Many Americans burdened with student loan debt are expected to resume payments in the upcoming fall.
Millions of Americans Prepare as Interest Charges Kick InÂ
Many Americans with student loan debt are expected to resume payments in the coming fall, and the associated interest on the debt will also be reintroduced at this time.
Borrowers attempting to repay their loans have frequently encountered substantial difficulties due to interest. Advocates argue that resuming payments after the Supreme Court rejected President Joe Biden’s wide debt-forgiveness scheme might have disastrous financial effects for many borrowers.
Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have introduced new legislation that seeks to eliminate interest for current student loan borrowers while implementing a sliding scale cap on interest rates for future borrowers. The bill, exclusively unveiled on Thursday to USA TODAY, also includes a mechanism to cover the lost interest without burdening taxpayers with the costs.
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Student Loan Payments Resume – Photo by: (Rockefeller Institute of Government)
In Addition to Student Loans, Borrowers Struggle with the Burden of Interest Fees
Starting in October, student loan payments, which have been under suspension since the pandemic began, will resume. Alongside the payments, the interest that was reduced to 0% for over three years will also restart from September 1. For numerous borrowers, the impending interest expense is as distressing, if not more so, than the actual principal owed.
Federal student loan interest rates are determined by the year borrowers take out the loans and remain fixed. However, interest is frequently added to the principal immediately and continues to accrue daily. While borrowers typically don’t have to begin repaying their loans until six months after graduating, interest accumulates during forbearance periods, contributing to the overall amount owed.
The proposed legislation aims to set the interest for current borrowers to 0%, effectively eliminating that obligation completely. Simultaneously, utilizing the trust fund intends to eliminate or reduce interest for future borrowers. Under the plan, interest rates would be capped at a maximum of 4%, with rates varying on a sliding scale based on the borrower’s household income. As a result, the majority of borrowers would not have to pay any interest.
Read also: Loan Restructuring: Consolidate Vs Refinance Experts Advise Caution
