For anyone with a student loan - what to demand from your loan servicer

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) unveiled the student loan Payback Playbook, a set of prototype disclosures that outline a path to affordable payments for borrowers trying to avoid student debt distress. The Payback Playbook provides borrowers with personalized information about their repayment options from loan servicers so they can secure a monthly payment they can afford. The Payback Playbook would be available to borrowers on their monthly bills, in regular email communications from their student loan servicers, or when they log into their student loan accounts.

“Millions of consumers needlessly fall behind on their student loan debt, despite their right under federal law to a payment they can afford,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “The Payback Playbook, which has grown out of our joint work with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and her colleagues, is designed to help ensure student loan servicers provide personalized information, tailored to the borrower’s individual situation. This will help these borrowers take action, stay on track, and steer clear of financial distress.“

View the Payback Playbook prototypes at: http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/201604_cfpb_student-loan-playbooks-website.pdf

About 43 million Americans owe student loan debt, with outstanding debt estimated at $1.3 trillion. The Department of Education offers numerous plans to borrowers with federal student loans that help make payments more affordable