<prompt> Human: Im currently in school to be a nurse practitioner. Part of my student loans to get my bachelor degree had to be taken out with the government. I just kept it in their name to be nice and they could get the tax credit. I found out that they havent made a payment since September when I have been regularly paying them. What would you advise me to do? Can they be transferred to my name? What would be the cheapest interest rate? Unfortunately, it is currently 3,500 past due, so I need advice. Thanks in advance  <response>: Legally speaking, the debt is theirs. Theyre free to do what they wish. Call your parents and ask them why they havent been paying it. If its a financial problem there ought to be credit counselors in your area that can help you with this free of charge. They negotiate a fee with the debt collectors. Likewise you can probably meet the criteria for free legal aid, since most students have negligible income. You may want to contact a lawyer to help you clean this up for them, or point you in the right direction. Most lawyers give you the first half hour for free to assess your case, and you can confirm this with their reception, so dont be afraid to call. Most legal aid lawyers dont charge much if anything to students. If you dont want trouble with your parents, they will work in accordance to your goals.This is resoundingly common, so theyll be able to help. Best of luck with your studies. 