debt forgiveness

Are Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Just A Free Pass For Grad Students With More Than $100K In Debt?

Are Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Just A Free Pass For Grad Students With More Than $100K In Debt?

Just two years ago, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimated that nearly 33 million American workers eligible for student loan forgiveness weren’t taking advantage of the programs. Times have certainly changed, as the federal government earlier this year revealed that these program were now so popular they cost nearly $22 billion more than they anticipated. But it doesn’t appear the increase in use for such plans is by those who might benefit the most. [More]

Group Makes Debt Disappear, Pays $3.9M Toward For-Profit Students’ Outstanding Private Loans

Group Makes Debt Disappear, Pays $3.9M Toward For-Profit Students’ Outstanding Private Loans

If you’re one of the millions of consumers saddled with hard to repay student loan debt, you’ve probably dreamed of the day when your repayment obligation is finished. While it will take most of us years to reach that fine day, others are finding their student loan debt have been paid in full by a group of strangers. [More]

Student Loan Forgiveness Plans Could Be A Victim Of Their Own Success

Student Loan Forgiveness Plans Could Be A Victim Of Their Own Success

Student loan debt in the U.S. currently totals more than $1 trillion, with some predicting it will only get worse as tuition increases continue to outpace inflation. Recently launched federal student loan forgiveness programs were intended to provide relief to some of these borrowers, but the plans’ unexpected popularity has created a new set of concerns. [More]

Loan Co-Signers Should Not Be On The Hook With The IRS If The Debt Is Forgiven

Loan Co-Signers Should Not Be On The Hook With The IRS If The Debt Is Forgiven

We’ve written numerous stories over the years about parents who co-signed student loans for their children and then were stuck with the payments when their child passed away or could not find employment. Sometimes lenders will choose to forgive that debt, but even then some are making a mistake that could continue to hurt the co-signer at tax time. [More]

Banks Want To Forgive Credit Card Debt — But The Government Says No

The next wave of the credit crisis — the skyrocketing defaults on credit cards — is coming in and odd alliances are being formed. The Consumer Federation of America, along with the Financial Services Roundtable ( a self-described “major player on Capitol Hill and with the regulators” which represents the securities, investment, insurance and banking industries) has requested a “special program that would allow as much as 40 percent of credit card debt to be forgiven for consumers who don’t qualify for existing repayment plans.”