Author: Sarah Brady, National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) Updated: July 10, 2026 Introduction and Main Facts For millions of Americans holding federal student loan debt, the landscape of higher education financing has felt like a moving target over the past several years. A flurry of policy shifts, court battles, administrative overhauls, and shifting eligibility…
Author: Sarah Brady, NFCC Updated: August 12, 2026 Main Facts: The Current Student Loan Landscape As millions of Americans face rising bills or the resumption of paused debt obligations, student loan stress has reached a critical juncture. For cash-strapped consumers, fitting these monthly obligations back into a household budget often requires painful trade-offs. Borrowers frequently…
The landscape of federal student loan repayment has shifted dramatically. With the effective dismantling of the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan due to ongoing legal challenges, millions of borrowers—particularly those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)—are facing a period of uncertainty. As the U.S. Department of Education pivots to alternative Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)…
For millions of Americans, the Biden-era "Saving on a Valuable Education" (SAVE) plan represented a beacon of financial relief. Designed to lower monthly payments and accelerate the path to forgiveness, the plan was the centerpiece of a broader federal effort to address the ballooning student debt crisis. However, following two years of intense legal scrutiny…
June 18, 2026 — As the federal student loan landscape undergoes a significant regulatory shift, a critical window of opportunity is rapidly closing for millions of American families. With a deadline of July 1, 2026, fast approaching, financial experts and advocates are issuing an urgent call to action for Parent PLUS borrowers: review your repayment…
For years, Navient—one of the most prominent names in the student loan servicing industry—provided a pathway for borrowers to lower their interest rates through its dedicated refinancing arm, NaviRefi. However, in a landscape defined by rapid consolidation and shifting corporate strategies, that brand has officially been retired. For many borrowers, attempting to access NaviRefi today…
The landscape of federal student loan repayment is shifting once again. As borrowers look to optimize their monthly obligations and balance the long-term goal of debt forgiveness against immediate cash flow needs, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) has emerged as a critical, if complex, tool. While previous programs like the Saving on a Valuable Education…
The landscape of federal student loan repayment has shifted dramatically following the judicial intervention that effectively dismantled the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. For millions of borrowers, particularly those working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), the loss of this cornerstone program creates immediate financial uncertainty. However, while the headlines are alarming, a…
For millions of Americans, the federal student loan landscape has been defined by a state of suspended animation. Following years of intense litigation and regulatory upheaval, the "Saving on a Valuable Education" (SAVE) plan—the Biden administration’s flagship income-driven repayment (IDR) initiative—is officially being dismantled. As the Department of Education begins the complex process of transitioning…
New York, NY – July 15, 2026 – Mortgage interest rates experienced a notable decline today, following the release of yesterday’s more optimistic Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which indicated a slowdown in inflation for June. This cooling inflation environment has provided a welcome, albeit potentially temporary, respite for prospective homebuyers and those considering refinancing…
