Hi,

I graduated from law school in 2007 with $75,500 in federal debt and $29,250 in private debt.  I filed chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2011 because I couldn’t afford the payments.  I’m now out of bankruptcy and my federal loans are getting take care of just fine.  But I have no idea where my private loans are.  The holders didn’t file proof of claim for the bankruptcy and when I contacted the original holder to start a payment plan, they told me the loans had been sold but couldn’t tell me to whom.  So, I have no idea where they are or how much they are.

I’m engaged and my partner and I are trying to plan for the future (house, kids, etc), but it’s hard to plan when you don’t have the full picture.  My partner wants me to try to track down the loans, but I’m worried it’d be like sticking my head out of the mole hill.  My understanding is that student debt is now bought and sold like subprime mortgages were/are.  And I can foresee the current holders of my debt asking for payments I can’t afford, and having little to no motivation to lower the payments.  I also don’t know when the SOL will run out because I’m not positive under which state’s statues the loans were issued, plus there’s the bankruptcy.

Has this happened to anyone else?  Any advise?  Is there anyone in Portland, Oregon I can talk to?