 TITLE: How the CARES Act Stimulus Affects Your Student Loans CONTENT: What to Do if You're Not Eligible for Relief Under the CARES Act\n----------------------------------------------------------------\nIf you have student loans that aren't eligible for suspended payments, you'll still be on the hook for monthly payments for the foreseeable future. If you're struggling to keep up with your payments, contact your lender to ask about forbearance and other options.\nWhile forbearance won't stop interest from accruing—and you'll have to make up those payments in the future—it can give you a reprieve from loan payments for at least a few months.\nHere are just a few examples that were available at the time of publication. Be sure to check for any policy updates from these and other lenders:\n*   **Citizens Bank**: Borrowers can get up to 12 months of forbearance.\n*   **Commonbond**: The lender offers forbearance for up to 24 months.\n*   **College Ave**: Currently offers a disaster forbearance program, which can pause your payments for three months.\n*   **Discover**: Can temporarily reduce your interest rate for six months or grant forbearance for up to 12 months in small increments.\n*   **Earnest**: Qualified borrowers can get disaster forbearance, which postpones payments for up to three months.\n*   **Sallie Mae**: Student loan borrowers can get up to 12 months of forbearance in three-month increments.\nKeep in mind that you may need to meet certain requirements to qualify for forbearance with your private lender. Call your lender to find out what your options are and whether you qualify.\nIf your employer doesn't plan on providing loan repayment assistance, consider speaking with your human resources department to see if it may be an option, if only temporarily, during a challenging economic situation. END