 TITLE: How Does Your Major Affect How Much You Should Borrow in Student Loans? CONTENT: Student Loans and Your Credit Report\n------------------------------------\nTaking out student loans isn't ideal, but may be necessary to get you through school and start your career. Another benefit is that student loans can also help you build your credit history.\nLike any other loan, your student loans will be reported to the three national credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Once you start making payments after you graduate, your payment history will also be reported and can help you establish a credit file.\nEven after you pay off your student loans, that information can remain on your credit reports for 10 years after the account is closed, which can further support your credit score if the information is positive.\nOn the flip side, student loans can harm your credit if you miss even one payment. The more payments you miss, the more damage your score will suffer. Defaulting on a loan can make things much worse.\nIf you ever anticipate that you might miss a payment on your student loans, reach out to your loan servicer and request some relief in the form of an income-driven repayment plan, forbearance or deferment. Be forewarned, however, that some of these options are available only on federal loans. Relief options for private loans are generally less generous. END