Find the best financial services for you at: SMARTFINANCESOLUTIONS.NET - How do I handle this student loan situation? - I took out a private student loan to accompany my Stafford loans and scholarships for my undergrad. The loan was for $15,000 and was co-signed by my parents. I was a freshmen when I took out the loan and am in my last semester now. A year ago, my parents filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and things have gotten weird from there. My Stafford loans were left untouched, but my private loan defaulted (apparently because of the bankruptcy?). I of course freaked out, having not been notified that this would affect me like this, and went to a a credit check website to see what damage this had done to my credit report. Now I am thoroughly confused as to what's actually going on.