Can you be garnished if receiving social security on outstanding student loan in PA?

Answer 1

Yes, your social security benefits can be garnished if your Federal student loans are in default.

There are only 2 ways to get out of default on your Federally Guaranteed student loans.

1. Contact your collection company or student loan servicer and request to enter the rehabilitation program. Most people qualify, but I have seen some refused when the default is over 10 years old. In the rehabilitation program, you will need to make 9-12 on-time payments in addition to your garnishment. After the 9-12 on-time payments, they should stop the garnishment, but you will stay in a default status until your Rehabed loans are sold to a new lender. In the past, that was an easy process, but in these turbulent financial times, other lenders are not buying rehabed loans. So, with this option your loans will stay in a Default status for the forseeable future.
2. The second way you can get out of default and have your garnishment lifted is to consolidate your loans. These days very few Federal lenders will consolidate defaulted loans and your lender will probably not release the loan for consolidation while in a garnishment stage. The good news is, there are a few companies out there that will help you get a garnishment lifted and find a Federal lender to consolidate the loans.

If you need additional help, click on my user name, "studentloaner", below.

****Actually, you should check your contracts carefully. Student Loans can NOT be consolidated after default. Check before you count on the service, guarantor or lender to do anything. Read the fine print. I speak from personal experience***

The above statement is incorrect. Default Federal student loans that are not being garnished CAN be consolidated. I do it everyday. If a defaulted loan has a wage garnishment attached, then the underlying defaulted loan may or may not be consolidated, depending on the guarantee agency. About 80% of the guarantee agencies will allow a consolidation while be garnished, the other 20% will not. I have helped people with their Federal student loan problems since 03/2001, so I know what i am talking about.