"Can Student Loans Be Removed From Credit Report" Discussion

Upsolve Community Member
Karen, there is! It's called the  Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge of your federal student loan debt. 

Upsolve Community Member
You can learn more about this option and it's requirements here: https://upsolve.org/learn/student-loan-tpd-discharge/ 

Upsolve Community Member
There's information in that article about a borrowers ability to get new loans, too

Upsolve Community Member
Hi Karen, In most cases, to qualify for a TPD discharge, you must complete and submit a TPD discharge application, along with documentation showing that you meet the Department of Ed's requirements for being considered totally and permanently disabled, to Nelnet, the servicer that assists ED with the TPD discharge process. 

Upsolve Community Member
To answer your second question as to whether you can apply for a student loan in the future: Yes, but with some conditions. sign a statement acknowledging that you can't get a TPD discharge of the new loan based on a disabling condition that already exists unless that condition substantially deteriorates in the future.

Upsolve Community Member
Nelnet is the servicer of Disability applications for the Department of Education: https://disabilitydischarge.com/

Upsolve Community Member
Mark is absolutely right. You can print the form off or request they mail you one. If I remember right it was an easy basic form to fill out. I believe you have to be on Social Security Disability. Once they “approve” the discharge of your student loans, which have to be federal loans, there is a 3 year waiting period. During this time it will still show your balances on your credit report and basically puts a forbearance on them. Then once a year they mail you a form you have to fill out to make sure your circumstances haven’t changed. As long as you still qualify after 3 years then they will officially discharge your federal student loans and show $0 balance on credit reports. I did mine several years ago so the process may have changed a bit. If they are private loans I don’t know of a way to get them discharged though.

Upsolve Community Member
Mary yes it really works i thought it would be hard...On the contrary pretty straightforward and simple.....and the upsolve team can answer your questions along the way.....

Upsolve Community Member
Hi Mary! I know, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Welcome to your free lunch...  It's actually a partnership because, through a series of questions and answers, YOU provide the answers and if some of the questions are confusing, the Upsolve Learning Center will most likely have your answers. This Community will assist you in locating the appropriate Learning Center information should you have difficulties. I am an Upsolver! I filed and was discharged in 2020. I couldn't afford a lawyer either and not only was Upsolve the tool I needed to do it myself, but I believe in Upsolve so much, I am here to assist others like you! Good luck, Mary! :-). 

Upsolve Community Member
I have a question. So far it had been easy enough answering the questions. I am stuck though on how how to find all the places you owe and cannot pay? A second question, is on credit Karma I can pull up Transunion and Experian (I think it was Experian). I have 2 credit scores show in the high 500's. They are a couple numbers a part. My question is I did not have a but 3 credited on it I owe..and my student loans whick say I am good standing. Anything else say there closed. So why is my credit score so low?

Upsolve Community Member
Mary, as a former Upsolve filer now rebuilding credit, let me see if I can assist with the several questions you have here. First, CREDIT KARMA is a commercial company NOT a credit reporting agency. This Upsolve Learning Center article: https://upsolve.org/learn/get-your-free-credit-report/ As far as Student Loans are concerned, late payments on private and federal student loans are reported to credit agencies. If they are in good shape, you won't see them on your credit report(s). I hope this helps! :-) 

Upsolve Community Member
You might also find this article helpful, Mary! https://upsolve.org/learn/do-not-remember-creditors-owed-chapter-seven-bankruptcy/

Upsolve Community Member
Thank you. It did help but it's really overwhelming trying to find all the places you owe. Do I go back as far as I can with the debt?  Does this Questioner have to be done in 5 days? What happens if it isn't? Like I said it overwhelming. Sorry guys to ask all these questions.

Upsolve Community Member
You can take longer if you need, Mary. Thanks so much for being here

Upsolve Community Member
You most definitely can! This story is about an Upsolver: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/student-loan-debt-bankruptcy-mis-loe/

Upsolve Community Member
We have a lot of resources on Adversary Proceedings, so make sure to check them out. https://upsolve.org/learn/what-is-an-adversary-proceeding-in-bankruptcy/

Upsolve Community Member
If you do an adversary proceeding, please share what you learn with the group! Would love to hear your journey

Upsolve Community Member
Thanks for the positive support guys. Not the best situation to be in alone :) 

Upsolve Community Member
J W., I teach this subject and the misinformation out there is really something! Historically, the separate Adversary Proceeding has had a bad rap, and justifiably so. But if you've heard of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) repayment program, that's had just as bad, if not worse reputation. Yet, BOTH are on the front burner right now in congress. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, in a year's time, a quarter-million borrowers with student loans file Chapter 7 but only a small fraction takes the time to understand and file the Adversary Proceeding ---- and I've heard that up to HALF of these AP filings SUCCEED! Do not let conventional wisdom, rulings, and old stats prevent you from going forward with your plans to relieve your financial stress! Go for it.  :-)

Upsolve Community Member
Student loans on your credit shouldn't impact your ability to get financial aid. If you're worried about how bankruptcy may impact your ability to get financial aid, check out this article from Upsolve's Learning Center: https://upsolve.org/learn/how-bankruptcy-impact-student-financial-aid/

Upsolve Community Member
And if people are just curious about student loans in general, we have a lot of resources at https://upsolve.org/learn/category/student-loans/