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Loan Default

Default on a Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loan occurs when you fail to make payments, and your loan reaches 270 days of delinquency. If your loan defaults, your balance becomes due in full immediately. Additional action may occur, including wage garnishment and seizure of income tax returns.

In addition, a defaulted student loan may result in negative reporting to all the consumer reporting agencies.

For Federal Loans

If your loan is guaranteed by PHEAA:

Read our PHEAA Default FAQ to learn more about default and the consequences it can have on your federal student loans. There is also information about the Loan Rehabilitation Program.

If you are unsure who your guarantor is:

Sign in at StudentAid.gov to view all your specific loan information, including guarantor.

For Private Education Loans

If you defaulted on a private education loan, each lender has specific guidelines to determine when a loan defaults. Please contact us to discuss your loan.

Submitting a Credit Dispute

You may submit a dispute directly to PHEAA by downloading, printing, and mailing the Direct Credit Dispute Form (PDF) to:

PHEAA Default Collections
P.O. Box 61017
Harrisburg, PA 17106-1017

Or write to us at the address above with the following information:

  • Sufficient information for us to identify your account and loan in dispute. This includes your full name, address, PHEAA account number and specific loan in dispute. If you know the tradeline number associated with the loan, please include that information.
  • The specific information you are disputing and an explanation of the basis for the dispute.
  • All supporting documentation or other information to substantiate the basis of the dispute. This documentation may include, for example a:
    • Copy of the relevant portion of the consumer report that contains the allegedly inaccurate information
    • Police report
    • Fraud or identity theft affidavit
    • Court order

You may also file a dispute with one or more consumer reporting agencies.

NOTE: If you don't have your account number, sign in to Account Access to obtain it.

Loans in default?

If your loans are currently in default and you'd like to sign up for Direct Debit, please complete, sign, and submit the Direct Debit Default Collections Agreement (PDF)

Completed Forms

Mail or fax your completed form to:

PHEAA Default Collections
P.O. Box 8147
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8147

Fax: 717-720-3644

Are your loans delinquent?