The cost of student loans has hit many and just this week federal officials announced that they will begin collection on student loans that are in default.

The U.S. Department of Education says about 5.3 million people are in default on their federal student loans and in May they are going to start collecting.

Betsy Mayotte, with the Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit providing free student loan advice, explains what that means. Mayotte says, "Involuntary collections means wage garnishment, tax refund offset, garnishment of social security, those kinds of things."

She explains there are two ways to get out of default either through consolidation or a program called loan rehabilitation. Mayotte says with loan rehabilitation you make nine consecutive, on-time payments, usually based on your income and family size. Once you make those payments, your loan is back in good standing.

Mayotte says, "Now you might be saying why would anyone want to take nine months to do that when consolidation is so much faster? It is true, consolidation is faster, and consolidation will make your credit report show that the loan in no longer in default. But rehab takes the default line off your credit report like it was never there in the first place and the collection costs associated with rehabilitation are lower than they are if you consolidate out of default."

Whatever route you choose, she recommends taking the first step and call your loan provider to get started.