Frequently asked questions
If you do not find your answers here, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997, or e-mail us at collections@ecmc.org .
Questions1) My loan was discharged in a bankruptcy, why do I still receive demands
for payment?
2) My loan balance appears to be incorrect; can I get a payment history?
3) What if I am unable to make payments?
4) How do I remove the default from my credit report?
5) How do I get a free copy of my credit report?
6) My loan should not be in default, what should I do?
7) What options are available to get my defaulted student loans in
better standing?
8) How do I receive additional financial aid to go back to school if
I am in default on a student loan?
9) What do I do if the school closed before I completed my program
of study?
10) What if I am disabled and unable to pay my loan?
11) How do I get a copy of my promissory note?
12) How do I get a coupon book or statement to start repayment of
my defaulted loan(s)?
1) My loan was discharged in a bankruptcy, why do I still receive demands for payment?
Guaranteed student loans are governed by 11 U.S.C. 523(a)(8) and the Reauthorization Act of 1998. 11 U.S.C. 523 (a)(8) states that if you filed bankruptcy prior to October 8, 1998, your student loan(s) could only be discharged if you were in repayment for a period of seven years or more (minus any periods of deferment, forbearance, and automatic stays) prior to filing your bankruptcy petition.
The Reauthorization Act states that in any bankruptcy petition filed on or after October 8, 1998, student loans are not dischargeable unless the court specifically grants a discharge due to undue hardship in a separate adversary proceeding. For more information, write or e-mail ECMC:
ECMC
Attention: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
E-mail
2) My loan balance appears to be incorrect; can I get a payment history?
If you believe your account does not reflect all of the payments that you
have made on your
account(s), send a written request to:
ECMC
Attention: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
E-mail
Upon receipt of your payment history, if you find your account has not been properly credited with all payments you have made, provide ECMC with a copy of the front and back of the financial instrument(s). If your balance does not reflect the federal income tax refund offset of which you were notified and it has been more than 60 days from the date of the notification, send a copy of your tax refund offset notice to ECMC. Send any information, documentation or requests to:
ECMC
Attention: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
E-mail
If you have specific questions regarding this issue, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997.
3) What if I am unable to make payments?
If you feel that you are unable to make payments toward your defaulted student
loan(s), you should contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997. The representative
may request that you complete and send in a Financial Disclosure Statement Download 
.
If you are unable to print the form, please e-mail us to request one. On this statement you
are required to list all income and expenses you have. You must send in copies
of recent pay stubs and bill statements.
Mail the completed form and supporting documentation to:
ECMC
Attn: Collections
P.O. Box 64909
St. Paul, MN 55164-0909
If your loan is being handled by a collection agency, mail all the information to the agency servicing your account. The information you provide will be used to determine an acceptable and affordable repayment plan.
If you are unsure who is handling your loan, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997, or e-mail us at collections@ecmc.org .
4) How do I remove the default from my credit report?
Student loan guarantors are required by law to report the default to the credit bureaus for a period of seven years from the date of claim payment to the lender. ECMC reports to four credit bureaus.
If you dispute any information appearing on your credit bureau report, you must file a dispute with the appropriate credit bureau.
If you have paid your loan in full, the default will remain on your credit report for the specified period of time noted above, but your report will reflect a zero balance outstanding.
If you have an outstanding balance, it is possible to have the defaulted student loan information removed from your credit report through the federal Loan Rehabilitation Program. For more information about loan rehabilitation, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997, or e-mail us at collections@ecmc.org.
5) How do I get a free copy of my credit report?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently passed an amendment to the Fair
Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requiring each of the national reporting companies
to provide consumers a free annual copy of their credit report. Free credit
reports will be available to consumers on a time line determined by region.
For more information, and to see when you will be able to access your free
reports, visit the FTC's
Web site on Credit. 
6) My loan should not be in default, what should I do?
If you feel your loan defaulted in error, you must contact your lender. You will be required to provide supporting documentation.
Documentation may include:
- School records showing you have been continuously attending school on at least a half-time basis
- A copy of an approved deferment or forbearance, which coincides with the date your loan defaulted
- Front and back copies of cancelled checks that you feel have not been applied to your loan
7) What options are available to get my defaulted student loans in better standing?
There are several possible options to get your defaulted student loan in better standing.
- Enter the Loan Rehabilitation Program. In order to qualify for this program, ECMC requires that:
- You make 9 on-time consecutive monthly payments
- Pay your loan in full.
- Enter the Loan Consolidation Program. In order to qualify for this program, ECMC requires that:
- You make three on-time consecutive monthly payments
- The total balance of the loans you wish to consolidate must be at least $3,000 after the three payments have been made
- Payments must be at least one percent of the total balance
For more information about these options, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997, or e-mail us at collections@ecmc.org .
8) How do I receive additional financial aid to go back to school if I am in default on a student loan?
Renewed financial aid eligibility will be granted to borrowers who enter into a repayment plan and make a minimum of six consecutive on-time monthly payments.
You must continue to make these monthly payments in order to retain the renewed eligibility. To request a Title IV (financial aid) eligibility letter, send your request in writing to:
ECMC
Attn: Guarantor Services
P.O. Box 64909
St. Paul, MN 55164-0909
You may also fax your request to 651.325.3319, or e-mail your request to ecmc.info@ecmc.org .
9) What do I do if the school closed before I completed my program of study?
The U.S. Department of Education has established guidelines to qualify for
discharge of student loans when a school has closed. You must complete a Closed School Application for Discharge
Form Download . If you are unable to print the form, please e-mail us to request one. The information
contained in this document will be used to determine if you qualify for discharge
due to a closed school.
Mail the completed form to:
ECMC
Attn: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
You can also fax the completed form to 651.325.3195.
10) What if I am disabled and unable to pay my loan?
Federal regulations provide for the discharge of student loans due to a borrower's
total and permanent disability. In order to qualify for loan discharge is this
case, you must complete the Total and Permanent Disability Cancellation
Request Form Download and have it signed by a physician licensed to practice medicine.
If you are unable to print the form, please e-mail us to request one.
In order to be considered totally and permanently disabled, you must be unable
to work and earn money because of an impairment that is expected to continue
indefinitely or result in death, or unable to attend school for the same reason.
Be advised that the standard for determining eligibility for cancellation of a student loan may be different from standards used under other public and private programs with occupational disability or eligibility for social services benefits.
Mail the completed form to:
ECMC
Attn: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
If you have questions regarding a disability issue, call ECMC at 800.780.7997 or e-mail us.
11) How do I get a copy of my promissory note?
You can request a copy of your promissory note from ECMC. You must submit your request in writing to:
ECMC
Attn: Account Servicing
P.O. Box 75906
St. Paul, MN 55175
or via e-mail. Include your name, social security number, date of birth, current address, and phone number.
12) How do I get a coupon book or statement to start repayment of my defaulted loan(s)?
If you have entered into a repayment agreement with ECMC on your defaulted student loan(s), you should be receiving monthly statements. The statements are mailed 15 days prior to your payment date.
If ECMC placed your defaulted student loan with a collection agency and you entered into a repayment agreement with the agency, you must contact them regarding their policy for sending a coupon book or monthly statement.
In either case, you should never wait for a monthly statement or coupon book to make your monthly payment. Monthly statements and coupon books are only a courtesy and not receiving one does not exempt you from making the required payments.
Payments should be mailed to:
ECMC
Lockbox 8639
P.O. Box 75848
St. Paul, MN 55175-0848
Include your name, address, phone number, and social security number on all payments to ensure your payment is credited to your loan. If you are not in a repayment agreement on your student loan, contact an ECMC representative at 800.780.7997.
