EPISODE RESOURCES

The Debt Trap

The History of Student Loans, Pt. 2

How Student Loans Started: From GI Bill Direct Loans to Federally Backed Bank Loans (1944–1965)

During a light week for federal student loans, we replay our very first Escape Student Loan Debt episode on how the student loan system began. Join us as Brenton covers key student debt milestones: the 1944 GI Bill’s uneven access for Black, brown, and some female veterans; the 1958 National Defense Student Loan Program that produced Perkins Loans; the 1960 creation of the United Student Aid Fund to guarantee bank loans; and the 1965 Higher Education Act creating the Guaranteed Student Loan Program (later Stafford/FFEL), a public-private model that obscured federal costs until defaults. 

00:00 Weekly Update And Replay
01:19 Podcast Intro And Host
02:07 Why History Matters
02:53 Two Minute Crisis Summary
04:28 GI Bill Origins 1944
05:31 Perkins Loans 1958
06:06 Budget Reporting Problem
07:44 USA Fund And Bank Guarantees
09:07 Midroll And Assessment
09:44 Higher Education Act 1965
10:47 FFEL Model Explained
11:55 Wrap Up And Next Episode

EPISODE RESOURCES

RISE Student Loan Regulations Fact Sheet

...I Just Lost $33,709 Episode

Repayment Assistance Plan Explained

Finalized DOE Student Loan Rules: New Caps, Repayment Assistance Plan, and Default Rehab Changes (Effective 2026–2027)

In this episode we share newly finalized Department of Education regulations tied to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and explain how they may affect student loan borrowers starting in 2026–2027. We outline new federal loan caps beginning July 1, 2026: graduate loans limited to $20,500 annually/$100,000 total; professional programs (11 fields including law, medicine, dentistry, and clinical psychology) to $50,000 annually/$200,000 total; and Parent PLUS capped at $20,000 annually/$65,000 per dependent, plus a $257,500 lifetime limit for new borrowers. We also cover repayment changes including a new Repayment Assistance Plan becoming the only income-driven option for first-time borrowers after July 1, 2026, a tiered 10–25 year standard plan, expanded loan rehabilitation to twice per loan with IDR opt-in at agreement signing, revised forbearance limits, sunsetting certain deferments for loans after July 1, 2027, and new institutional and part-time borrowing rules, warning current borrowers to be cautious about taking new loans.

00:00 New Rules Overview
00:20 Community Updates
01:36 Fact Sheet Breakdown
02:24 Graduate Loan Caps
03:13 Professional Degree Definition
04:53 Parent PLUS Limits
07:10 Lifetime Borrowing Cap
07:54 Repayment Plan Overhaul
09:17 Tiered Standard Plan
10:41 Default Rehab Changes
13:04 Deferment Forbearance Shifts
14:01 School Part Time Limits
15:16 Key Takeaways Next Steps

EPISODE RESOURCES

Download the updated IDR Guide!

Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) Explained: Eligibility, Payment Calculation, Subsidies, and Who Should Use It

The episode breaks down the forthcoming Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)! We dig into all the details ranging from who's eligible for RAP, to how Discretionary Income and protected income are thrown out the window when it comes to calculating payments. We cover scenarios where RAP saves money as compared to other options, and how to determine whether it's worth paying 5 to 10 years longer on RAP as compared to more conventional plans like IBR and PAYE.

Check it out!

00:00 RAP Overview
02:00 New IDR Deadlines
03:35 Guide Walkthrough
04:05 Eligibility Basics
04:35 No Protected Income
06:02 Payment Formula
08:00 Income Cliffs
09:24 Dependent Discount
09:57 No Hardship Cap
11:17 Interest Subsidy
15:08 30 Year Forgiveness
15:48 Married Filing Separately
16:27 Who Should Use RAP
17:39 Low Income Example
19:20 High Income Example
21:53 Mega Borrower Tax Bomb
27:27 Final Recommendations
28:10 Wrap Up

EPISODE RESOURCES

SAVE Plan Cancellation Press Release

SAVE Plan Timeline Press Release

Parent Plus Loan D-Day, Disallowed Student Loan Guidelines and Details on the Immediate Future of the SAVE Plan

In this episode, we go through EXTREMELY important details on the future of Parent Plus Loans, and why many borrowers need to take action by April 1st in order to preserve eligibility for student loan forgiveness. These borrowers must have a newly consolidated loan disbursed by July 1st to maintain eligibility, and all parents should be wary of borrowing any new Parent Plus Loans after that time. We also cover certain student loan guidelines from the Biden era that have been disallowed, including, crucially, the ability to consolidate federal loans without resetting your credit towards forgiveness. Lastly, for borrowers on the SAVE plan, we have details on the 90 day timeline borrowers will have to move to a new Income Driven Repayment plan or risk being placed on a (likely significantly higher) Standard Plan. Tune in for details!

SAVE Plan Dissolved, April 1 Deadlines, and Growing IDR/PSLF Backlogs

This episode shares several student loan updates, led by a higher court directing a lower court to honor a settlement dissolving the SAVE plan, with no timeline yet for moving SAVE borrowers into other repayment options and speculation ranging from IBR to the standard plan. 

We also cover the importance of Parent PLUS borrowers potentially losing access to IDR and PSLF for new loans after July 1 , and why April 1 is the practical deadline for consolidating loans. 

A similar urgency applies to borrowers needing Direct Loans (not FFEL/Stafford) for PSLF or certain plans, with consolidation needed by June 30. 

The Department Of Education reports an IDR application backlog of over 560,000 and PSLF buyback backlog around 88,000.

Lastly we discuss private loans, and the potential impact of the Fed's likely refusal to continue lowering interest rates.

00:00 Save Plan Ends
01:15 Transition Uncertainty
02:30 Parent PLUS Deadline
04:55 Direct Loan Consolidation
06:02 IDR Backlog Update
07:59 PSLF Buyback Delays
09:30 IDR Forgiveness Restart
10:46 Refinancing Rate Outlook
12:03 Wrap Up Next Steps

EPISODE RESOURCES

Schools Eligible for Discharge

SAVE Plan Court Update, Forbearance Strategy, and a Borrower Defense Deadline Ruling

This episode provides an update on the still-unlikely revival of the SAVE repayment plan and what borrowers in SAVE administrative forbearance should consider. SAVE, created by the Biden administration and popular for its low payments and generous forgiveness, remains effectively halted: borrowers can’t newly enroll, interest accrues, optional payments don’t earn IDR or PSLF credit, and the plan appears headed toward phase-out by 2028. A recent court development removed the case due to lack of dispute after the parties agreed to end SAVE, creating temporary uncertainty, and we talk about what comes next for those seeking forgiveness and those planning to pay off their loans in full. We also preview the upcoming Repayment Assistance Plan expected mid-2026, noting it may lower payments for families under $100k AGI, and share a separate court ruling granting loan discharges for certain defrauded-student applicants after the Department of Education missed a deadline.

00:00 Save Plan Update
00:58 Why Save Is Stuck
02:02 Court Twist Explained
03:22 Is Save Coming Back
04:46 Stay or Exit Forbearance
06:26 Best Backup Repayment Plans
07:05 Repayment Assistance Preview
09:15 Borrower Defense Ruling
10:42 Wrap Up and Next Episode

EPISODE RESOURCES

RISE Committee Document

Federal Student Loan Updates: RISE Committee Proposals, New Borrowing Limits, Parent PLUS Deadlines, and Forgiveness Processing

In this episode, we highlight the major proposed changes—including creation of the Repayment Assistance Plan, removal of ICR and PAYE, changes to SAVE, limits on graduate and undergraduate borrowing, and restrictions on Parent PLUS—that are in a public comment period tied to rules stemming from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

Key items discussed from the RISE committee include new borrowing caps effective for programs starting July 1, 2026 or later.

We also explain consolidation-credit rules: after periods where consolidation used the highest-count loan (Biden-era), then a weighted average, then a reset-to-zero approach, the RISE committee recommends returning to weighted average (though rules are not yet finalized and borrowers should be cautious). 

Additonal topics include spousal/joint consolidation loans, Parent PLUS strategies and deadlines

00:00 Student Loan News You Need This Week (Intro)
00:17 Tonight’s One-Take Episode + What’s on the Agenda
01:44 RISE Committee Rules: Public Comment & What’s Changing
02:51 New Grad/Undergrad Borrowing Limits (Starting July 2026)
07:00 Parent PLUS Borrowing Caps: New Annual & Lifetime Limits
07:21 Consolidation Credit Update: Weighted Average vs. Reset to Zero
10:04 Spousal Consolidation Loans: Separation & PSLF Credit Fixes
12:23 Default/Garnishment Payments Potentially Counting Toward Forgiveness
13:03 Parent PLUS Strategy & July 1 Deadlines (IDR/PSLF Access)
15:34 ICR & PAYE Forgiveness Processing Restarts + 2026 Tax Bomb
18:25 Wrap-Up: What to Watch Next & When the Next Update Drops

Optimizing Your Student Loan Payments and Understanding Key Tax Strategies

This episode of the Escape Student Loan Debt Podcast is a dual-cast with The New Money New Problems Podcast to discuss crucial tax strategies for student loan borrowers. 

We touch on how Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) impacts Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and explain the significance of above the line tax deductions. Brenton delves into the complexities that married individuals with disparate incomes might face when filing taxes and how this affects student loan payments. 

The episode also covers common tax forms and mistakes, itemized versus standard deductions, benefits of home ownership in tax planning, and various tax credits like the Child and Dependent Care Credit and education credits.

01:06 Understanding Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
02:49 Filing Taxes: Married vs. Single
09:54 Common Tax Forms and Mistakes
16:36 Above the Line Tax Deductions
18:13 Standard vs. Itemized Deductions
27:30 Tax Credits Explained
31:29 Conclusion and Final Advice

EPISODE RESOURCES

Read the Dept of Ed Announcement on Wage Garnishment

Try the Reddit Backdoor Payment Tracker

Download our Guide to IDR Plans

Essential Updates on Federal and Private Student Loans: January '26

In this episode of the Escape Student Loan Debt Podcast, we share updates on federal and private student loans in January 2026.

Key topics include the delay of wage garnishments for defaulted loans, the elimination of the partial financial hardship requirement for income-based repayment plans, and the discontinuation of the forgiveness tracker on studentaid.gov. 

Additionally, we cover the Department of Education's stance on student loan forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans and the impact of international politics on private loan interest rates. 

Tune in for information to help on your student loan journey!

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
01:03 Wage Garnishments Update
04:39 The Death of the Forgiveness Tracker
09:38 Partial Financial Hardship Removal
12:28 Fate of the SAVE Plan
16:34 Forgiveness Updates and Delays
18:39 Impact of International Politics on Loan Interest Rates
19:34 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Navigating the Big Beautiful Bill Act: Strategies for Student Loan Borrowers

EPISODE RESOURCES

The Smart College Buyer Podcast

The Smart College Buyer YouTube

Check out this replay from our appearance on The Smart College Buyer podcast hosted by Jack Wang. The conversation focuses on changes brought by the Big Beautiful Bill Act and their impact on student loans and financial planning. Key topics include the importance of understanding Income Driven Repayment plans, the strategic use of financial tools to lower student loan payments, and the crucial dates of July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2028, for student loan borrowers. Brenton and Jack also discuss the interconnected nature of financial decisions, the importance of liquidity, and the practicality of transparent conversations about career paths and education costs.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
01:10 Rebroadcast of Smart College Buyer Podcast
02:52 Meet Brenton Harrison
07:13 Understanding the Big Beautiful Bill Act
13:47 Financial Strategies for Parents and Students
25:33 Tips for Managing Student Loan Repayment
31:02 Final Thoughts and Advice
34:45 Conclusion and Farewell