The Department of Education has warned certain student loan borrowers that they will need to swiftly change repayment plans in order to continue paying off their debts without being placed onto more expensive options.
In an announcement on Friday, the department said it had begun contacting those enrolled in the “Saving on a Valuable Education” (SAVE) Plan—an income-driven repayment program launched under Joe Biden in 2023 but now terminated—telling them to search for alternatives.
Why It Matters
The department said those who fail to switch plans will be automatically enrolled in the standard repayment plan, the most expensive option, or the upcoming “Tiered Standard Plan,” which offers different repayment lengths and is set to launch on July 1.
What To Know
Around 7.5 million borrowers are currently enrolled in the SAVE plan, according to the department, which aimed to make payments more affordable and offer debt cancellation for certain borrowers.
The plan offered more flexible terms than other options, lowering payments based on a borrower’s income while offering forgiveness to those who had borrowed under $12,000 and made payments for ten years.
On Friday, the department said the program was “based on the false promise of ‘student loan forgiveness’ and artificially low monthly payments.”
However, following a series of lawsuits, the plan was terminated by a federal court earlier in March, which ruled that the Biden administration surpassed its legal authority in reducing payments and granting loan forgiveness without congressional approval.
According to Friday’s announcement, borrowers will be contacted by loan servicers beginning July 1 regarding re-enrolment, but borrowers will be able to contact their servicer at any point to do so themselves.
What People Are Saying
Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said on Friday: “Today’s guidance, which every borrower enrolled in the defunct SAVE Plan will receive over the next week, puts the Biden Administration’s illegal student loan bailout agenda to rest once and for all.”
Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, told the Associated Press: “Over and over again, education officials of both parties made promises about fixing the broken student loan system and called student debt a crisis. And yet today, these same borrowers are being told it’s time to pay and you have no good options.”
What Happens Next
From July 1, the department said borrowers enrolled in SAVE will have “at least 90 days” to enter an alternative plan of their choice after receiving notices from federal loan services.
“The 90-day period provides borrowers with ample time to explore repayment options that best suit their needs and plan accordingly,” Friday’s announcement read. “A borrower who wishes to transition before their loan servicer communicates a specific 90-day deadline may contact their servicer at any time to enroll in a lawful repayment plan.”
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