Student loan forbearance temporarily stops or lowers student loan payments. Because of its costs, only use forbearance if you have short-term issues and no other choice.

An unsecured loan is a loan based on your creditworthiness and good faith promise to repay rather than collateral, such as a home or vehicle.

Private student loans aren’t eligible for most forgiveness programs. However, there may be other sources of private student loan help—see your options.

Paying off a loan may lower your credit score, but if you practice good credit habits the effect will be minimal. Paying off a loan early can reduce your debt-to-income ratio, which can benefit ...