Student loan borrowers affected by natural disasters have options.

• If you're a federal student loan borrower living in Southern California and concerned about your bill payments due to the wildfires, you have choices available to you.
• Those with education debt also face challenges when dealing with weather and climate disasters.

Southern California wildfire borrowers of federal student loans can find relief options to manage their payments while recovering.

Those with education debt also face challenges with extreme weather and climate disasters.

Borrowers affected by natural disasters may be eligible for temporary relief from student loan payments, according to Carolina Rodriguez, director of the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program in New York.

Consumers would likely bear the brunt of the cost of Trump tariffs.

Experts advised borrowers to become knowledgeable about the relief options they can access if necessary.

In 2023, the U.S. experienced a record 28 billion-dollar disasters, including wildfires, droughts, and tornados, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By November 2024, there were 24 confirmed weather and climate disaster events with losses also exceeding $1 billion each.

Federal student loan holders should be aware of their options during a natural disaster.

How a natural disaster forbearance works

The Heroes Act of 2003 offers "several forms of relief" to student loan borrowers living or working in areas affected by natural disasters, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. One of the most beneficial options is likely natural disaster forbearance.

Kantrowitz stated that natural disasters have become more frequent and severe due to climate change, making waivers and forbearances increasingly crucial.

The Education Department's federal student loan servicers regularly check the Federal Emergency Management Agency website to identify areas affected by disasters.

The U.S. Department of Education typically places qualifying borrowers into natural disaster forbearance, according to Kantrowitz.

Although borrowers do not need to apply for it, they may want to contact their loan servicer to ensure their payments are paused.

According to the Education Department, the natural disaster forbearance can last for up to 90 days, and in some cases, borrowers may be granted 30-day extensions. However, the forbearance can't exceed 12 monthly billing cycles from the date of the disaster, and loan interest will continue to accrue during the payment pause.

Those who can make their payments should contact the Education Department to decline the automatic natural disaster forbearance.

Relief for current students, delinquent borrowers

Even if they're unable to finish the school year, students who are borrowers at the time of a natural disaster may still be eligible for an in-school deferment, according to Kantrowitz.

You or a family member can contact the Education Department to request a three-month suspension of collection activity if you're in default on your student loans and impacted.

'Documentation may not be necessary'

If the disaster makes it difficult or impossible to access the required documents, you should be granted deadline extensions by your loan servicer when requesting forbearance.

Kantrowitz stated that documentation may not be required during a natural disaster as it is often lost. Instead, it is sufficient to demonstrate that you are an affected individual through an oral request. This can be done by simply providing the address of your home or workplace.

You can retrieve your student loan records through your Studentaid.gov account if they were lost in a disaster.

Ineligible borrowers may have other relief options

If a natural disaster is not federally-declared or borrowers are not eligible for forbearance, they can still request a temporary payment pause by applying for a general forbearance with their servicer, according to EDCAP's Rodriguez.

During forbearance, borrowers should be aware that interest may continue to accumulate on their debt and they may not receive credit towards a debt forgiveness program if they do not make payments, she emphasized.

Rodriguez stated that having private student loans may limit the disaster relief options available to him.

To avoid delinquency or default, it is crucial to contact private lenders immediately to investigate potential relief options.