student loans
Attempt to kill Biden student debt relief plan tied to income fails in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday night failed to garner enough votes to block a new Biden administration rule on an income-driven repayment plan for federal student loans. The resolution did not pass, 49-50. Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia was the sole Democrat who joined Republicans in backing the resolution. Sen. Tim […]
Borrowers weigh personal, professional options as student loan payments resume
Justin Brown, a father of a 2-year-old who lives with his wife in the St. Louis, Missouri area, has $20,000 in student loan debt. Before the pause on loan payments at the start of the pandemic in 2020, he paid $300 a month. But now that Brown has a family, his financial responsibilities have grown […]
White House provides another $9 billion in student debt relief as pandemic pause ends
WASHINGTON — As federal student loan repayments restart, the Biden administration Wednesday announced an additional $9 billion in student loan forgiveness for 125,000 borrowers. “For years, millions of eligible borrowers were unable to access the student debt relief they qualified for, but that’s all changed thanks to President Biden and this Administration’s relentless efforts to […]
UNC System President: Keep tuition flat for a full decade
UNC System President Peter Hans recommended Thursday that the UNC System’s Board of Governors avoid raising in-state tuition at universities for an eighth straight year. He’d like to see it remain flat for a full decade. “I think it’s tremendously important for the message it sends to the families of North Carolina, that college is […]
Here’s what to know about new federal policies for repaying student loans
WASHINGTON — Following the Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a-year-long delay in repayments. The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month. Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education unveiled a […]
U.S. Supreme Court to review Biden student debt relief plan in February
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday it will hear oral arguments in February over a legal challenge by six Republican-led states to the Biden administration student borrower relief plan. Until the arguments are heard and the court issues a ruling, the $400 billion Biden plan is on hold due to a nationwide injunction […]
Biden student debt relief plan thrown out by Texas judge; new applications halted
U.S. Department of Justice is already appealing the Trump appointee’s ruling WASHINGTON — Late Thursday a federal judge in Texas struck down the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan, ruling that the program is unlawful, in a blow to 16 million student debt borrowers already approved for relief. The U.S. Department of Education now is […]
The student debt relief application is live: Here’s what you need to know
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Monday that student loan borrowers can begin to apply for debt relief through a new online application. Biden said the application is easy and fast. It will allow every borrower with an income of $125,000 or less ($250,000 for married couples) to have up to $10,000 in debt forgiven, […]
Weekend humor from Celia Rivenbark: Angry about student loan forgiveness? Not me
Here’s what I don’t understand. Why does it fry your tater if someone who used a student loan to help pay for college gets up to $20,000 of that loan forgiven? Is it because Lauren Boebert (R-Pluto) quipped the loan was used for “Karen’s daughter’s lesbian dance theory class?” (Boebert loves a dog-whistle so a […]
“Do unto others as we did unto ourselves” says NC Democratic leader in favor of tax forgiveness of student loan debt
State Sen. Dan Blue of Raleigh, the Senate’s Democratic leader, said he wants the state to waive income tax on forgiven student loan debt, countering the position of Republican Senate leader Phil Berger. Berger told reporters Tuesday that the state would not waive income taxes on forgiven student loan debt, WUNC reported. North Carolina is […]
Editorial calls on lawmakers to exempt student debt relief from state income tax, can their attacks on program
As was noted in this morning’s radio commentary, North Carolina lawmakers need to act to prevent an absurd outcome for thousands of state residents who will benefit from President Biden’s student loan debt relief initiative. It turns out that while the federal government and almost all other states will not consider this debt relief as […]