Student loan payments restart on the schedule your loan servicer sets, and you need to know your exact restart date to avoid missing a payment

When the federal pause on student loan payments ended in October 2023, borrowers returned to their regular payment schedules. If you have federal student loans, your servicer has a record of when your payments are due each month — usually the 10th or 15th, depending on your loan type and when you first borrowed. Your payment resumes on that same date, whether you received a notice or not. Missing that first payment after a pause can trigger late fees and damage your credit score, so confirming your restart date with your servicer is the first step.

The amount you owe each month depends on your repayment plan. If you're on the standard 10-year plan, your payment is fixed. If you're on an income-driven plan — SAVE, PAYE, IBR, or ICR — your payment is recalculated based on your current income and family size, and it may be lower than it was before the pause. Some borrowers on income-driven plans owe $0 per month if their income falls below the threshold. You can check your payment amount and due date by logging into your servicer's website or calling them directly.

Key Takeaways

  • Your payment restart date is the same day each month that your servicer assigned to your loan, usually the 10th or 15th, and you can find it on your servicer's website or billing statement.
  • If you're on an income-driven repayment plan, your monthly payment may have changed when payments resumed, and you should verify the new amount before your first payment is due.
  • Missing a payment by even one day triggers a late fee and can lower your credit score, so set up automatic payments or a calendar reminder for your due date.
  • If you cannot afford your payment, you can request a deferment, forbearance, or switch to a different repayment plan before the payment is due — waiting until after you miss it makes those options harder to get.

Finding your exact payment restart date

Your servicer sends a notice before payments resume, but that notice can arrive weeks before the actual date and is straightforward to miss. The fastest way to find your restart date is to log into your servicer's website — Federal Student Aid maintains a list of servicers and their websites at studentaid.gov. Once you log in, look for "Billing" or "Account Summary." Your next payment due date will be listed there, along with the amount owed.

If you cannot find it online, call your servicer's customer service line. Have your Social Security number and loan account number ready. The representative will tell you your due date, payment amount, and which repayment plan you're on. If you're on an income-driven plan and your income has changed since the pause began, ask whether your payment amount has been recalculated. If it hasn't, you may be able to request a recalculation before your first payment is due.

How payment amounts change when the pause ends

Borrowers on the standard 10-year repayment plan usually see the same payment amount they had before the pause. Borrowers on income-driven plans often see a different amount because those plans recalculate based on your current income and family size. If your income is lower now than it was before the pause, your payment may be lower. If your income is higher, your payment may be higher. Some borrowers on income-driven plans discover they now owe $0 per month because their income is below the threshold.

Your servicer should have sent you a notice showing your new payment amount before payments resumed. If you did not receive one, or if the amount seems wrong, contact your servicer and ask for a recalculation. You can also request a different repayment plan if your current payment is unaffordable. Switching plans takes a few days to process, so do this before your payment is due, not after you miss it.

Setting up automatic payments to avoid missing a due date

The simplest way to may support you never miss a payment is to set up automatic payments through your servicer's website. You provide your bank account number and routing number, and your servicer withdraws the payment on your due date each month. Most servicers offer a 0.25% interest rate reduction if you enroll in automatic payments, which means your interest accrues slightly slower over time.

To set up automatic payments, log into your servicer's website and look for "Autopay" or "Automatic Payments." You'll choose your payment amount (usually the full monthly payment) and the date it should be withdrawn. The withdrawal typically happens on your due date or within a few days after. If you want to cancel automatic payments later, you can do so through the same menu, though you'll lose the interest rate reduction.

If you prefer not to use automatic payments, set a phone reminder or calendar alert for three days before your due date. This gives you time to make a manual payment online or by phone if something goes wrong. Never wait until the due date itself — if your payment doesn't process by midnight on the due date, it counts as late.

What happens if you miss a payment

A payment is late if it is not received by your servicer by the end of the due date. Late payments trigger a fee — usually $25 to $35 — and are reported to credit bureaus. A single late payment can lower your credit score by 50 to 100 points, depending on your current score. The damage is worst in the first 30 days; after 30 days, your loan enters default status and the consequences become much more serious.

If you miss a payment by a few days, contact your servicer when ready and make the payment as soon as possible. Some servicers will waive the late fee if you pay within 15 days and have a clean payment history. If you know you cannot make a payment by the due date, call your servicer before the date arrives and ask about deferment, forbearance, or a temporary payment reduction. These options are much easier to get before you miss a payment than after.

Requesting a payment pause, deferment, or forbearance

If your payment is unaffordable when it resumes, you have options beyond just paying it. Deferment and forbearance are both temporary pauses on payments. Deferment is available if you're unemployed, in school, or in certain other hardship situations; during deferment, the government pays the interest on subsidized loans, so your balance doesn't grow. Forbearance is available to almost anyone who cannot afford their payment; during forbearance, interest still accrues, so your balance grows, but you're not in default.

To request either one, contact your servicer and explain your situation. You'll need to provide documentation — proof of unemployment, a school enrollment letter, or a written statement of hardship. The process usually takes one to two weeks. Once approved, your payments are paused for a set period, usually three to six months, and you can request an extension if you still cannot afford to pay when that period ends.

Another option is to switch to a different repayment plan. If you're on the standard plan and your payment is too high, switching to an income-driven plan can lower your payment to as little as $0 per month. This change takes effect within a few days, so you can do it before your first payment is due. You can switch plans through your servicer's website or by calling them.

Handling automatic payment failures

Automatic payments sometimes fail because your bank account has insufficient funds, your account was closed, or your bank rejected the withdrawal for fraud protection. When this happens, your servicer will attempt to retry the payment, but if it fails again, the payment is late. You'll receive a notice from your servicer explaining what went wrong.

If your automatic payment fails, log into your servicer's website and make a manual payment when ready. Then update your bank account information in your autopay settings to prevent future failures. If you're having ongoing trouble with automatic payments, you can switch to manual payments and set a calendar reminder instead. The 0.25% interest rate reduction is worth having autopay work, but a manual payment on time is better than an automatic payment that fails.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't know which servicer holds my loans?

Go to studentaid.gov and log in with your FSA ID. Your servicer's name and contact information will appear on your dashboard. You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) and they will tell you which servicer you're assigned to.

Can I change my payment due date to a different day of the month?

Most servicers allow you to change your due date once per year through their website or by calling customer service. The new date takes effect within one to two billing cycles. If you need to change it more than once per year, contact your servicer and explain why — some will make exceptions for hardship.

Do I have to make a payment if I'm on an income-driven plan and my payment is $0?

No, you don't have to make a payment if your monthly amount is $0. However, you should still log into your servicer's account periodically to confirm your income certification is current. If it expires and you don't recertify, your payment will jump to the standard 10-year amount.

What if my income changed after the pause ended and I need a lower payment?

Contact your servicer and request a recalculation of your income-driven payment. You'll need to provide recent tax documents or pay stubs showing your current income. The recalculation usually takes one to two weeks, and your new payment amount will be effective for your next billing cycle.

Can I pay more than my monthly payment without penalty?

Yes. Paying more than your required amount reduces your principal faster and saves you money on interest over time. There are no penalties for overpaying, and you can do it through your servicer's website or by phone. Some borrowers pay extra whenever they can afford it to shorten their repayment timeline.