Qualifying Circumstances to Postpone Student Loan Payments
Legitimately Postponing Student Loan Payments
There are several circumstances that people can fall into that Sallie Mae likely considers legitimate reasons for postponing student loan payments. You can't always see what the future will hold when you initially take out your student loans, and some circumstances are understandable, according to Sallie Mae. Know what these things are, so that if you fall into that category, and are having a hard time paying the loans back, you can perhaps benefit from putting it off for a time.
*Economic Hardship - If you earn less than minimum wage, or if you exceed a federally defined debt to income ratio you may qualify to postpone payments. This usually also covers those receiving public assistance or who are serving in the Peace Corp.
* Graduate Fellowship - There are some eligible graduate fellowship programs that may be covered.
*Internships and Residency - There are certain situations where these are covered, but the details vary so you will want to research this more carefully to see if your situation may be covered.
* In School or Student - For certain eligible schools, some part time and full time students may qualify to postpone payments.
More Scenarios where Postponing Payments may be an option.
* Working Mother - If a mother of pre-school age children is re entering the work force, she may qualify. I think this is great to encourage mothers to keep pursuing their dreams.
* Those Unemployed - If you have been seeking work but unable to secure any, you may be able to postpone payments, and receive unemployment benefits perhaps.
* Temporary but Total Disability situations - If you are temporarily but totally disabled for a period of time, this is taken into consideration. The other scenario is if you are unable to be employed because you are caring for a dependent or spouse who it temporarily totally disabled.
* If you are in the Military - Serving in active duty in the United States Armed Forces is another reason to qualify.
* Summer Bridge Extension - This covers the summer months for those students who are postponing payments through the end of the spring academic period , and for those re enrolling for the fall academic period.
* Public Health Service - If you are a full time officer in the Commissioned Corps of Public Health of the U.S. Public Health service, you may qualify.
*Primary Care Physician - For primary care physicians that completed an internship in one of a few specialties. These include Osteopathic general practice, general internal medicine, family practice, preventive medicine, and general pediatrics.
* Parental Leave - If you are caring for a newborn or a newly adopted child, then you may qualify as well to postpone student loan payments.
* There are more than these, but you get an idea of the kinds of things that can be taken into consideration regarding postponing student payments.