# Are student loans chargeable against my estate?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 10, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329 "2013-04-10T15:51:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329/1 "2013-04-10T15:51:04Z")

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Hypo: Let’s say that I graduate from law school.

My only debt is $100k in student loans.  
My only asset is a home worth $100k.

Tomorrow I get hit by a bus and die instantly. Will the feds seize my house to pay off my loans?

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**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329/2 "2013-04-10T15:56:22Z")

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Federal student loans are voided upon the death of the debtor. The Feds won’t go after your estate, your heirs, etc.

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**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329/3 "2013-04-10T15:56:36Z")

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nm

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329/4 "2013-04-10T15:59:14Z")

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> [@Simplicio](#):
>
> Federal student loans are voided upon the death of the debtor. The Feds won’t go after your estate, your heirs, etc.

Correct. Private student loans may or may not be - always good to check the fine print.

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-student-loans-chargeable-against-my-estate/655329/5 "2013-04-10T16:14:49Z")

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Wow. Answer in 5 minutes. Thanks…