President Biden releases newest student loan plan

WASHINGTON (WWLP/AP) – In Washington, the Education Department released a draft of a student loan relief plan on Monday.

The Biden Administration’s new plan would target specific groups of borrowers, instead of trying to pass a sweeping plan, like the one the Supreme Court rejected in June.

According to the Associated Press, the proposal targets groups that are seen as especially vulnerable, focusing on those who owe so much or make so little income, that they otherwise may never repay their loans.

The plan would help counter high interest rates for loans, offer relief to borrowers who attended for-profit college programs with poor outcomes, and help older borrowers whose loans entered repayment 25 or more years ago.

A fifth group is also being discussed, which is those who are experiencing financial hardship that the current student loan system does not currently adequately address.

President Joe Biden’s initial student loan forgiveness plan was broader, as it would have canceled up to $20,000 in federal student loans for those with annual incomes below $125,000 or couples below $250,000. After that was rejected by the court’s conservative majority, Biden called on the Education Department to try again using a different legal basis.

The new proposal’s goal is to tackle issues that are seen as some of the biggest culprits behind skyrocketing debt. It would help counter interest that goes beyond borrowers’ original balances and would offer relief to borrowers who attended for-profit college programs with poor outcomes. It would also help older borrowers who took out loans decades ago and struggle to make payments.

The department says it will refine the proposal as it goes through a federal rulemaking process. The public will be able to provide written feedback in 2024.