OK this is probably a real dumb question but how do you know if your student loan is in default on the CR.
I'm looking at my TU report that they mailed to me and I do see the TLs associated with my NELA/sallie mae loans but it lists the pay status as collection account and I don't see the word "default" anywhere in the TLs...

thanks.

If a loan is in collections it is by definition in default. The two terms mean the same thing.

This is not necessarily true. A SL does not default until there has been no payment on it for 270 days. A loan may be referred to a collection department before that time, however.

NELA is a guaranty agency, so if they currently hold your loans, then it's a good bet that you have defaulted on them. You should contact NELA and find out the status if you're not sure.

well this goes back to the rationales behind choosing rehab or consolidation.

Now that for these student loan TLs which don't have that word "default" associated with them, would it be ok to just consolidate? I know one of the primary arguments for rehab was to change the "default" wording/terminology associated with the TL to change from Default to a completely current TL.
So for instances where default doesnt exist on the TL, would be ok to consolidate instead of going thru the 12 months of rehab?

Thanks for all the info so far.

Only you can make that decision. But remember that there will be NO negative info removed from the current TL if you consolidate instead of rehab.