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The student loan debt of millions of Americans is going to be forgiven by the White House. Some borrowers will be able to get rid of up to $10,000 in debt. How to see if you are eligible for loan forgiveness, how you can get your hands on the money, and a look at how the program will affect student loans in the future are some of the topics covered in this article.

Who is eligible for student loan relief?

You can be eligible for up to $10,000 of federal student loan forgiveness if you make up to $250,000 a year. You can get $20,000 in loan forgiveness if you were the recipient of a Pell Grant while you were an undergrad. There is a way to find out if you received a grant. The loan forgiveness is based on your parents' income if you are a student.

Where do I sign up for loan forgiveness?

The Department of Education has the income information of nearly 8 million borrowers. Everyone will have to jump through hoops.

The White House promised that the DOP will work quickly and efficiently to set up the application process. The current student loan repayment pause is set to end at the end of the year. The Department of Education has a website where you can sign up.

What about the rest of my loans?

What is being done for people with more than 10k in student loan debt and future-borrowers is the most important part of Biden's plan. Student loan payment may look different in the future.

  • Lower monthly payments: Biden’s plan cuts the maximum loan payment amount from its current 10% of salary to 5%, and eliminates all loan payments for borrowers making less than 225% of the federal minimum wage—that’s about $15 an hour.
  • Loan forgiveness: Borrowers carrying less than $12,000 in debt can have their loan balances canceled after making regular payments for 10 years.
  • Unpaid loan interest covered: With the new plan, your loan balance will not go up if your monthly payment is less than your interest payment, eliminating the treadmill of making payments only to have the amount you owe rise.

Controlling the cost of college

Along with shifting some of the burden of paying for college away from low and medium income individuals, the plan also calls for more accountability for educational institutions.

But is this actually going to happen? (And should we thank George W. Bush if it does?)

It is not certain if a bill will be passed by congress or not. The basis for Biden making these changes isn't as strong as an executive order. The Secretary of Education can modify Federal student financial assistance program requirements to help students and their families if they are affected by a war, other military operation, or national.

The Office of Legal Counsel and the Biden administration both agree that COVID-19 is an emergency. The federal courts will determine which parts of the plan are legal if a legal challenge is mounted to loan forgiveness.