Tax refunds and defaulted student loans…?

The question

Here is the situation, I quit my job in Feb 2009, and went to another state due to the economy. I got food stamps and A&D until summer of 2011, while I was waiting to go to SSA disability hearing…AGAIN…That judge crucified me the first time. I just couldn’t take it a 2nd time, so I went out and I found a job and got off of the welfare program. I do not have any kids, and I was living with a relative for those 2 years that I didnt work..
I guess the Collection agency for the student loan people “found me” and in 2010 when I was not having any income except for the A&D and food stamps, they looked at my “file” with the IRS to see IF I was working, and where. I had not worked anywhere from Feb 2009- June 2011. My question is…Will my tax refund (about $ 1,000) be offset to pay this stupid loan? even though I wasnt gainfully employed for those 2 years, but I have been employed now for 6 months?( I only went to that school for 3 weeks). I was questioned to leave cause there were many incidents of my Bi-Polar and learning disability, as I would get very frustrated if I didn’t “get” the lessons that were being taught…I had a 5th grade math level, and the school placed me in a college level algebra class. That was a disaster waiting to happen. Guess that so called counselor saw me coming a mile away! I even told her about my “problems” and she assured me I would be fine…SUCKER IS ME!!
This loan I have been paying off and on over the years (since 1990) and they also had been standing in line waiting for all the other medical bills to end their garnishments..I guess they got tired of waiting for one debt to be paid off, and withdrew their place in line….AND NO, I cannot manage my money due to my BiPolar issues, so I also went over a year without ANY heat in my crappy trailer. I guess the health dept was waiting to condemn it since my roof had a huge hole in it, and NO heat. From NO heat to the street! That would have solved everything! I would pitched a tent in the backyard, just to make a point! Hey, I did the best I could! Since I went, my relative has been managing my finances. The situation has been a lot better now. I told the collection people a few years ago that I had NOT been working at that time, so there was some sort of income based repayment plot. Every month now, they send me a bill that says Amount owed $ 0.00 so, what I need to know is will they not find out about me working again till next years taxes are owed? Can they just take my tax refund straight away? I need to know if I am getting statements right now, that say pay $ 0.00 how soon will the Dept of Ed find out that I have a refund coming to me? Or, will they not find out about it till tax time in 2013?