Ok, now regarding receiving calls from people who want to charge me fees to get my federal student loan out of default, where can I better find out to avoid these types of scams?
You should take a look at our blog post titled, "Don't Be Fooled: You Never Have to Pay for Student Loan Help".
Can I qualify for a deferment or forbearance of my payments  if I'm in a tight financial situation?
Yes, you can also try to qualify for a deferment or a forbearance.