Educational information only.

This page does not determine official eligibility and is not legal, tax, financial, or official program advice. Verify current rules with Federal Student Aid, your servicer, or another qualified source before acting.

Start here Before you call your servicer

Use this page to prepare the question, gather records, and avoid acting on a vague phone answer.

Notice dateDeadlineBalanceOwnerDefault statusWritten terms
1 Build checklist

Answer a few questions and leave with a practical next-step plan.

2 Estimate pressure

Compare payment estimate, income, family size, and basic budget room.

3 Request call

Ask for a review window if you want help sorting federal vs private options.

Quick Answer

Defaulted federal student loan borrowers should start with the Department of Education's Default Resolution Group site and official default resources. Before calling, borrowers should save notices, default status, balance, wage garnishment or tax offset details, and payment history.

What Borrowers Should Know

Quick answer

If your federal student loans are in default, start with the Department of Education's Default Resolution Group site at myeddebt.ed.gov and StudentAid.gov default resources. Verify phone numbers through official notices, the official site, or your StudentAid.gov account before calling.

This page is not the Default Resolution Group, Federal Student Aid, a collector, or the Department of Education.

When this page applies

Default Resolution Group questions usually involve defaulted federal loans, collection notices, rehabilitation, consolidation, wage garnishment, Treasury tax refund offset, Social Security offset, or getting back into repayment.

What to gather first

  • StudentAid.gov loan summary.
  • Default notice or collection letter.
  • Balance and account number shown on the notice.
  • Wage garnishment notice or paystub deduction if applicable.
  • Tax refund offset notice if applicable.
  • Prior rehabilitation or consolidation history.
  • Current income estimate and household budget.

Questions to ask

Ask whether the debt is federal, what default resolution options are available, whether rehabilitation or consolidation fits the account, what payment is required, when collection activity changes, and how the answer will be confirmed in writing.

Protect the paper trail

Default calls can affect deadlines. Write down the date, time, number called, representative details, agreement terms, payment amount, due date, and any promised next step.

Action Checklist

  • Log in to StudentAid.gov and confirm loan type, servicer, balance, payment status, and current plan.
  • Save screenshots or PDFs before submitting any repayment, consolidation, forgiveness, or complaint form.
  • Ask your servicer for written confirmation when the answer affects payment amount, eligibility, or deadlines.
  • Recheck official sources on the day you act, especially when rules, dates, or application access may have changed.
Planning tool Estimate payment pressure before you call

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Plain-English Example

If a borrower is researching Default Resolution Group phone number, the practical first step is to write down loan type, servicer, balance, current payment, income, employer type, and the document they are trying to complete. That makes the next servicer call more concrete and reduces the chance of acting on a generic answer that does not fit the loan.

What This Guide Covers

  • When Default Resolution Group applies
  • What to gather before calling
  • Rehabilitation vs consolidation questions
  • Collections, garnishment, and tax offset records
  • What to write down after the call

Common Questions

What is the Default Resolution Group phone number?

Start with the official servicer site, StudentAid.gov, or the phone number printed on your account notice. For Default Resolution Group phone number, save the number dialed, date, representative details, case number, and any written follow-up.

How do I contact the Department of Education about defaulted student loans?

Start with the official servicer site, StudentAid.gov, or the phone number printed on your account notice. For Default Resolution Group phone number, save the number dialed, date, representative details, case number, and any written follow-up.

What should I ask before rehabilitating a defaulted student loan?

Default and collection questions can involve deadlines. For Default Resolution Group phone number, save notices, balances, account numbers, wage or tax-offset records, and written terms before agreeing to a payment path.

Editorial review Student Loan Help Hub Editorial Team

Reviewed for borrower clarity, official-source orientation, and no-guarantee language. Last reviewed 2026-06-19.

Source note

Official sources checked June 17, 2026. Sources: Default Resolution Group site: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/; StudentAid.gov default resources: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/default; CFPB student loan resources: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/