How to Find Out If You Are on an Ex-Spouse's Federal Student Loan

Many students rely on federal financial aid to supplement the cost of attending college or graduate school. Although there are a number of grant programs for undergraduate school, graduate and professional students often depend on student loans to pay for school. The Direct PLUS loans for graduate and professional students provide loans to students who qualify. A credit check is required for Direct PLUS loans. If your ex-spouse applied for one of these loans and was unable to qualify alone, you may have agreed to co-sign for the loan. If you are uncertain whether you are liable for an ex-spouse's loan, you may check through the National Student Loan Data System, or DSLDS.

Instructions

1

Navigate to the DSLDS website (see Resources).

2

Choose "Financial Aid Review."

3

Input your personal information when prompted. You will need a PIN number. If you do not have one, you may apply for one on the PIN website (see Resources).

4

Contact the NSLDS if no information is found based on the information you input. Since you would be a co-signer on the loan, the system may not retrieve the loan based on your personal information. To be certain, you should contact the NSLDS by telephone or email (see Resources)