US Student Loan Deferrment Q

Apologies if this isn't the correct sub-forum, but since it's sorta money related I thought it would fit here. OH and I are planning a move back to the UK. By the time we arrive there in about 18mo or so, we will both have student loans to pay back. I've been paying on mine for about 6yrs now, and hubs will just be starting to pay back his when we move. I was wondering if any of you had successfully asked for a deferrment to stop making payments? If so, what deferrment period did they give you? I've seen 2yr hardship deferments before and that would very helpful given we could easily be looking at payments of £300-£400 a month. I'd love to know if we could stop these payments for a period of time while we re-establish ourselves.

I got deferment (it's actually called forbearance) for a year on my student loans when I was having financial trouble in the US.  I just called and asked, they were very helpful in setting it up.

I got deferment (it's actually called forbearance) for a year on my student loans when I was having financial trouble in the US.  I just called and asked, they were very helpful in setting it up.

Yeah, I know that's an option here in the US. I just wasn't sure if they would consider relo to a new country enough of a reason to allow us to stop making payments for a period of time.

Will you both be employed?

The employment thing is definitely tricky! The plan is that he would return to the UK first and secure employment (I think he would need to seeing that he will be my sponsor), and I would then follow him and then start my own employment search. We are both engineering professionals so I hope finding employment won't take too long (knock wood).

I don't know if it depends on what company your loan ends up with, but I didn't need to give any specifics or send any supporting paperwork.  I just told them we were having a tough financial time and were considering bankruptcy (which we did eventually do) and after the year, they started sending notices again, and I started to pay again. 

If your loans are through the Federal Direct Loan program, then you shouldn't have any problems.  I've had to defer loans a few different times, as well as change payment terms, etc., and they're always very helpful.