If you’ve been feeling the pressure from your credit score lately, you’re not alone. After a year-long pause, student loan payments resumed early this year, and many borrowers are now seeing the impact of missed or delayed payments on their credit.

According to a recent Washington Post article, student loan delinquencies have surged, and so have the credit score consequences. For some, just one late payment has knocked 50 to 100 points off their score. That kind of drop can affect everything, from getting approved for a mortgage or car loan to locking in low interest rates on credit cards.

Let’s talk about what’s happening and what you can do next.

Why Your Credit Score May Have Dropped

The student loan forbearance period during the pandemic gave borrowers a break, but it also set up a risky reset. Now that repayments have resumed, many borrowers either missed communication from their servicer, assumed their automatic payments were still in place, or simply couldn’t make the monthly payment in time.

Because federal student loans are now being reported again to credit bureaus, even one late payment can damage your score.

For Black women in particular, who carry higher student loan balances on average and often support extended family or invest heavily in their careers, these setbacks can feel both personal and systemic.

Here’s How You Can Start Rebuilding

The good news? There are real, tangible steps you can take to begin repairing your credit score and reclaim your financial confidence.

1. Check Your Credit Report Now
   Start by pulling your full credit report from all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for any student loan delinquencies, errors, or duplicate accounts. If you see something incorrect, dispute it right away.
2. Get Clear on Repayment Strategy
   Take the opportunity to make sure your current student loan repayment strategy still works for you. Make sure that the monthly payment can realistically fit into your budget and if not, consider changing repayment plans.

3. Get Current on Payments, Even If You Fell Behind
   If you’ve missed one or more payments, the most important thing you can do is get current ASAP. Call your loan servicer and ask about loan rehabilitation or income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. In some cases, recent programs may allow you to get back on track without the missed payments permanently damaging your record.
4. Prioritize On-Time Payments
   Your payment history is the biggest factor in your credit score. Paying the minimum, on time, every month, across all accounts, can help your score begin to rebound over the next 6 to 12 months.
5. Keep the Other Components of Your Credit Healthy
   If student loans are hurting one part of your credit profile, make sure everything else is working in your favor. Keep credit card balances low, avoid opening new accounts unnecessarily, and set up auto-pay to protect your payment history.

You Deserve Financial Peace, Not Shame

Student loans have been sold to our generation as the price of success. But what you’re facing now is not a personal failure. It’s a moment to pause, regroup, and build forward with strategy and support.

At Zenith Wealth Partners, we help high-earning Black women take control of their financial future without shame, confusion, or overwhelm. Whether it’s managing debt, planning for homeownership, or building long-term wealth, we’re here to help you move forward with clarity and power.

→ Connect with Zenith Wealth Partners today.

– Raeonna Jefferson

All written content is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Zenith, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.