Parent PLUS Loan Deferment: Do You Have to Pay Right Away?

You can defer parent PLUS loans while your child is in school at least half-time and six months after.

Ryan LaneFebruary 5, 2021
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If you took out a federal parent PLUS loan for your child’s education, you don’t have to start paying it back right away. Parent PLUS loan deferment is available until your child graduates or drops below half-time enrollment, as well as in the six months after.

Interest will accrue on the loans during a deferment. That interest will be capitalized — or added to your balance — when you start repaying parent PLUS loans, increasing the amount you repay.

» MORE: Can a parent loan be transferred to a student?

When do you start paying back parent PLUS loans?

Your first payment on a parent PLUS loan will be due within 60 days of the loan’s final disbursement. Federal student loans usually have two disbursements — one for each college semester — so you would likely start paying back PLUS loans as summer nears.

You can opt to defer parent PLUS loan payments while your child is enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school. The loan deferment also lasts six months after your child finishes school, mirroring the grace period for other undergraduate student loans.

Parent PLUS loan deferment doesn’t happen automatically.

If you want deferment, you must complete an application and submit it to your loan servicer. You may also be able to opt into a parent PLUS loan deferment when applying for the loan, depending on the school’s procedures.

Parent PLUS loans are eligible for the same student loan deferments as other federal loans. These include postponements if you are unemployed or face a financial hardship, for example. Parent PLUS loans are also eligible for forbearance. You always pay the interest that accrues on PLUS loans during deferment or forbearance.

» MORE: Deferment vs. forbearance: Which is right for you?

Consider options besides deferment

Just because you can defer parent PLUS loan payments doesn’t mean you should — especially considering the extra costs.

The average parent PLUS loan in 2018-19 was $17,220, according to the College Board. At current interest rates, waiting four years to start repayment would add $4,877 in interest to that balance.

When taking out parent loans, aim to minimize how much you pay overall. That could mean paying the interest while your child is in school or refinancing PLUS loans right away. If you can’t pay parent PLUS loans, enrolling in the Income-Contingent Repayment plan should provide a more manageable payment.

» MORE: How to get parent PLUS loan forgiveness

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