I want to Rehab, but would like some advice on how I should set up payments. What is the safest way to get payments to to CR I'm not about to give them my checking account number. What do you suggest and do I need this agreement in writting before sending anything?

You need to call the CA and set up your rehab plan. Some agencies provide a written agreement and others do not. The Higher Education Act does require an agreement be sent, so some guarantey agenecies do not provide anything until the 12 on timepayments are made. However all the rules for rehab are set down by this act.

Tell them you do not have a checking account and that you cannot get one!

You don't have to do a checking account, although most of us here who have done rehab with a CA for SLs have done so by auto-debit from our checking accounts and no one has posted about problems (not to say it hasn't happened, but the incidence of problems are MUCH lower than with regular CAs). You can just tell them you will be sending them money orders. Another thing that I've seen people do is set up a separate checking account JUST for their SL payments. Give the CA that account info and then just fund it monthly with the money required for that month's payment (just make sure you do it at least a couple of weeks in advance of when the payment will come out to be sure that the money is available in the account). Then, after rehab is over, close the account. That way, the CA can't get anything extra from you and they don't have access to the rest of your money. You also don't have to worry about negotiating some other payment option with them, either. That would be my suggestion, but the money orders are also an option; it just might take a lot more "convincing" to get them to agree to that.

If you do set up the separate checking account, you'll have to give them the account and tracking numbers (obviously!) and, with my CA, they only had 6-month authorizations, so I had to call back after 6 months and re-authorize the debit. I don't remember if I had to do any sort of written authorization on that, though (I don't remember anything, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it!), and I don't think there's any other agreement requirements.

Hope this helps!! Good luck!!

Thanks for the replies. I think I already know the answer to this next question. but i will ask anyway can you set it up with a savings account?

Honestly, I don't know, but I doubt it (which I think is the answer you were expecting, huh ?!). I don't think that savings accounts are set up for auto debits like that. You can call your bank and ask, but, again, I doubt it -- sorry!!