Is it possible to temporarily hold my federal student loan payments due to the coronavirus and the loss of our jobs?
Yes, federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payments. This suspension of payments will last from March 13, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2020.
what if I go with deferment, any advice on that ?
If that is the way you go consider paying the interest that accrues during that period, so that you can avoid some of the consequences.