Kim Blanton provides excellent advice on the Squared Away Blog.
1. If you earn enough to make your payments, start paying.
2. Open your student loan mail.
3. Call your loan servicing company. But do not call without doing some homework first.
4. The best option for lower-income former students with high debt levels is an income-based repayment plan.
5. Whether to enter an income-based repayment plan depends on how much you earn now and expect to earn in the future.
6. Don’t select a repayment plan based solely on the monthly payments.
7. Don’t agree to a repayment plan blindly without developing a budget first.
8. Never pay for help with your student loans.
9. Be mindful of your credit score while paying off student loans.
10. Avoid deferment or forbearance, if you can.
11. Find out whether your profession qualifies you for loan forgiveness.
12. Avoid defaulting on your loans at all cost.
Source: Financial Planning for Women