WASHINGTON — As a federal government shutdown begins Oct. 1, millions of student loan borrowers may be wondering how the funding lapse could affect their payments and services.

The short answer: Keep paying your bills.

Federal student loan payments remain due during a government shutdown, and borrowers must continue making payments on time to avoid delinquency or default, according to the Department of Education's contingency plans from previous shutdowns.

About 9.9 million students receive some form of federal aid, spread across some 5,400 colleges, according to the department. Within the Office of Federal Student Aid, the department plans to furlough 632 of the 747 employees during the shutdown, although it didn't say which ones. For most student loan issues, borrowers work with lo

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