Personal loan deferment: How to temporarily pause your payments

For now, your finances are on track. The credit card bills are manageable. Your loan payment fits the budget. But then something shifts: Your hours get cut, or your company announces layoffs. Maybe your car breaks down and the repair wipes out your emergency fund. For millions of Americans living paycheck to paycheck — about 40%, according to a 2025 Goldman Sachs study — it doesn’t take much to throw things off balance. One missed shift or unexpected expense can make it impossible to keep up with monthly ...