Student Loan Planner

Federal student loan default rates are skyrocketing, according to recent reports. And the consequences could be dire for borrowers. Approximately 9.5 million Americans (the equivalent of 1 in every 5 borrowers) are in default on their federal student loans. The numbers skyrocketed during the last year after Republican lawmakers in Congress and the Education Department…

Student loan borrowers celebrated a historic milestone in July 2026 after a federal appeals court rejected the Education Department’s latest efforts to delay settlement relief under the Sweet v. McMahon case. Following the court’s ruling, more than 170,000 additional borrowers are expected to get their student loans discharged, bringing the total relief under the settlement…<...

Should you consider using the new Tiered Standard repayment plan? What about the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)? If your loans are taken out after July 1, 2026, you only get to choose between these two repayment options.  Like many ideas within the student loan world, the Tiered Standard plan is a bit of a retread.…

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Federal student loan servicers sometimes place borrowers into administrative forbearance when they need additional time to process paperwork, correct account errors or implement changes to repayment plans. For example, during the rollout of the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, administrative forbearance became especially common as servicers worked through payment r...

If you’ve committed your life to public service and have federal student loans, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). This loan forgiveness program lets you wipe out your debt after 10 years of payments while working for a qualifying employer.  You also must meet other eligibility requirements while being…

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