Final answer:
A federal student loan is considered to be in default if no payment has been made for a certain period of time. For Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loans, it's 270 days (nine months), and for Perkins Loans, it's 120 days (four months).
Step-by-step explanation:
When a federal student loan is considered to be in default depends on the type of loan. For Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loans, a loan is considered to be in default if no payment has been made for 270 days (nine months). For Perkins Loans, a loan is considered to be in default if no payment has been made for 120 days (four months). Once a loan is in default, the entire balance becomes due immediately and the borrower's credit score is negatively affected.