Student Loan Repayment Plans: A Fresh Start

The Education Department has reopened the online gateway for income-driven repayment plans for student loans. This move comes after a court decision in February that temporarily halted the Biden administration's Saving on a Valuable Education Plan and parts of other income-driven repayment plans. The shutdown had made it tough for those already in repayment plans to renew their applications. The American Federation of Teachers had to step in and file a lawsuit. They wanted the department to start accepting and processing applications for these repayment plans again. The delay in processing applications had been a big problem for borrowers, especially those in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Every day that applications went unprocessed was a day borrowers lost out on crucial time toward loan forgiveness and financial stability. The Trump administration had to tweak the income-driven repayment plan application to follow the February ruling. While the online application was down, officials said the paper application process kept running smoothly. Income-driven repayment plans consider a borrower’s finances and family size when figuring out monthly payments. Borrowers have to show they still qualify from time to time. When the forms were unavailable, some borrowers couldn't complete this process.

Advocates for borrowers are telling them to be ready for some delays as the department starts taking applications again. They say the application process is back online, but borrowers should still apply for the plan that fits them best. They also warn that not paying back loans or missing payments can lead to delinquency and defaults. Some people think that if the Education Department goes away, so do their loans. That is not true. The Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office has faced significant layoffs, with over 300 jobs cut. The Trump administration claims these cuts won't affect students and families. The American Federation of Teachers and the Student Borrower Protection Center say the government has taken a step to restore some borrowers’ rights because of their lawsuit. However, many borrowers are still facing "red tape, backlogs and dead ends. "

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