To pause your federal student loan payments, download the Edfinancial forbearance request form that matches your situation, complete the borrower and request sections, sign it, and send it back through your online account, by fax, or by mail. Edfinancial generally processes these requests within seven to ten business days, and each approved forbearance can last up to 12 months.1Edfinancial Services. Income-Driven Repayment Information Center Interest keeps accruing the entire time, so understand the cost before you file.
Check Deferment First
Deferment is cheaper than forbearance if you have subsidized federal loans, because the government pays the interest on subsidized loans during deferment. During forbearance, interest accrues on every loan type.2Federal Student Aid. Interest Capitalization on Federal Student Loans Common deferment triggers include half-time enrollment, unemployment, active military service, and economic hardship. If none fit, forbearance is the next option.
Pick the Right Form
Federal forbearance splits into two categories, and each uses its own standardized form. Using the wrong one delays processing.
General Forbearance Request
This is the form most borrowers need. It’s discretionary, meaning Edfinancial decides whether to approve it, and it covers financial difficulties, medical expenses, a change in employment, or other temporary hardships. Each approved period lasts up to 12 months, and renewals are allowed.3eCFR. 34 CFR 685.205 – Forbearance
Mandatory Forbearance Requests
If you meet the criteria for a mandatory category, the servicer must grant the pause. Different forms cover different situations:
- A medical or dental internship or residency, National Guard activation, or participation in the Department of Defense Student Loan Repayment Program, where you don’t qualify for the corresponding deferment.4Federal Student Aid. Mandatory Forbearance Request – Medical or Dental Internship/Residency, National Guard Duty, or Department of Defense Student Loan Repayment Program
- Qualifying teaching service while working toward Teacher Loan Forgiveness.5Federal Student Aid. Teacher Loan Forgiveness Forbearance Request
- A student loan debt burden where your total monthly federal student loan payments equal or exceed 20 percent of your gross monthly income; this can last up to three years.6eCFR. 34 CFR Part 685 – William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
You can download the PDFs from Edfinancial’s Forms page or from the Federal Student Aid website; the forms are identical.7Edfinancial Services. Forms8Federal Student Aid. General Forbearance Request
Filling Out the General Forbearance Request
The form runs a single page in three sections.8Federal Student Aid. General Forbearance Request
Section 1: Borrower Information
Enter your Social Security number, date of birth, full legal name, mailing address, primary and alternate phone numbers, and email address. The name and SSN must match your loan records exactly; a mismatch causes delays. Update your contact information here if you’ve moved since your last payment.
Section 2: Forbearance Request
Four items to complete. First, check the box that describes your reason: financial difficulties, a change in employment, medical expenses, or “other” with a written explanation. Second, indicate whether you want to stop payments entirely or make smaller payments at a reduced amount you specify. Third, fill in the month and year you want the forbearance to start, matching a billing cycle where you need relief. Fourth, enter the month and year you want it to end. The maximum is 12 months from the start date.3eCFR. 34 CFR 685.205 – Forbearance Requesting the full 12 months gives you the most flexibility, and you can resume payments early if your situation improves.
Section 3: Signature and Certification
Read the certifications, then sign and date. An unsigned form is returned without processing. If you’re printing and completing by hand, make sure the signature is legible and the date is current.
Submitting the Form
Edfinancial accepts the completed form three ways.7Edfinancial Services. Forms
- Upload it through your account at myaccount.edfinancial.studentaid.gov. Edfinancial describes this as the fastest submission method; use a PDF or clear image.
- Fax it to 800-887-6130 (toll-free) or 865-692-6348. Keep the confirmation page as proof.
- Mail it to Edfinancial Services, P.O. Box 36008, Knoxville, TN 37930-6008. Use a mailing option with tracking.9Edfinancial Services. Contact
For help completing the form, Edfinancial’s customer service line is 1-855-337-6884. Phone hours are Monday 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.9Edfinancial Services. Contact
After You Submit
Processing generally takes seven to ten business days.1Edfinancial Services. Income-Driven Repayment Information Center Check your account dashboard for status; once approved, it should show a zero-dollar amount due for the forbearance period. Edfinancial also sends written confirmation through your chosen correspondence method.10Edfinancial Services. Frequently Asked Questions
If the request is denied, the notification explains why. Common reasons are an incomplete form, a missing signature, or claiming a mandatory category without meeting its criteria. Correct the issue and resubmit.
Keep making your regular payments until you see the forbearance applied to your account. If a payment comes due during processing and you skip it without approved relief in place, the missed payment can be reported as delinquent.
The Cost: Interest Accrual and Capitalization
Interest accrues on your entire balance every day payments are paused, on subsidized and unsubsidized loans alike. When the forbearance ends, unpaid interest capitalizes, meaning it’s added to your principal.2Federal Student Aid. Interest Capitalization on Federal Student Loans After that, you pay interest on a larger principal for the remaining life of the loan.
You can prevent capitalization by paying the accrued interest before the period ends.11Federal Student Aid. Interest Capitalization Even partial interest payments reduce the amount that capitalizes. The form’s reduced-payment option is one way to cover monthly interest without resuming a full payment.
Effect on PSLF and IDR Forgiveness
Months in forbearance generally don’t count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness or income-driven repayment forgiveness. PSLF requires 120 qualifying monthly payments, and no payment is being made during forbearance.12MOHELA. Public Service Loan Forgiveness The same is true of the 20- or 25-year clock for IDR forgiveness. If you’re pursuing forgiveness, switching to an income-driven repayment plan may serve you better than forbearance, since every month on an IDR plan counts toward PSLF and IDR forgiveness even when the calculated payment is zero.
When the Forbearance Ends
Regular payments resume automatically after the period expires. Edfinancial notifies you before the end date, and your next bill will reflect your standard repayment amount, which may be slightly higher if capitalized interest raised your principal. If you still can’t afford payments, you can submit a new request for up to another 12 months, or apply for an income-driven repayment plan that recalculates the payment based on current income. The second option keeps forgiveness progress intact and avoids ongoing capitalization.