COVID-19 Information

Last Updated Nov. 22, 2022

• On March 20, 2020, the office of Federal Student Aid began providing the following temporary relief on federal student loans owned by the Department of Education (ED): suspension of loan payments, stopped collections on defaulted loans, and a 0% interest rate.

• On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) became law, providing for the above relief measures on ED-owned federal student loans through Sept. 30, 2020.

• On Aug. 8, 2020, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Dec. 31, 2020.

• On Dec. 4, 2020, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Jan. 31, 2021.

• On Jan. 20, 2021, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Sept. 30, 2021.

• On Aug. 6, 2021, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Jan. 31, 2022.

• On Dec. 22, 2021, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through May 1, 2022.

• On April 6, 2022, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Aug. 31, 2022.

• On Aug. 24, 2022, the COVID-19 emergency relief measures were extended through Dec. 31, 2022.

• On November 22, 2022, the student loan payment pause was extended until the U.S. Department of Education is permitted to implement the debt relief program or the litigation is resolved. Payments will restart 60 days later. If the debt relief program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 - payments will resume 60 days after that.

During this time no interest is accruing. No payment will be required until after the payment pause ends - unless you opted out of the forbearance (payment pause).

This page as well as StudentAid.gov/coronavirus will be updated on a regular basis, so please check back frequently.

Below are the actions being taken to provide continued relief:

0% Interest Rate

• Your interest rate is 0% from March 13, 2020 through the end of the payment pause.

• Payments made on or after March 13, 2020 were automatically adjusted.

• Payments are applied first towards the interest accrued prior to March 13, 2020. The remainder is applied to the principal balance.

Temporarily Paused Payments Through the End of the Payment Pause

• An administrative forbearance (payment pause) was automatically placed on your Direct Loans from March 13, 2020 through the end of the payment pause, unless you opted out.

• Monthly billing statements stopped on April 2, 2020.

• Auto-Debit stopped for the April 3, 2020 due date forward.

During the Administrative Forbearance (Payment Pause)

• If your income has changed and you would like to recalculate or apply for an income-driven repayment (IDR), visit StudentAid.gov/idr. If you are approved, your IDR payment plan will begin after the payment pause ends.

• Suspended payments count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness as long as you meet all other qualifications. You will receive credit as through you made on-time monthly payments in the correct amount while on a qualifying repayment plan.

• If you are currently on an IDR plan, the administrative forbearance (payment pause) counts toward IDR forgiveness.

• You can continue to make payments at any time on mohela.com, by mail or through your bank (excludes our auto-debit program).

• If you made a payment on/after March 13, 2020, and would like this refunded, please contact us.

• Please keep your contact information up to date on mohela.com.

Opting Out (Ending) the Administrative Forbearance (Payment Pause)

• If you prefer to be due for payment before the end of the payment pause, you can request to end this forbearance (payment pause) by contacting MOHELA through one of the methods listed below:

  • Calling Customer Service

  • Logging in to mohela.com to submit your request by secure email

  • Mailing your request to: MOHELA 633 Spirit Drive Chesterfield, MO 63005

• If you choose to end this forbearance (payment pause), please allow at least 21 days to begin billing you again.

• If your loans become more than 30 days past due, this forbearance (payment pause) will automatically be applied again through the end of the payment pause.

StudentAid.gov/coronavirus has information about topics such as the 0% interest period, the administrative forbearance (payment pause), and defaulted loans.

As the servicer that manages your student loans, our hearts go out to those still affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. If you’re experiencing financial hardship because of COVID-19, please call us to discuss how we may be able to help.

A National Disaster/National Emergency forbearance may be available for request by calling customer service at 888.866.4352 or sending a secure message through your online account. We remain focused on the health and well-being of our borrowers.

• If you are participating in Auto Debit and you need relief from making payments, you can suspend your Auto Debit by calling customer service at 888.866.4352.

• To apply for or renew an Income-Based plan, please visit StudentAid.gov.

• You may be eligible to consolidate your loans into a new Direct Consolidation Loan, originated and owned by the federal government, to qualify for the pause in both interest accrual and payments due through Dec. 31, 2022. It is extremely important that you understand the possible negative consequences of consolidating your existing loan(s) into a new Direct Consolidation Loan:

  • Consolidation can sometimes result in a higher interest rate because the interest rate on a consolidation loan is the weighted average of the loans you consolidate, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percentage point. Therefore, you may find that your rate is slightly higher than what you paid previously once the pause in interest accrual ends.

  • When you consolidate, any outstanding interest will capitalize, meaning that any outstanding interest will be added to your principal balance.

  • If you are (or at one time were) paying your MOHELA loans under an income based repayment (IBR) plan, when you consolidate you will lose credit for any qualifying payments made toward loan forgiveness under the IBR plan. For example, to earn loan forgiveness under an IBR plan, you must make at least 240 qualifying payments. If you consolidate, however, you will lose any credit that you received based on qualifying payments that you previously made.

  • Because a new consolidation loan often increases the period of time you have to repay your loans, it is possible that you may make more payments and pay more in interest than if you did not consolidate your loans into a new Direct Consolidation Loan.

  • If you have existing Direct Loans and you decide to consolidate those loans with your MOHELA loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Income Driven Repayment plan credits for your Direct Loans will be lost.

    
    
    

    However, for a limited time PSLF waiver and/or Income Driven Repayment Account Adjustment may include payments made before consolidation towards forgiveness.

  
  

  Weigh the pros and cons before you decide whether a Direct Consolidation Loan is right for you. Visit StudentAid.gov/manage-loans/consolidation for more information and to complete an application if you decide to consolidate.

• Other repayment plans may be available that could lower your monthly payment. Please explore the Repayment Options/My Situation section to learn about these plans and get monthly payment estimates.

We are here to assist with your student loan needs during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.  If you or your family has been impacted by COVID-19, please contact MOHELA at 888.866.4352 or send us a secure message through your online account at mohela.com.  Options are available to help manage your student loan repayment which include pausing of payments through forbearance or a modification to existing loan terms.