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Recent Posts
Major IBR Changes Arrive as Millions Prepare to Exit SAVE
As we approach the end of December, major student-loan policy changes are coming into focus and one of the most significant involves Income-Based Repayment (IBR) . At the same time, the Department of Education has formally announced the end of the SAVE repayment plan, as part of a settlement being pursued with the State of Missouri. As a result, millions of borrowers who relied on SAVE will now be required to transition into a new repayment plan. Against that backdrop, the
Dec 17, 20252 min read
Year-End Student Loan Checkup: What to Fix Before January 1
December isn’t just the end of the year—it’s one of the most financially important moments to pause, reset, and plan ahead. Between holiday spending, insurance renewals, tax decisions, and monthly bills, the choices you make now can directly affect how manageable your student loan payments feel in the coming year. A year-end student loan checkup helps ensure your repayment strategy matches your real life, not just what looked good on paper months ago. Take a Look at the Fu
Dec 17, 20252 min read
As SAVE Winds Down, Borrowers Face a Tipping Point
As 2025 comes to a close, the federal student loan landscape is entering one of its most consequential transitions since repayment resumed. The formal wind-down of the SAVE repayment plan, combined with rising delinquency and a major expansion of Income-Based Repayment (IBR), has put millions of borrowers at a crossroads. This moment isn’t just about policy changes, it’s about whether borrowers can adapt in time to avoid unnecessary financial harm. Millions Will Need a New
Dec 17, 20252 min read
Why Your NSLDS File Is the Key to Accurate Student Loan Guidance
If you’ve ever tried to make sense of your federal student loans, you already know the hardest part is getting accurate, complete data in one place. That’s exactly what your NSLDS file provides—and why SDS uses it as the foundation for building your repayment and forgiveness options. What Is the NSLDS File? Your NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) file is the official record of: All your federal loans (past and present) Loan types, balances, interest rates. Service prov
Dec 17, 20252 min read
SDS Simplifies Account Creation for Borrowers
Student Debt Solutions (SDS) has introduced a newly streamlined account-creation experience designed to make it easier than ever for users to begin exploring their student-loan relief options. This improvement reflects SDS’s commitment to delivering a simple, supportive, and intuitive onboarding process—especially for borrowers who may already feel overwhelmed by their loan situation. The updated flow removes unnecessary steps, clarifies what users need to do next, and reduc
Dec 17, 20252 min read
Common Student Loan Misconceptions in 2025
In 2025, student loan borrowers faced constant policy changes, legal challenges, and conflicting headlines. While information was everywhere, clarity often wasn’t. As a result, many borrowers made decisions—or delayed them—based on misunderstandings that quietly affected their long-term outcomes. Below are some of the most common misconceptions our experts helped borrowers navigate throughout the year. If My Payment Is Low, I’m on the Right Plan A low monthly payment can feel
Dec 17, 20252 min read
In the News
Major IBR Changes Arrive as Millions Prepare to Exit SAVE
As we approach the end of December, major student-loan policy changes are coming into focus and one of the most significant involves Income-Based Repayment (IBR) . At the same time, the Department of Education has formally announced the end of the SAVE repayment plan, as part of a settlement being pursued with the State of Missouri. As a result, millions of borrowers who relied on SAVE will now be required to transition into a new repayment plan. Against that backdrop, the
New: PAYE and ICR Forgiveness Resumes
A major step toward long-awaited debt relief has arrived for borrowers in long-term income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. A recent agreement in the case of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) v. U.S. Department of Education marks a concrete move toward resuming loan forgiveness for borrowers enrolled in Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), and other qualifying IDR plans. The settlement also includes a key protection: borrowers who qualify for forgivenes
How the Government Shutdown Could Impact Student Loan Borrowers
As of October 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government is in a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass new funding legislation. While many essential operations will continue, several functions within the Department of Education (ED) and Federal Student Aid are being furloughed, raising concerns about potential disruptions for student loan borrowers. Key Impacts to Watch Loan payments remain due. Borrowers must continue making payments during the shutdown. Servicing and s
Spotlight
Year-End Student Loan Checkup: What to Fix Before January 1
December isn’t just the end of the year—it’s one of the most financially important moments to pause, reset, and plan ahead. Between holiday spending, insurance renewals, tax decisions, and monthly bills, the choices you make now can directly affect how manageable your student loan payments feel in the coming year. A year-end student loan checkup helps ensure your repayment strategy matches your real life, not just what looked good on paper months ago. Take a Look at the Fu
Navigating Student Loans During the Holiday Season
As the holidays approach, many borrowers are feeling the strain of balancing celebration with financial obligation. For millions, student loan payments are part of that burden, whether they’re delinquent, on the SAVE plan, or in default. The key takeaway this season? You’re not alone, and even small, informed steps now can make a big difference before the new year begins. For Borrowers Who Are Delinquent If you’ve missed a few payments and are feeling overwhelmed, the holiday
Stop Settling for ‘Good Enough’: A Smarter Way to Manage Your Student Loans
For millions of borrowers, today’s student-loan landscape feels like a maze with moving walls. Rules, income-driven plans, forgiveness pathways, and default remedies all exist—but stitching them into a usable, personalized plan is hard. Servicers are built to administer accounts, not to model strategy; StudentAid.gov is rich with information, but thin on end-to-end execution for complex, mixed-loan situations. The result is that borrowers often face less-than-optimal choic
Feature Focus
Why Your NSLDS File Is the Key to Accurate Student Loan Guidance
If you’ve ever tried to make sense of your federal student loans, you already know the hardest part is getting accurate, complete data in one place. That’s exactly what your NSLDS file provides—and why SDS uses it as the foundation for building your repayment and forgiveness options. What Is the NSLDS File? Your NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) file is the official record of: All your federal loans (past and present) Loan types, balances, interest rates. Service prov
DIY or Expert Help? Choose the Right Level of Support
At Student Debt Solutions (SDS), every borrower begins with one powerful thing: access to a transparent analysis. Whether you choose to move forward independently through Standard Assistance (DIY) or engage with our Expert Assistance team, you’ll always start with clear, data-driven insights into your repayment options because making an informed decision should never come with a paywall. The DIY approach is perfect for borrowers who want to explore repayment options on thei
Inside the Repayment Scenario Builder
In about 15 minutes, an SDS session provides a free, personalized recommendation tailored to your goals—whether that’s lowering your...
Ask the Experts
Common Student Loan Misconceptions in 2025
In 2025, student loan borrowers faced constant policy changes, legal challenges, and conflicting headlines. While information was everywhere, clarity often wasn’t. As a result, many borrowers made decisions—or delayed them—based on misunderstandings that quietly affected their long-term outcomes. Below are some of the most common misconceptions our experts helped borrowers navigate throughout the year. If My Payment Is Low, I’m on the Right Plan A low monthly payment can feel
Results are in: Our Most Asked Questions About Student Debt Solutions
Managing student loans can be confusing — but it doesn’t have to be. At Student Debt Solutions (SDS), we help borrowers take the guesswork out of repayment, forgiveness, and financial planning. Our support team answers thousands of questions every month, and we’ve rounded up the ones we hear most often, along with quick answers to help you make the most of your SDS experience. What Does SDS Do? Student Debt Solutions is an online platform that simplifies the complexity of stu
I Already Have FSA and a Loan Servicer — Why Would I Need Student Debt Solutions?
For many borrowers, managing student loans means juggling confusing repayment plans, forgiveness rules, and eligibility requirements. While Federal Student Aid (FSA) and loan servicers provide essential access and support, they don’t always make it easy to see the full picture. Student Debt Solutions (SDS) was built to change that—offering a smarter, more strategic way to understand and manage your student debt. Q: I already have access to my loans through Federal Student Aid
Insights
As SAVE Winds Down, Borrowers Face a Tipping Point
As 2025 comes to a close, the federal student loan landscape is entering one of its most consequential transitions since repayment resumed. The formal wind-down of the SAVE repayment plan, combined with rising delinquency and a major expansion of Income-Based Repayment (IBR), has put millions of borrowers at a crossroads. This moment isn’t just about policy changes, it’s about whether borrowers can adapt in time to avoid unnecessary financial harm. Millions Will Need a New
When “Good Enough” Isn’t Enough
In today’s student loan landscape, the term “help” is being redefined. Tools that Studentaid.gov allow borrowers to see how Income Driven Repayment can reduce their monthly payments. But as counselors and advisors, we know visibility is not the same as understanding. Managing student loan payments goes beyond finding the lowest payment, it is not the full story, and it is not the full solution. At Student Debt Solutions (SDS), we go beyond “good enough.” Our platform was bu
One Year of Monthly Insights: Helping Borrowers Stay Informed and Empowered
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been a full year since we started sending our first newsletter, SDS Advisor. Every month, our goal has...
Tech Talk
Inside SDS: How Numbers Become Real Student Loan Strategies
When borrowers visit Studentaid.gov, they can see their balances and explore repayment options. But what they don’t get is clarity. The federal simulator is limited to static “what-if” numbers that assume every borrower’s situation fits neatly into one model. The reality is—it doesn’t. That’s why Student Debt Solutions (SDS) built a calculator system designed to do far more than show balances. Our calculators are interactive, dynamic, and guided by a real decision framework t
SDS Teams Up with Jubilee to Expand Student Loan Relief Options for Bankruptcy Clients
The economy has been tough on families across the country—and it shows. Personal bankruptcies are up 13–14% over the past year, and...
Ready, Set, Submit: Your Roadmap to Student Loan Success
Once you’ve reviewed your repayment options and chosen a strategy that fits your financial goals, the next step is putting that plan into...
SDS Updates
SDS Simplifies Account Creation for Borrowers
Student Debt Solutions (SDS) has introduced a newly streamlined account-creation experience designed to make it easier than ever for users to begin exploring their student-loan relief options. This improvement reflects SDS’s commitment to delivering a simple, supportive, and intuitive onboarding process—especially for borrowers who may already feel overwhelmed by their loan situation. The updated flow removes unnecessary steps, clarifies what users need to do next, and reduc
Empowering Partners with the SDS Savings Tool
In today’s financial landscape, borrowers are seeking clarity, simplicity, and relief — and partners need fast, credible ways to deliver it. The SDS Savings Tool was designed with exactly that mission in mind: to give every partner a powerful, easy-to-use feature that attracts borrowers, builds trust, and delivers measurable results. A Turnkey Feature That Converts Interest into Action Available directly on the Student Debt Solutions (SDS) landing page or seamlessly integrate
New Tools, More People: Expanding Student Loan Support for Every Borrower
At Student Debt Solutions, our mission has always been to help borrowers identify the most effective repayment strategies for their...
Announcements
IndiSoft Adds Student Debt Solutions to Its HomePrep™ Module for Housing Counselors
Baltimore MD. June 19th 2024. In another move to enrich the benefits of IndiSoft’s collaborate technology solution dedicated to expanding...
Simplify the Complexity of Student Loan Relief
For more than a decade Student Debt Solutions has been providing student loan borrowers with unbiased, third-party advice to tackle their student loan debt. Solutions include revised repayment plans that lower payments, potential loan cancellation and forgiveness.
THE PROBLEM
The rules regarding student loans can be complex and confusing. It’s easy to miss out on the best program if you don’t look at everything. And with what seems like a new program being announced every month, you’re left thinking, What’s right for me?
THE SOLUTION
Student Debt Solutions is an online tool that quickly provides a free comprehensive, in-depth analysis of your student debt providing you a list of all eligible plans. Then we help simplify your options by recommending the best plan for your financial goals and situation.
THE TOOLS
We’ve been experts in this field for 12+ years. We can help make your plan a reality with quick and easy access to the right tools including a student loan counselor. We know the rules and can help you through the maze of options.
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