection activity is being threatened or has already been instituted. But “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” as the saying, attributed to Benjamin Franklin, goes. Franklin’s advice on firefighting is equally applicable to debt payments, especially student loans, since student loans are usually not dischargeable in bankruptcy.
When you find yourself in a situation where you are no longer able to regularly and reliably make your student loan payments on time, it’s probably time to find a student loan lawyer. Someone who practices in the area of student loan debt can help explore and explain your options to you.
Exploring your options with student loans necessarily begins with finding out exactly what type of student loan you are dealing with. Many people are unaware of exactly the kind of loans they have, or they think they know but they may be mistaken. Also, some people have different kinds of loans – private, Federal, state – making it difficult to sort out what is going on with all of them.
Honestly, whether anything at all can be done to make your student loan payments more affordable depends almost entirely on the type of loan you have. So when a lawyer asks you what type of loan you have and you are unsure, please understand that the answer to this question is of utmost importance and that your lawyer will likely do whatever it takes to find out this information. Surprisingly, it may take a bit of research and digging to discover the origin of your particular student loans, so unless you are absolutely certain about what type of student loan you have, your attorney may have to spend some time finding out.
In short – seek out legal help, be willing to explore your options, have patience. Feel free to call me about your student loan problems if you are in New Jersey, at (201) 676-0722.
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