Right. Doesn't matter if you can't pay it and go bankrupt. They still have a legal right to the money. No negotiating or bargaining. In very rare cases, and I know of one, a women with a huge student loan had a major bipolar episodes, was put on disability and Social Security, and they finally accepted pennies on the dollar. Up until then though, no bargaining. At one point before this, they were taking about 40% of her (small) paycheck.