Student Loans Must Be Forgiven And Cannot Be Kicked Off SAVE Plan, Says Amended Lawsuit Student loan borrowers have filed an amended lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, arguing that the agency’s plan to terminate the SAVE repayment program and force borrowers into other repayment options is unlawful. The lawsuit contends that qualifying SAVE plan borrowers should receive loan forgiveness or be transferred to the REPAYE plan, rather than being subjected to other repayment methods. This legal challenge arises as the Education Department prepares to transition millions of borrowers out of the SAVE plan starting in July, following a settlement that ended both SAVE and its predecessor, REPAYE. The department has sought to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting that the termination of these programs is final and that current law no longer authorizes them. Despite the ongoing legal battle, borrowers are advised to prepare for selecting new repayment plans, as the department’s timeline for transitioning out of SAVE remains unchanged. The lawsuit, filed by four student loan borrowers, argues that the Education Department’s handling of the SAVE plan’s termination was unlawful. The plaintiffs concede that Congress authorized the termination of SAVE in legislation passed last year, which also phases out other income-driven repayment plans like PAYE and ICR. However, the legislation does not mandate the termination of these programs until 2028. The plaintiffs assert that because there was a period during the litigation when SAVE was not blocked, borrowers who qualify should still be eligible for the program’s benefits, including student loan forgiveness if they met the 20- or 25-year threshold.#save_plan #linda_mcmahon #us_department_of_education #repaye_plan #eighth_circuit_court_of_appeals
Student Loan Defaults Surge to 2.6 Million in Q1 2026, New York Fed Reports The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that 2.6 million student loan borrowers defaulted in the first quarter of 2026, marking the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that defaults have appeared on consumers’ credit reports. The data, released in a blog post, also noted that approximately 1 million borrowers defaulted during the fourth quarter of 2025. These defaults are concentrated among older borrowers, residents of Southern states, and individuals who were not behind on their federal student loans prior to the pandemic. The New York Fed highlighted that the surge in defaults is linked to the resumption of repayment obligations for borrowers who had previously benefited from pandemic-related relief measures. Over the past three years, more than 40 million federal student loan borrowers were exempt from making payments due to the pandemic. However, the U.S. Department of Education’s “on-ramp” period, which lasted from October 2023 to October 2024, prevented late payments from being reported to credit bureaus. It typically takes 270 days of missed payments for a loan to enter default status, which explains why defaults only recently appeared on credit reports. The report also noted that a second wave of defaults could emerge as millions of borrowers who enrolled in the now-defunct Biden-era Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan are forced to resume repayment. The SAVE plan, which allowed borrowers to pause payments since the summer of 2024, was terminated earlier this year by a federal appeals court. Borrowers who signed up for SAVE have been excused from making payments since the summer of 2024.#save_plan #federal_reserve_bank_of_new_york #us_department_of_education #new_york_fed #bidenera
Education Department Tells 7.5 Million Student Loan Borrowers in "Illegal" SAVE Plan to Prepare for Repayment More than 7 million student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan will receive notices starting Friday, instructing them to transition to a new repayment plan, the Education Department announced. The SAVE plan, which was invalidated by a federal court earlier this month, has been in forbearance since July 2024 as legal challenges unfolded. Starting July 1, loan servicers will begin sending borrowers notices giving them 90 days to select an alternative repayment plan. The available options will likely result in higher monthly payments for most borrowers. The Education Department described the SAVE plan as "illegal," stating it was based on "the false promise of student loan forgiveness and artificially low monthly payments." Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent emphasized in a statement that the Biden administration’s approach to student debt relief was being "put to rest," asserting that borrowers must "pay back loans they took out." The department’s guidance, which will be sent to all borrowers enrolled in the defunct plan, aims to end what Kent called the "illegal student loan bailout agenda." Borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan have faced uncertainty as legal battles progressed. While the plan was in effect, they were not required to make payments, but interest on their loans began accruing after a court blocked its implementation last summer. This has led to increased debt balances for some students. Alexis Arredondo, a first-generation college graduate with $40,000 in student debt, described the situation as a "very difficult" choice between higher monthly payments or a longer repayment period that would result in more interest.#save_plan #nicholas_kent #education_department #repayment_assistance_plan #student_borrower_protection_center
New Lawsuit Calls for Immediate Student-Debt Relief for SAVE Borrowers Student-loan borrowers have filed a lawsuit demanding immediate debt relief for those enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan, a program created by former President Joe Biden to provide affordable payments and faster access to loan forgiveness. The lawsuit, brought by four borrowers represented by the law firm Public Goods Practice, argues that the U.S. Department of Education is violating its legal obligations by blocking the implementation of the SAVE plan despite its approval by federal regulators. The SAVE plan, designed to reduce monthly payments and shorten the time required to qualify for loan discharge, has been stalled since the summer of 2024 due to ongoing litigation. A recent court ruling rejected President Donald Trump’s proposed settlement that would have eliminated the SAVE plan entirely, leaving borrowers in limbo. The lawsuit claims the Department of Education should now process debt relief for eligible borrowers under the SAVE plan, arguing that the government has repeatedly signaled its refusal to administer the program. One of the plaintiffs, Heather Havens, is enrolled in SAVE and has made 303 of the required 300 payments to qualify for loan discharge. The lawsuit highlights that if she switches to another repayment plan, her forgiveness would still be eligible but would be retroactive to the date she enrolled in the new plan, not the date she became eligible through SAVE. This discrepancy could result in her forgiven debt being taxed, as a 2021 provision in the American Rescue Plan that made student-loan forgiveness tax-free expired at the end of 2025. The lawsuit also seeks to allow borrowers who left the SAVE plan during its blocked period to reenroll and receive relief.#save_plan #public_goods_practice #heather_havens #department_of_education #jeff_merkley
Federal Appeals Court Ends SAVE Plan for Student Loan Borrowers A federal appeals court has ruled to end the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, a repayment program introduced by the Biden administration in 2023. The decision, issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, overturned a previous ruling that had dismissed a legal challenge led by Republicans. The court’s reversal means the SAVE plan, which aimed to reduce monthly payments for millions of borrowers, will no longer be available. The SAVE plan, which allowed borrowers to pay as little as 5% of their discretionary income each month, was designed to ease the burden of student debt. However, Republican-led lawsuits argued the program violated federal regulations, leading to its suspension. The 8th Circuit’s ruling to end the plan has left borrowers in a state of uncertainty, with many now facing the prospect of higher payments or prolonged debt. The Department of Education had previously placed borrowers in forbearance during the legal challenges, meaning they were not required to make monthly payments. However, their loans have continued to accrue interest since August 2024. Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent stated that the department will soon provide guidance on transitioning borrowers to legal repayment plans. Experts advise affected borrowers to immediately apply for an Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request form, with the Income-Based Repayment plan (IBR) currently considered the most viable option. For those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness, borrowers are urged to file a PSLF Buyback application to account for the stalled progress under SAVE. The U.S. Department of Education has not yet commented on the court’s decision.#federal_appeals_court #us_court_of_appeals_8th_circuit #save_plan #nicholas_kent #one_big_beautiful_bill
