Student loan forgiveness will not be available to these borrowers

The student loan exemption will not be available for these student loan borrowers.

Here’s what you need to know.

Student loans

If there are more student loan cancellations, it’s clear who that will help. Democrats in Congress and President Joe Biden agree there should be a large-scale student loan forgiveness. However, they disagree on at least two points regarding the cancellation of student loans. First, while Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) want up to $ 50,000 in canceled student loans, Biden wants up to $ 10,000 in loans students canceled. Second, Warren and Schumer want Biden to issue an executive order canceling the student loan. However, Biden says Congress should cancel student loans because he doesn’t believe he has the legal authority to write off student loan debt for every student loan borrower. Despite these differences, if there is a student loan forgiveness, Congress and Biden might agree that the following student loan borrowers will not be eligible for student loan cancellation. Here is what could be excluded from the large-scale student loan forgiveness:

1. The student loan exemption would not apply to private student loan borrowers

When you read large-scale student loan cancellation proposals, it usually only applies to federal student loans. Over 90% of all student loan debt is federal student loan debt, with over $ 100 million in private student loan debt. While Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has proposed that the entire $ 1.7 trillion student debt be canceled, there is no blanket proposal to cancel private student loans. So if you have private student loan debt, don’t expect to get student loan forgiveness. Why? The federal government owns most of the federal student debt and could work through the US Department of Education and Student Loan Services to write off this portion of student debt transparently. In contrast, private debt can be owned by financial institutions and third party investors, making it logistically more difficult to cancel. If Congress or the President implements student loan cancellation, private student loan debts are unlikely to be included. (Here are 5 reasons why Biden didn’t cancel student loans).

2. Student loan cancellation can be limited to borrowers with a certain income

Student loan cancellation will not apply to all student loan borrowers. Members of Congress often make broad statements to “write off all student loan debt.” However, there is no general proposition to cancel everyone’s student loan debt. Warren and Schumer’s proposal would limit student loan cancellations to student loan borrowers who earn up to $ 125,000 per year. That said, this income threshold is upper as the income threshold for recent stimulus packages. If Congress considers a large-scale student loan cancellation, it is possible that the income threshold will be lowered, which could prevent millions of student loan borrowers from obtaining student loan forgiveness.

3. FFELP and Perkins loans are unlikely to be eligible for student loan cancellation.

If you have FFELP loans or Perkins loans, you were hoping for student loan relief and you are probably frustrated that you were left out. Unlike direct loans such as Stafford loans which are issued by the US Department of Education, FFELP loans have been issued by financial institutions while Perkins loans are issued by colleges and universities. Congress excluded FFELP and Perkins loans from the Cares Act – the $ 2.2 trillion stimulus package – when they passed a full temporary forbearance on student loans. One strategy that FFELP loan borrowers can consider is a direct consolidation loan with the US Department of Education. By consolidating FFELP loans into a direct consolidation loan, student loan borrowers can obtain a direct loan. This type of loan would qualify for a student loan discount, if applicable. Contact your student loan manager or the US Department of Education for details.

Student loan cancellation: here’s who might be eligible

All hope is not lost for the cancellation of the student loan. Here’s how to get approved for a student loan forgiveness. These groups of student loan borrowers could benefit from a student loan discount:

Federal student loan borrowers

If there is a student loan forgiveness, it will focus on federal student loan borrowers with direct loans. This is the same group of student loan borrowers who have been granted temporary student loan forbearance under the Cares Act.

Student loan borrowers affected by targeted student loan cancellation

Biden will continue to use targeted student loan cancellation to provide student loan relief to groups of student loan borrowers. Since becoming president, Biden has canceled nearly $ 10 billion in student loans through targeted student loan cancellation. By January 31, 2022, Biden will have canceled at least $ 70 billion in student loans for student loan borrowers. This includes totally and permanently disabled student loan borrowers as well as student loan borrowers who have been misled by their college or university and have requested exemption from their student loan under the rule of law. the borrower’s defense against repayment.

Student loan borrowers who are enrolled in this student loan exemption plan

Student loan cancellation won’t be available to everyone, but this plan is available now. It will not offer you immediate forgiveness on your student loan. However, income-based repayment plans such as IBR, PAYE, REPAYE, and ICR can help you lower your monthly federal student loan payment and get student loan forgiveness after 20 years (undergraduate student loans) or 25 years (graduate student loans).

Student loan cancellation for civil servants

Federal student loan borrowers who work full time for a qualifying nonprofit or public service employer and meet other requirements may have their federal student loans fully canceled. While not an immediate, large-scale student loan cancellation, expect the U.S. Department of Education to revamp this program to better meet the needs of student loan borrowers. With a rejection rate of 98% and many frustrated student loan borrowers, the Education Department held hearings and gathered public comment to improve the outcomes of student loan borrowers. (Here are 17 ways Biden could fix student loan cancellation).

There is no guarantee that Congress or Biden will enact large-scale student loan cancellation. There is no broad support for the cancellation of student loans, regardless of the amount. (Here is the Democrats’ position on canceling student loans). Biden wants Congress to write off student loan debt, but he has indicated he’s unlikely to unilaterally write off student loan debt without Congress approval. Considering these scenarios, make sure you understand all of your student loan repayment options. Here are some popular ways to save money with your student loans:

Student loans: related reading

How to get approved for a student loan forgiveness

Student loan cancellation won’t be available to everyone, but this plan is available now

If Biden doesn’t cancel your student loans, do these 3 things

How to get a student loan forgiveness