Student Loan Impact Tracker

After SAVE winds down, IBR remains the main legacy income-driven option for older borrowers. Key facts to weigh before switching:

• Eligibility...

The federal tax exemption on canceled student debt expired at the end of 2025, so IDR forgiveness starting this year counts as taxable income.

• Tax...

Borrower defense applications face delays as Federal Student Aid removed the school-response function from FSA Partner Connect following its October...

Scammers are using stolen identities to take out federal loans and grants in "ghost student" schemes that can stay hidden for years.

Practical steps...

Borrowers with department-held Perkins loans face a December 1 switch from ECSI to GCR Servicing.

• Keep paying ECSI through November; automatic...

Louisiana borrowers face the nation's largest post-forgiveness tax increases after the federal exemption expired Dec. 31, 2025.

• Average extra cost:...

Federal data reveals wide gaps in average balances that directly affect repayment pressure by location.

• D.C. borrowers average $56,200, far above...

Borrowers reaching IDR forgiveness face sudden federal tax hits of $6,000–$12,000 after the 2021 tax exemption expired.

• A married couple earning...

Federal Student Aid temporarily removed the Borrower Defense tool from its online portal to address an issue identified after a system transition.

A new federal earnings-accountability rule could cut off federal student loans for programs whose graduates earn less than high school or bachelor's...

South Carolina's new $10 million program lets teachers refinance up to $27,500 in federal or private loans at a fixed 2% rate over 10 years, with full...

The Education Department rescinded the 2024 Title IX regulations and proposed $95 million in education program cuts, with minimal direct ties to...

Can Congress codify FAFSA fraud checks without delaying aid for legitimate borrowers?

• The No Aid for Ghost Students Act would require identity...

Parent PLUS borrowers must plan ahead for delayed 2026-2027 disbursements that cannot cover early school fee deadlines.

• Funds are not issued until...

• Massive backlog: 82,000 buyback applications pending as reviews slowed after staff cuts and SAVE forbearance spikes
• Borrowers wait months or...

The finalized rule sets a low bar requiring graduates to out-earn non-degree holders on average, hitting mainly for-profit certificate programs in...

South Carolina teachers can refinance existing loans at a fixed 2% rate through SCSLC, with half the $10 million program allowing full forgiveness...

Current bankruptcy rules create steeper barriers for Black student loan borrowers seeking relief.

• Black debtors file at twice the population rate...

$234 billion in federal student loans are now in default, following extended payment pauses. Collections efforts are expected to resume soon, just as...

A step-by-step PSLF guide stresses submitting Employment Certification Forms regularly to track qualifying employment and protect payment counts.