What Happens to Student Loans in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, student loans are not discharged, but collection activity stops while the case is active. Payments may pause, continue, or be limited by the plan, and interest keeps accruing.

Federal student loans are typically placed into bankruptcy forbearance during the case, and time in Chapter 13 may count toward income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness if required plan payments are made. Any remaining balance survives when the case ends.

Related: Are Student Loans Discharged In Bankruptcy?

In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, student loans are treated as non-priority, non-dischargeable unsecured debt. That legal classification defines what the bankruptcy can—and cannot—do.

Once the case is filed:

• The automatic stay applies. Collection activity stops. This includes wage garnishment, lawsuits, and collection calls.

• The loans are not discharged through the Chapter 13 process unless a separate undue-hardship determination is granted.

• Interest continues to accrue while the case is pending.

• The full balance remains legally owed when the case ends, subject to whatever payments were made during the plan.

Related: What It Takes to Obtain an Undue Hardship Discharge

Chapter 13 does not convert student loans into priority debt, secured debt, or dischargeable debt. It temporarily restrains collection and reallocates payment obligations during the plan period, but it does not alter the underlying enforceability of the loans.

Federal and private student loans share this same non-dischargeable status in Chapter 13. Where they differ is not in legal classification, but in how payments, servicing, and repayment resume after the case—topics addressed in later sections.

Related: How Private Student Loans Differ In Bankruptcy Treatment

When a Chapter 13 case is filed, most federal student loans are placed into administrative bankruptcy forbearance. This status is applied automatically because of the bankruptcy. It is not a borrower election and does not depend on plan design.

While loans are in bankruptcy forbearance:

• Required monthly student loan payments are suspended.

• Missed payments are not reported as delinquent during the case.

• Interest continues to accrue and increases the balance.

• Collections remain paused under the automatic stay.

Forbearance prevents default during the case, but it does not reduce the debt. That tradeoff becomes more pronounced in longer plans.

For federal student loans, time spent in Chapter 13 bankruptcy forbearance is eligible to count toward income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness when required plan payments are made.

A borrower becomes eligible for one month of IDR forgiveness credit for each month they make a required Chapter 13 plan payment, even if:

• no student loan payment is made during the case,

• the loan remains in bankruptcy forbearance,

• the Department of Education receives no distribution through the plan, or

• the case ends early without a discharge.

Eligibility is tied to Chapter 13 plan payments, not to IDR enrollment status and not to payments made directly to the loan servicer. Completion of the full plan is not required. Credit accrues month by month for each payment actually made under a confirmed plan.

In practice, this credit is typically applied after the bankruptcy case ends, once the loan servicer is notified that required plan payments were made. The Department of Education does not automatically audit open Chapter 13 cases, and credit may not appear on the account until post-case verification occurs.

Note:

• Interest continues to accrue during bankruptcy forbearance, which can increase the loan balance.

• Student loans are not discharged through Chapter 13 absent a separate undue-hardship determination.

• For private loans, bankruptcy forbearance only pauses collections during the case and does not affect long-term repayment.

Related: How Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness Works

Student loan payments do not stop automatically in every case. What happens to monthly payments depends on how the confirmed Chapter 13 plan is structured and how the loan is serviced during the case.

There are three common payment outcomes:

Payments pause during the plan

For most federal loans, required monthly payments are suspended while the loan is placed into bankruptcy forbearance. No payment is due outside the plan during this period.

Limited payments are made through the plan

Some plans provide for partial, interest-only, or pro-rata payments to student loan holders along with other nonpriority unsecured creditors. These payments are made through the trustee and reflect plan feasibility, not loan terms.

Full contractual payments continue

Less commonly, a plan may maintain full monthly student loan payments during the case. These payments may be made through the trustee or directly to the servicer, depending on local practice and confirmation requirements.

Yes. Student loans can be included in a Chapter 13 plan, but inclusion affects plan treatment, not discharge.

Including student loans in the plan means the debt is accounted for under the plan’s provisions for nonpriority unsecured claims. The plan may provide for payments to student loan holders, or it may acknowledge the debt while no payments are made during the case. Inclusion determines how the debt is handled during the plan period, not whether the debt is eliminated.

Separate classification of student loans is not required. Chapter 13 plans generally must treat nonpriority unsecured creditors the same, and separately classifying student loans can raise confirmation issues if it appears to unfairly favor them over other unsecured debts. Courts differ in how they evaluate this issue, and outcomes vary by jurisdiction.

Federal and private student loans may both be included in the plan. Inclusion pauses collection activity under the automatic stay for the duration of the case. Any unpaid balance remains legally enforceable when the bankruptcy ends.

Related: How Bankruptcy Affects a Student Loan Cosignor

Chapter 13 does not require a single treatment for student loans. The confirmed plan determines how limited income is allocated during the case, and each approach carries a different consequence.

Common tradeoffs include:

• Lower plan payments. More flexibility in monthly cash flow during the case. Greater student loan balance at the end of the plan due to accrued interest.

• Higher plan payments. Less balance growth during the case. Tighter monthly budget while the plan is active.

• No student loan payments during the plan. Simplest administration and maximum short-term relief. Full reliance on post-bankruptcy repayment when the case ends.

For borrowers with both federal and private loans, these choices affect timing and cash flow differently. Federal loans typically tolerate payment pauses during the plan. Private loans may resume billing immediately after the case ends if no payments were made.

When a Chapter 13 case is completed or dismissed, student loans exit bankruptcy status and return to normal servicing.

For federal student loans

• Bankruptcy forbearance ends and regular billing resumes.

• Accrued interest is applied according to the loan’s terms.

• Repayment status resets, which may require income recertification if the borrower enters or resumes an income-driven repayment plan.

• Account records should reflect the time spent in Chapter 13, based on confirmed plan payments.

For borrowers seeking income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness credit for time spent in Chapter 13, that credit is typically applied after the case ends, once the loan servicer is notified that required plan payments were made. The Department of Education does not automatically review closed bankruptcy cases, and credit may not appear until post-case verification occurs.

For private student loans

• Billing resumes immediately after the case ends.

• Any interest that accrued during the case may be capitalized if permitted by the loan contract.

• The lender regains the ability to pursue collection if payments are missed.

The primary post-bankruptcy risk is payment shock. A borrower who made no student loan payments during the plan may face a higher balance and a full monthly payment as soon as the case closes. Chapter 13 stabilizes finances temporarily, but student loan repayment obligations continue after the plan ends.

Related: What Repayment and Credit Recovery Look Like After Chapter 13 Ends