What to do when an Ascent account holder dies
Report the death to Ascent's Death & Disability Forgiveness at 1-877-209-5297
Notifying Ascent of a death is not a claim for money. It is the step that stops the account and starts whatever the loan's terms provide at the borrower's death, from a discharge of the balance to a claim the estate settles. The Death & Disability Forgiveness (1-877-209-5297) handles it.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Ascent.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Ascent requires:
Filing a claim
- Say whether the deceased was the student borrower or a cosigner or parent loan borrower. Forgiveness turns on this, and it is the first thing the servicer asks
- If the student borrower died, request death and disability forgiveness. Launch Servicing confirms eligibility once the death certificate is provided
- A bootcamp loan applied for on or before June 9, 2019 is serviced by Aspire, not Launch. Confirm which servicer holds the account before sending documents
Required Documents
- Death certificate
- The Ascent or Launch Servicing loan account number
- Written notice identifying the deceased and any surviving cosigner or borrower
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, where the estate of a deceased cosigner or parent loan borrower is settling the balance
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
What happens to each kind of account1
- Loan
Ascent forgives a college loan or a bootcamp loan when the student borrower dies or becomes totally and permanently disabled. Each loan type has its own FAQ saying so.1, 2
The loan is not forgiven when a cosigner or parent loan borrower dies. The debt continues on the existing schedule, and a surviving cosigner or the primary borrower remains responsible for the balance.1, 2
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Aspire
Ascent bootcamp loans applied for on or before June 9, 20191
What Ascent's agreement and guidance say2
- What it does when notified
Ascent's loan terms provide an "administrative forbearance" that may be used to temporarily suspend collection activity while awaiting bankruptcy and death documents. Interest continues to accrue, unpaid interest is capitalized when it ends, and it extends the repayment term.3
- Who can get account information
Once a college loan is onboarded to the Launch Servicing platform after disbursement, the borrower may designate an authorized third-party representative through the servicer.4
For loans made on or after November 20, 2018, Launch describes the option to name an individual with legal authority to act on the borrower's behalf in the event of the student borrower's death.5
Not in Ascent's published guidance2
- A claim form
- How long a claim takes
Ascent's Death & Disability Forgiveness can be reached by phone at 1-877-209-5297 and email at help@ascentfunding.com for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Ascent primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Ascent death claims support
Death & Disability Forgiveness (Launch Servicing, LLC)
Phone
Career Training / Bootcamp Loan Questions
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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