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You might want to read our guide to Student Loan Consolidation.

The CARES Act paused all collection activity, so you may have received a break there. You shouldn't have been charged this month. You should contact your collection agency and see what's going on.

If you have Federal loans, there's no statute of limitations. They will follow you forever. See this: How To Find Your Student Loans.

You need to look at getting out of student loan debt. See this: How to Get Out Of Student Loan Default.

Well remember, your loans are also always growing as well, unless your payments are fully amortized.

I don't recommend most teachers do Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Rather, I recommend Public Service Loan Forgiveness. That's 10 years, but you get total loan forgiveness. And, if you get an income-driven plan with a very low payment, you might pay less anyway.

Check this out: Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Also see this: Student Loan Forgiveness For Teachers.

Now that he's done with school, it's over. His Pell Grant should have been used first before loans. Any unused Pell Grants have to be paid back.

Did you consolidate or rehabilitate your loans? Loan rehabilitation removes the default, consolidation does not.

Read this article and use the guidelines to decide for yourself: Student Loan Scams.

See this guide to your options for parent PLUS loans: Parent PLUS Loans.

You might read our guide and assess for yourself if you can trust them: How To Spot Student Loan Scams.

See this: how to get out of student loan default.

Those are your basic options, unless you want to work with your children to help you as well. See this: Options for Parent PLUS loans.

Not really a fan of doing it. You're shifting the risk from yourself (which, yes, sucks, but there are a lot of programs and options), to your home (with no options except to lose your home).

You didn't say what type of loans you have - which definitely shifts the decision. Federal loans is likely a hard no. You give up income-driven repayment, loan forgiveness plans, and hardship options - like right now during Covid-19 Federal loans are paused with 0% interest. That's amazing.

Also, what if (in the unlikely situation) they do pass loan forgiveness - even partial. They aren't going to offer that on your HELOC. Only for Federal loans.

Private loans are a maybe, but you have to ask yourself if the risk is worth it.

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No, we don't negotiate debts and it's rarely a recommended approach we see so I don't have any good wording for you. I'm sure you can research it though.

It sounds like they are good on the amount. I would ask again if they would remove the default and push it. If they don't budge, it's your choice on what to do.