USDA Zero Down rules on Deferred Student Loans

Unlike FHA loans, USDA zero down loans don’t allow student loan payments which are about to be deferred, to be eliminated from the monthly payment obligation. (Remember, with FHA loans, if a borrower’s student loan payments can be deferred for 12 months, they can be kept out of the debt-to-income calculation.)
However, if a Borrower’s Student loan pmts are already deferred and there are PRESENTLY NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS BEING MADE, then USDA will allow the Underwriter to use 1% of the balance as the payment obligation for debt-to-income calculations.