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The Department of Education recently launched a new Defaulted Loans Support Center to make it easier for borrowers with defaulted federal student loans to take action. On the surface, that sounds like a big change. In reality, it does not change the most important part of getting out of default: choosing the right strategy and knowing how to carry it through. And right now, that matters more than ever. The latest federal student loan data shows that more than 9 million borrow

The New Income-Driven Repayment Plan Form Is Here. If You’re Filing for RAP, There’s More to Consider After months of waiting, borrowers can finally move forward with the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). For many SDS borrowers, this is good news. Some of you have been waiting specifically for this option. Others have been sitting in SAVE, waiting to understand what your next payment might look like. And for some borrowers, RAP may offer one of the most affordable monthly

Student loan repayment used to be easier to talk about in broad terms. A borrower could ask about income-driven repayment, consolidation, or forgiveness, and there was often a relatively straightforward list of options to compare. Today, that is much harder. Two borrowers can have similar incomes, similar loan balances, and even similar career paths, and still have very different repayment options. That is because the answer increasingly depends on the history behind the loan

This is one of the most common questions borrowers ask, and it sounds like it should have a simple answer. If one repayment plan is $250 per month and another is $500, why wouldn’t you choose the $250 payment? Sometimes you should. But not always. A monthly payment is one part of a repayment strategy. The real question is what that payment does for you over time. When the Lowest Payment Makes Sense If affordability is the your biggest concern, a lower payment can be extremely

We can help you determine the best option. Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

Student loan borrowers are being asked to make important decisions. SAVE borrowers must select new repayment plans. Payments are being recalculated, and millions of people are trying to understand how the new rules affect them. But there is a growing problem: Borrowers are no longer sure they can trust what they see. In recent weeks, some borrowers pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness discovered that qualifying payments had disappeared from their StudentAid.gov accounts.

Two borrowers can have the same income, the same family size and the same amount of student loan debt. They may still have very different repayment options, and very different financial outcomes. That is one of the most important and confusing results of the student loan changes that took effect on July 1, 2026. In the past, borrowers often started with one question: Which plan gives me the lowest monthly payment? Today, they must ask another question first: Which plans am I

Maybe you started Student Debt Solutions, reviewed your options and then stopped. Maybe you planned to return later. Maybe none of the choices felt completely right. Or maybe you worried that selecting the wrong plan could make your situation worse. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Borrowers are being asked to make important decisions during one of the largest changes to the student loan system in years. Yet many do not feel confident that they have enough clear an

Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

July opened with two major student loan headlines: a court win for Public Service Loan Forgiveness borrowers and the official start of the new federal repayment framework. The biggest news for public service workers is that two federal judges blocked the Department of Education from implementing a new PSLF rule that would have allowed certain nonprofit or public-service employers to be excluded from PSLF eligibility based on the government’s determination that the organizatio

July 1, 2026 is more than a calendar date. It is now a dividing line in federal student loan repayment. For many borrowers, the most important question is no longer simply, “What is my lowest monthly payment?” The better question is, “Which repayment options am I preserving, and which options could I lose if I take action now?” Under the new repayment framework, borrowers who take out new federal loans on or after July 1, 2026, and many borrowers who consolidate on or after J

SDS is updating how repayment options are ranked to better reflect today's environment. Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

SDS is updating how repayment options are ranked and reviewed to better reflect the decisions borrowers are facing in today’s student loan environment. For many borrowers, the first thing they want to know is simple: “Which plan gives me the lowest monthly payment?” That question still matters. Affordability remains one of the most important parts of any repayment strategy, and SDS will continue to help borrowers identify options that may lower their monthly payment. But as r

Question: My student loan payment is about to change. Should I just pick the plan with the lowest monthly payment? Answer: The lowest monthly payment is important, especially if your budget is tight. But it should not be the only factor in your decision. Student loan repayment is changing quickly, and some choices may affect more than your next bill. Depending on your loan type, current repayment plan, and repayment history, changing plans, consolidating, or waiting too long

As repayment rules shift, SDS is helping borrowers look beyond the lowest monthly payment and understand the long-term impact of their choices. Student loan repayment is entering another major transition period. Over the coming months, many borrowers may begin receiving notices from their federal loan servicers about repayment plan changes, new repayment options, or action they may need to take before the end of 2026. This does not mean every borrower will receive a notice on

The Department of Education officially released the final technical language implementing the repayment changes tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and the details confirm that July 1, 2026 will mark one of the biggest federal student loan system changes in decades. While most headlines have focused on the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), the actual technical language revealed several major surprises that could significantly impact borrowers. Borrowers Who S

Beginning July 1, 2026, borrowers may not realize how the Federal Student Loan changes could affect their future repayment options. Why Consolidation Is Changing One of the biggest issues involves federal student loan consolidation. For years, consolidation was viewed as a simple tool borrowers used to combine loans, lower monthly payments, qualify for forgiveness programs, or get out of default. But under the newly finalized student loan regulations tied to the One Big Beaut

Major student loan changes could affect borrowers for years... It's important to think long term. Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

On April 1st, the U.S. Department of Education issued a major update to borrowers currently enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan. The message was direct: “The SAVE Plan is ending. Borrowers must take action.” While the announcement may seem straightforward, the details behind this transition are critical. Here’s what borrowers need to understand and how to respond. The 90-Day Window: What It Is and How It Works One of the most important parts of the Department’s announc

Not all borrowers are impacted by today’s student loan changes in the same way, but for two groups, the timeline ahead is especially critical. If you are: Transitioning out of the SAVE repayment plan, or Managing Parent PLUS loans and exploring income-driven repayment options The coming months represent a limited window to take action, and the decisions made during this time could significantly impact your long-term repayment strategy. Group 1: SAVE Borrowers - Underst