Out of Default: Your Student Loan Timeline

Got a default notice or a wage garnishment warning on your federal student loans? Deadlines are short, and it is easy to freeze. This PDF bundle walks you through what to do and when, in plain English, using rules published by the U.S. Department of Education and StudentAid.gov.

You get two PDFs:

1) The Guide: a day-by-day timeline from day 1 to day 270; how to read your default notice and use your first 30 days; wage garnishment explained with a worked example of the limit; tax refund and federal payment offset; rehabilitation vs. consolidation side by side; the 9-payment rehabilitation path step by step; a summary of 2025-2026 law changes and what to verify; a 30-day action plan; and a list of free help (your servicer, the Default Resolution Group, legal aid, the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group).

2) The Workbook: a document checklist, a deadline sheet, five fill-in letter templates (garnishment hearing request, financial hardship statement, rehabilitation request, reasonable and affordable payment request, request to stop or reduce collection), a 9-payment tracker, and a contact log with proof-of-mailing sheet.

Who it is for: borrowers with federal student loans in default, or close to it, who want a clear plan and ready-to-use templates.

What it is not: general information only, not legal, tax or financial advice, and it does not cancel or forgive any debt. Rules, amounts and deadlines change, so every section points to the official source to confirm before you act. Never send your password or Social Security number to anyone offering to fix your loans for a fee; everything here can be done for free through official channels.

Digital download: two printable PDFs. Written by Fran Camargo.