October 27, 2025

Dr. Tony Bartels on the latest student loan news

27 minutes

Listen in with student debt expert Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series covering the latest news and information on student loans.

In this episode we have six major topics we’re addressing:

Quick review of student loan grace periods

Consolidation Caution

Application Ataxia

Start with PAYE, when possible

Important dates to add to your calendar

How to get help

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Tony Bartels

Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans

Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim

VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt

VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/

VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/

VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give

VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:

Changes to federal student loans come into focus: https://vinfoundation.org/changes-federal-student-loans-come-into-focus/

Student Loan Repayment: Trying to leave the SAVE forbearance? Choose PAYE: https://vinfoundation.org/student-loan-repayment-trying-to-leave-the-save-forbearance-choose-paye/

Student Loans in SAVE Plan Will Start Accruing Interest August 1st: https://vinfoundation.org/student-loans-in-save-plan-will-start-accruing-interest-august-1st/

Application for Federal Income-Driven Repayment Plans Reactivated: https://vinfoundation.org/application-for-income-driven-repayment-plans-reactivated/

Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/

Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857

Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/

One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment

Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60

Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/

Email VIN Foundation: [email protected]

Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

...more

View all episodes

By vinfoundation

99 ratings