How (and Why) to Review Your Student Loan History [REPLAY]

EPISODE RESOURCES

Student Aid Website

How to Download and Read Your NSLDS File on StudentAid.gov (and Spot Forgiveness/Credit Errors)

As student loan guidelines change and they apply past credit to borrowers' accounts, it's important you know how to review your loan history.

In this episode, we discuss how to download and review your NSLDS data file, and easter eggs in the document that could lead to faster loan forgiveness than you think.

We walk listeners through creating/logging into a studentaid.gov account, navigating to My Aid, viewing details, and using “Download My Aid Data” to obtain the NSLDS file, which initially looks confusing but includes critical data. Using a de-identified sample, We show how to verify and update contact information, review total disbursements and balance growth over time, check Pell Grant lifetime usage, identify which loans are Direct vs. FFEL/Perkins and may require consolidation for forgiveness eligibility, and read loan status timelines to spot improper long consecutive forbearances that may need correction. We end by previewing deeper guidance on consolidated loans, PSLF, and updated income-driven repayment rules in the next episode.

00:00 Why Your Aid Data Matters
00:54 NSLDS File Overview
02:20 Create Your StudentAid Account
03:02 Find and Download Aid Data
04:31 What You’ll Learn Next
05:45 Read the Top of the File
06:40 Loan Totals and Balance Growth
08:00 Loan Types and Consolidation Clues
09:34 Decode Status and Payment History
11:32 Spot Forbearance Rule Violations
13:28 Wrap Up and Next Episode