KEY TAKEAWAYS The Department of Education will restart collections processes on defaulted federal student loans on May 5.The Department of Treasury will contact defaulted borrowers over the next two weeks with information about ways to get back into good standing.

If your student loans are in default, you have less than two weeks to stop them from being sent to collections, which can result in the government garnishing your wages and possibly withholding your tax refund and Social Security benefits.

The U.S. Department of Education said on Monday it will resume collecting federal student repayments from borrowers in default from May 5 after a pause of more than five years.