The US government has started collecting student loan payments again. Many Americans' credit scores are getting worse because they missed payments. If you don't pay for 90 days, the loan companies tell credit report agencies. This can really hurt your credit score, like when someone goes bankrupt. It can make it harder or more expensive to get loans for cars, homes, or credit cards. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said that in early 2025, over 3 million people with student loans saw their scores drop a lot. The US Department of Education stopped federal student loan payments in March 2020 because of the pandemic. They started them again in 2023, giving people one year to get ready. But the Trump administration started collecting unpaid student loans again at the end of 2024.