<prompt> Human: Hey rpersonalfinance.My girlfriend and I graduated from college in 2013, and ended up having a kid in 2014. At that time, we both applied for forbearance on our student loans so we could focus on the baby and providing for her. My year is about up, and I have around 35,000 in debt from the loans. She has closer to 50,000.Yesterday, she informed me that she was contacted a few months ago and told that she never was approved for forbearance and is massively behind on payments. The guy told her she must pay something like 550 a month minimum for the loans. I have never talked to this companyguy myself, but that sounds a little outrageous to me for minimum payments. This has tanked her credit to the 400s as well. Would our best option be to go to a credit or financial advisor and try to figure out a plan of action? She is convinced we will never be able to get a house or a new car at this point with all of the trouble she is in.  <response>: 550 per month on 50K in student loans is not outrageous. This is what you would pay on a standard 10-year plan.What type of student loans do you each have? If a good chunk of them are federal, you should be able to significantly reduce both of your monthly minimums by applying for Income Based Repayment IBR. This may not be an option for your girlfriend right away if she is already in default. If that is the case, read this. 