Biden Announces $116 Billion To Student Loan Forgiveness, With More Coming

Biden’s historic announcement of $116 billion in student loan forgiveness, and the various programs aimed at providing relief to borrowers. Discover how these initiatives will impact students, and learn about the development of a new student loan forgiveness plan.

Biden Announces $116 Billion To Student Loan Forgiveness, With More Coming
Biden Announces $116 Billion To Student Loan Forgiveness, With More Coming (gattyimages)

The Biden administration has made a groundbreaking move, approving a staggering $116 billion in student loan forgiveness for 3.4 million present student loan borrowers. This decision comes as a part of various new initiatives, signaling the government’s commitment to alleviate the burden of student loan debt.

Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down Biden’s one-time student debt relief plan, there are still intact programs providing relief to borrowers, and more substantial student loan forgiveness is on the horizon.

The administration is diligently working on implementing new plans, furthering their support to students and easing the financial strain.

The PSLF Waiver Unlocks $45 Billion in Student Loan Forgiveness

One of the prominent programs in play is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which has now been improved, resulting in $45 billion in student loan forgiveness for over 650,000 borrowers.

The PSLF program allows borrowers to seek loan forgiveness after making 120 qualifying payments, equivalent to a decade of payments.

However, the program has faced longstanding issues, including complicated rules, poor oversight, and low approval rates.

The Biden administration addressed these problems by establishing the Limited PSLF Waiver in 2021. Payments made under the “wrong” repayment plan or on a non-qualifying federal student loan were not counted towards PSLF eligibility prior to this waiver.

This strategic move led to a significant surge in approvals for student loan forgiveness among public service borrowers.

IDR Account Adjustment: Over $40 Billion in Student Loan Forgiveness

The Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans offer relief to borrowers by adjusting their monthly payments based on their income. The IDR Account Adjustment, similar to the Limited PSLF Waiver, allows borrowers to receive IDR credit towards student loan forgiveness,

even if they are not currently on an IDR plan. This opens doors for many borrowers who were not previously eligible for forgiveness.

The Biden administration recently announced that around 800,000 borrowers received nearly $40 billion in student loan forgiveness under the IDR Account Adjustment.

This forgiveness was granted to those who reached the 20 or 25-year milestone under the retroactive IDR credit.

$22 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness for defraud Borrowers

In a significant move, the Biden administration has approved billions of dollars in additional student loan forgiveness for over 1.3 million borrowers who were defrauded by their schools.

This includes borrowers who attended now-defunct for-profit institutions like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institutes, where allegations of misconduct and fraud ran rampant.

Additionally, the administration is implementing $6 billion in student debt relief under the landmark settlement agreement to resolve the Sweet v. Cardona case. Borrowers initially filed this class action lawsuit because their Borrower Defence to Repayment filings were either delayed or denied.

The Borrower Defense program allows borrowers to request student loan forgiveness due to school misconduct.

TPD Program Offers $5 Billion In Student Loan Forgiveness

The Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge program provides much-needed relief to disabled federal student loan borrowers. This program offers student debt cancellation for borrowers facing physical or psychological medical conditions that hinder them from maintaining substantial gainful activity.

To make it easier for borrowers to receive and maintain debt relief, the Biden administration modified the TPD program in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Education Department waived post-discharge income-monitoring requirements and introduced automated discharges for certain borrowers receiving Social Security benefits.

Biden’s Vision: A New Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

While the Biden administration is actively implementing the current student loan forgiveness programs, they are also looking ahead.

The Education Department is developing a new student loan forgiveness plan to replace the one struck down by the Supreme Court in June.

The process of establishing new regulations governing this new debt relief program has already begun.

The new student loan forgiveness plan will be enacted under the Higher Education Act, a different legal authority than the one used for the previous plan.

Conclusion

The Biden administration’s commitment to student loan borrowers is evident through their efforts to provide significant student loan forgiveness.

The various programs implemented and those in development will undoubtedly ease the financial burden faced by millions of Americans.

As the government continues to prioritize education and the welfare of its citizens, borrowers can look forward to a brighter future, unburdened by the weight of student loan debt.

FAQ’s

Who is eligible for the TPD program?

Borrowers who are disabled and unable to maintain substantial gainful activity due to medical conditions can be eligible for the TPD program.

How much student loan forgiveness has the TPD program provided?

The TPD program has forgiven student loans for over 490,000 borrowers, totaling over $5 billion.

What are the recent updates to the TPD program?

The recent updates codified the temporary measures introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, making it easier for borrowers to qualify for TPD relief.


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