According to a recent report by Edvisors.com, students in the graduating class of 2015 will be saddled with an average of $35,000 in student loan debt. Although $2,000 more than last year’s average debt, these numbers are no longer surprising to a nation accustomed to seeing total US student loan debt exceed $1.3 trillion.

Not only is this amount of debt bad news for graduates who will likely only find entry-level jobs, it’s also causing many high school students to question whether college is really worth the financial struggle. For those who have already graduated, the burden of debt is real and a great strain.

Debt can get in the way of moving forward with the things in life that many people dream of, like; buy a house, save for retirement, send their own children to college and much more. Debts can even prevent a person from getting married and even from deciding to have children; often these things are put off until later in life when the debt isn’t as high… but how do you work to eliminate that? debt for a “later time?”

The other downside to a large amount of student loan debt is the emotional distress that comes with paying more money than you can earn each month, or dealing with unsympathetic debt collectors, to put it mildly. Is there an end to the burden that college and student loan debt places on new graduates?

Between a rock and a hard place… Together!

If you’re facing student loan debt, you’re not alone. In the US, 40 million Americans have some form of student loan debt. This type of debt is higher than credit card debt and car loan debt combined, second only to mortgage debt. With fairly new laws making student loans exempt from bankruptcy, it can seem like there’s no way out. This debt can, in fact, be suffocating.

The good news is… there are ways to deal with student loan debt, no matter how much you owe or how long you’ve owed that amount. The best way to find a strategy that will get you out of student loan debt is to speak with a qualified attorney who works with students struggling to pay off debt. It may be impossible to negotiate with student loan companies (both private and federal) on your own, as these companies often have the upper hand. But help is available and getting out of debt is possible!

versus collections?

It’s easy to default on a student loan. If you miss a payment, or simply forget to pay, your loan will default. Once that happens, the loan can go from one collection agency to another, resulting in endless phone calls. Some agencies will even go so far as to contact family members under the guise that they are trying to reach you, largely a mind game. However, you should know that you still have rights, even when it comes to a delinquent loan.

Some of the things to know about collection agencies trying to collect on student loan debt include:

• It is illegal for a company to leave details about your loan on a public answering machine.
• A company cannot discuss its loans with anyone who is not a cosigner.
• Companies cannot garnish your wages without a court order.
• In most states, there is a statute of limitation on the life of a loan.

Remember, collection agencies must still follow the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Every state is different and every loan is unique, but help is available.