The rule of thumb
StudentAid.gov: never pay an outside company for help with your federal student loans. Your loan servicer will help for free, including with income-driven plans, consolidation and forgiveness.
Warning signs
- A company asks for “enrollment”, “subscription” or “maintenance” fees to put you in a federal plan or forgiveness program.
- Someone offers to get you out of default for a fee. The Default Resolution Group doesn’t charge; its only payments are your own repayment or rehabilitation payments.
How to check a message is real
- Letters from the Department carry the official Department of Education logo.
- Servicer emails about the end of SAVE came from these addresses, according to StudentAid.gov: customerservice@aidvantage.studentaid.gov, CRINoReply@cri.studentaid.gov, donotreply@mail.edfinancial.studentaid.gov or info@email.edfinancial.studentaid.gov, noreply@mohela.studentaid.gov, and nelnetnoreply@nelnet.studentaid.gov.
- Log in to StudentAid.gov to see who your servicer is, rather than following a link in an unexpected message.
See the list of official servicer websites.
Not financial or legal advice. This page explains the published rules. It does not tell you which plan to choose. Your loan servicer and StudentAid.gov have the final word on your account.
Official sources
- StudentAid.gov: Who’s My Student Loan Servicer?
- StudentAid.gov: Student Loan Default and Collections: FAQs
- StudentAid.gov: SAVE Plan Borrowers – FAQs About Choosing a Different Repayment Plan (October 2026)
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Corrections are logged on What changed.
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