“It’s really, really scary. We are going to be living on the brink,” one borrower said.

Tens of millions of Americans with federal student loan debt have had a financial reprieve for more than three years as a pandemic-era repayment pause was extended multiple times since March 2020.

Now many face a new reality on Sunday, Oct. 1, when they are due to resume making payments, all while struggling with nagging inflation and rising interest rates.

More than 45 million borrowers together owe approximately $1.6 trillion, according to President Joe Biden’s administration, which tried to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for tens of millions of eligible borrowers, only to have the Supreme Court kill the program in June.

  • Bitrot@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    6·
    1 year ago

    Assuming you are employed, they will just garnish your wages. They don’t have to sue for it, federal loans don’t even need a court order to do it. Private loans do, but they are also able to take more money out of your check.

    • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
      51·
      1 year ago

      Which I can appeal and if it really came down to it I can switch over to an independent contractor in about a week. But it won’t come down to it because before that happens I will just setup a 5 dollar monthly payment.