Where to Find Guidance to Deal With Student Loan Debt Relief?

Barry Coleman, NFCC

Updated: July 17, 2026

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2022.

Key Takeaways

Avoid companies that offer guaranteed loan forgiveness or charge upfront fees.
You can get free student loan help through your loan servicer and at StudentAid.gov.
If you’re struggling with student loan payments, reach out to your servicer ASAP.
An NFCC-certified credit counselor can help you find legitimate repayment options.

If you’re struggling with student loan debt, you’re not alone. Millions of borrowers are trying to make sense of their student loan repayment options. As of 2026, 10.3% of federal student loan payments are at least 90 days behind.

Of course, help is available, but it’s difficult to know who you can trust. Between changing repayment options and countless companies promising quick solutions, many borrowers feel confused and stuck. Some even turn to high-risk solutions like student loan debt settlement or so-called “debt relief.”

The good news is that you don’t have to hire a company to “help” you with your debt. If you’re eligible for loan consolidation, a special payment plan or loan forgiveness, your servicer can usually help you apply for free. You can also reach out to an NFCC-certified credit counselor or visit StudentAid.gov to learn more about your options.

Should you use a student loan debt relief company?

Student debt relief companies can be very aggressive with their marketing tactics, and many are outright scams. According to the U.S. Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, they contact borrowers by phone, email, text and social media, and often claim to be affiliated with the federal government.

How do you know if you’re being targeted by a student loan relief scam? Here are the most common red flags to look out for:

Unsolicited contact
Guaranteeing immediate results
Promising immediate or total loan forgiveness
Requesting upfront payments or monthly fees
Urging you to act quickly before a program expires
Using bad grammar or typos in their communications
Requiring you to sign payment authorizations or contracts
Asking for personal information or your StudentAid.gov username and password
Using email addresses that have typos or don’t match the name of your loan servicer

If you’re promised special help or access to a “secret program,” don’t trust what you’re told. Instead, contact your loan servicer and verify what’s available. Any legitimate federal relief program will be available directly through your federal loan servicer. For private loans, you can go directly to your lender, or check with other legitimate lenders to see what you qualify for.

If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your loan servicer to inform them right away. Then, reach out to your bank to stop transactions from the scammer and submit a complaint to the Department of Education (ED).

How to tell if you need help managing your student loans

Unfortunately, many borrowers don’t think they can ask for help until they’re behind on payments. In reality, the sooner you reach out, the better. If you’re struggling to cover payments, reaching out to the right agency can prevent you from falling behind and facing even bigger financial problems.

How do you know if you need help managing your student loans? Ask yourself these questions:

Am I struggling to cover my monthly student loan payment?
Have I recently missed a payment?
Am I worried I might fall behind on payments soon?
Do I feel confused about my repayment options?
Has my income dropped or family size grown, but my payments are still the same?
Am I thinking about paying for help with my student loans?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to get the legitimate help you need. When you do, you might be surprised by your options.

Where can you get real help with student loans?

If you’re looking for guidance, there are better places to start than hiring a debt relief company. Here are the best places to go for help with managing your student loans:

StudentAid.gov: Log in to the ED’s website to view your federal student loan information. You can also use the website to find details on payment and forgiveness programs, and submit program applications.
Your loan servicer: Your federal loan servicer can give you free information about your loan, repayment plans, consolidation options and forgiveness programs. They can also help you apply for assistance at no cost.
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC): Contact the FSAIC by chat or by calling 1-800-433-3243. Their representatives can answer your questions about anything from who your loan servicer is to how to apply for federal aid programs.
NFCC-certified credit counseling: An NFCC-certified credit counselor is a nonprofit professional who can review your full financial picture, help you budget for student loan payments and answer questions about your loan and aid options.

Can a nonprofit credit counselor help with student loans?

When you’re overwhelmed by student loans, it’s understandable to want someone to take over or solve the problem for you. The key is to find guidance from an agency that’s focused on helping, and not on selling you a solution.

With NFCC-certified credit counseling, your counselor’s goal is to offer advice that fits your full financial situation. During a student loan counseling session, they can help with any and all of the following:

Review repayment options that can make your loan more affordable.
Advise you on how to communicate with your loan servicers or lenders.
Help you create a budget that allows you to stay current on student loan payments.
Discuss strategies and share resources for managing other debts.

Unlike many for-profit debt relief companies, nonprofit credit counselors don’t promise guaranteed loan forgiveness or claim they can access secret government programs. Instead, their goal is to help you understand your options and choose the path that best fits your goals.

Even if you decide not to work with a counselor long-term, a counseling session can give you a better sense of clarity and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Take the next step toward student loan relief

You don’t have to navigate student loan challenges on your own. Whether you’re already behind on payments or just looking for a way to make them more affordable, getting reliable guidance can help relieve your stress.

Instead of answering calls or texts from an unknown student debt relief company, go to a source that has your best interest in mind!