Blog.
Two Income-Driven Repayment Options are Returning
Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans provide federal student loan borrowers with a sustainable way to lower their monthly payments. Among IDR plans, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) became popular options to help borrowers reach forgiveness....
What Happens if the Department of Education Closes?
Earlier this week, President-Elect Trump announced on social media that he intends to close the Department of Education (ED) early in his administration and transfer responsibilities of educating our children to the states. Closing ED would require Congressional...
Student Loan Policy Changes Expected Under the New Republican Administration
The 2024 election has handed control of the White House and Senate to the Republican Party, with a potential GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The incoming administration is expected to introduce federal student loan policy changes to undo forgiveness...
SAVE Plan’s Legal Jeopardy Continues and Joint Consolidation Loan Separation
Student Loan Forgiveness Court Challenges Continue Last week, the 8th Circuit panel of judges questioned the Biden administration's authority under the Higher Education Act to grant debt forgiveness in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. The SAVE plan has...
Student Debt Relief Based on Hardship: New Rules Proposed for 2025
The Biden Administration continues to push new student debt relief efforts. On October 25, the U.S. Department of Education released a press release announcing a set of proposed rules that, if finalized, would authorize student loan forgiveness for nearly eight...
These Student Loan Borrowers Are Not Making Payments
The end of the federal student loan repayment grace period has been a financial rude awakening for millions of borrowers. After the pandemic-related pause on payments since March 2020, the Department of Education's 12-month "on-ramp" program, which temporarily...
Natural Disaster Relief for Student Loan Borrowers
Disaster relief for student loan borrowers is currently available for individuals impacted by FEMA-designated disasters, including Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. If you're having trouble reaching your servicer or your school's financial aid office, contact an...
On-Ramp Ends and Biden’s “Plan B” Student Debt Relief Plan Blocked (Again)
The federal student loan "on-ramp" period officially ended at midnight on September 30. This on-ramp gave borrowers 12 months to adjust to making their student loan payments without negative consequences for missed payments. Many Student Loan Borrowers Did Not Make...
The End of the Student Loan On-Ramp: A Warning for Financial Aid Directors
The 12-month federal student loan on-ramp ends on Monday, September 30th. The on-ramp was intended to give borrowers a year to find sustainable repayment plans following the three-year COVID payment pause. Repayment officially resumed on October 1, 2023, with bills...
Student Debt Relief Unlikely Before Election
The temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the Biden administration's student debt relief plan has been extended by a federal judge this week. The original order was issued on September 5th following a lawsuit filed by seven GOP-led states attempting to block the...