Which forebearance to request?

[iggster]

My husband has his student loans through Direct Loans. Two semesters were subsidized STFFRD and the rest were unsubsidized. We moved and didn't get the forwarded payment notice until today. We are "in grace" until 11/1. First payment is due 11/28.

 

The payments are way more than we can afford. Heck, we can't even afford to pay our electric bill! My parents are paying it for us. My husband has been looking for a job in his degree field since January with no luck. Right now, he's waiting tables to support us but even that has been really crappy pay.

 

I've been surfing the Direct Loan site. I have two deferment options: General Forbearance (This forbearance allows you to postpone or reduce the amount of your monthly payment for a limited and specific period of time.) and Loan Debt Burden Forbearance (This forbearance allows you to postpone or reduce the amount of your monthly payment for a limited and specific period of time if you provide acceptable documentation showing that your monthly payments for eligible education loan(s) exceed 20% of your total monthly gross income.)

 

Is one better than the other? Does anyone have any experience with either of these programs? I plan on calling first thing Monday morning to discuss all of this, but I want to have some options and knowledge before digging in.