College Ave logo

College Ave

Student Loan Servicer · Nationwide

collegeave.com

What to do when a College Ave account holder dies

Report the death to College Ave's Death and Disability Forgiveness at 1-844-422-7502

Notifying College Ave 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 and Disability Forgiveness (1-844-422-7502) handles it.

Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting College Ave.

Death claim process

Follow these steps to file a death claim with College Ave:

Filing a claim

1
Submit the forgiveness request online through College Ave's secure Document Upload Center.
  • Select "Death or disability verification for loan forgiveness" in the dropdown menu
  • Fill out all fields and select which document is being uploaded (the death certificate copy for a death claim)
  • Upload the document, then click submit
2
College Ave reviews the documentation, updates the loan accordingly, and contacts the submitter directly if it has additional questions.
3
If the borrower has no Social Security number and cannot use the online upload, call College Ave at 1-844-422-7502 to discuss how to submit the documentation.

Required Documents

  • Copy of the death certificate, for a deceased primary borrowerCollege Ave names a "Copy of Death Certification" as the acceptable documentation for a death claim.
  • The collegeaveservicing.com loan account number, or the Document ID from a statement
  • Proof of the surviving borrower's income, for cosigner release instead of forgivenessPay stubs, W-2 forms, tax returns, or other evidence of income.

What happens to each kind of account1

Loan

"Only the permanent disability or death of the primary borrower qualifies for loan forgiveness." On a parent loan the parent is the primary borrower, so the parent's death can forgive it; a loan the parent only cosigned is not forgiven by the parent's death.1

If a cosigner dies, "the loan is not forgiven, but the cosigner may be released from the loan obligation, making the borrower solely responsible for repayment."1

The surviving primary borrower can request cosigner release at the Document Upload Center by selecting "Cosigner release application". Only the borrower may submit it: "any request submitted by a cosigner will be declined." Processing takes 3 to 5 business days.2

For cosigner release the borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have paid through half the original repayment term, and document annual income of at least twice the balance. A credit review must show no 30-day delinquency in 12 months and no bankruptcy, foreclosure or repossession in 24.2

Accounts handled elsewhere1

University Accounting Services, LLC (UAS)

Services College Ave loans in partnership with College Ave Student Loans, the servicer3

Not in College Ave's published guidance4

  • Mailed claim form
  • A mailing address for claim documents
  • Whether the death certificate must be certified
  • Notarization requirement

Sources3

Download instructions for the whole estate

24 to 48 business hours after the documentation is submitted through the Document Upload Center.

College Ave's Death and Disability Forgiveness can be reached by phone at 1-844-422-7502 for questions throughout the claims process.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from College Ave primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.

College Ave death claims support

Death and Disability Forgiveness

Document Upload Center

https://www.collegeave.com/upload/24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Hours

Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-9:00 PM ET
Verified Sep 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your College Ave accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

Forms for Settling an Estate

Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.

Free

Digital Assets Recovery Letter

Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.

Get Started
Free

Petition for Probate and Letters

Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.

Get Started
Free

Notice to Creditors

Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.

Get Started
Free

Renunciation of Executor

Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.

Get Started
Free

Affidavit of Heirship

Prepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.

Get Started
Free

Small Estate Affidavit

Collect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.

Get Started
Free

Estate Inventory

Prepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, composed to your state's statute, with the state's filing or delivery instructions.

Get Started
Free

Estate Closing

Prepare the paperwork that closes the estate — the state's closing statement, petition for discharge, or final account, with the state's closing instructions and the optional federal forms.

Get Started

All forms

Tools for Settling an Estate

Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?

Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.

Use Calculator

Do I Need Probate?

Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.

Check Now

Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?

Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.

Check Requirements

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.

Get Plan

What Do I Do When Someone Dies?

A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.

Get the Checklist

How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?

Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax, and inheritance tax for an estate.

Use Calculator

What Taxes Apply to My Inheritance?

Inheritance tax by state, federal tax on inheritance, and timeline estimates for receiving money, property, or retirement assets.

Learn More

How Does Step-Up in Basis Work?

Calculate the new cost basis on inherited assets under IRC § 1014 and project capital gains tax savings.

Use Calculator

All tools