In the News
Back in March 2020 and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal student borrowers were allowed to skip payments without penalty and loan interest rates were set to 0%. So, although you didn’t have to wrestle with your student loan debt during this period, payments resumed in October 2023. With collection efforts, including collection calls and wage garnishment, set to resume a year later. (September 2024)
Before this, the Supreme Court blocked the Biden-Harris student loan forgiveness plan which granted Federal loan borrowers up to $20,000 in debt cancellation under the HEROES Act. The Biden-Harris Administration immediately shifted focus to pursuing debt relief through the Higher Education Act of 1965, according to the White House.
The new plan from the Biden-Harris Administration includes a new repayment plan, called The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan which according to the White House, will save borrowers around $1000 a year. There are many facets to this plan, with the first phase in February 2024 when 150,000 borrowers had their debts canceled. These borrowers were on the new SAVE Plan with under $12,000 of debt and at least 10 years of payments. If you weren’t automatically enrolled in the new SAVE Plan, you may be eligible by consolidating your loans by April 30, 2024. The next wave of benefits happen on July 1, 2024. Read the full announcement of all the benefits the SAVE Plan brings.
Is the new SAVE plan right for you? With only 1 out of 6 borrowers enrolling in the new SAVE plan, there could be other repayment plans that may benefit your personal situation. Don’t worry we're here to help you understand ALL your eligible repayment plan options. The Department of Education has been issuing account adjustments not only for SAVE but also other repayment plans. These payment revisions are coming because of past behavior from servicers in an effort to account for times when servicers could have been misleading borrowers. If another Income-Driven Repayment Plan is the better option for you including Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Income-Based Repayment (IBR) or Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), or if you are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness these account adjustments can significantly reduce the amount of time you have until you reach forgiveness. But Act now because the deadline to qualify is April 30, 2024.
With all the changes happening in the coming months, now is the time to review your options, see what you qualify for and make a plan. It’s important to act now to avoid:
- Interest Accumulation – Although you won’t get sent to collections yet, interest has restarted and can compound if not addressed.
- Longer Wait for Loan Forgiveness – In many cases, eligibility for forgiveness requires a certain number of on-time payments, avoiding that bill won’t help.
- Stalling Future Planning – Getting control of your financial future now can impact decisions about buying a home or car, saving for retirement and more.
In just 20 minutes, with no upfront costs or credit card, you can see if your unique situation qualifies for a lower monthly payment as well as forgiveness or cancellation. Student Debt Solutions quickly and succinctly automates a counselor's knowledge of the (ever-changing) rules to provide you with the most up-to-date information and programs for your student loan debt. So why not try it out?
Along with questions about your financial status and your financial goals, Student Debt Solutions uses your National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) file which provides a centralized, integrated view of your federal student aid loans and grants. This file is important as it’s the official record of all your federal student loan debt as reported by studentaid.gov. In many cases, after waiting on hold (on average 70 minutes) to talk to someone at your servicer, they cannot provide you with the best program as they likely don’t have access to this file. Simplify the process! Save the hassle and time by using Student Debt Solutions.