When will Biden admin start accelerated student loan cancellations?

President Joe Biden's administration has announced an expedited commencement of student loan cancellations, slated to kick off in February, as part of the newly introduced SAVE repayment plan. 

Originally scheduled for July, this accelerated initiative aims to swiftly provide relief to borrowers, offering an expedited path for those burdened by student debt. 

President Joe Biden emphasised the urgency, stating, "to act as quickly as possible to give more borrowers breathing room" in a bid to alleviate the financial strain associated with student loans.

Borrowers eligible for this accelerated loan cancellation must be enrolled in the SAVE plan, have originally borrowed $12,000 or less for college, and have a minimum payment history of 10 years. 

The exact number of eligible borrowers in February is yet to be determined by the Education Department.

The SAVE repayment plan, introduced alongside a broader plan to cancel up to $20,000 in loans for millions of Americans, offers more generous terms than its predecessors. 

Contrary to previous income-driven repayment plans requiring 20 or 25 years of payments, the SAVE plan provides relief in as little as 10 years. It also reduces monthly payments for a substantial number of borrowers.

Borrowers with amounts exceeding $12,000 remain eligible for cancellation but follow an extended timeline. For each additional $1,000 borrowed beyond the threshold, an extra year of payments is added on top of the initial 10 years. 

The maximum repayment period is capped at 20 years for those with undergraduate loans and 25 years for those with graduate school loans.

The forthcoming relief particularly targets individuals who attended community colleges, aiming to expedite debt forgiveness for this group. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed the intent to put community college students "on a faster track to debt forgiveness than ever before."

While some Republicans criticise the new repayment plan, arguing it benefits wealthier Americans with college degrees, the Biden administration asserts that the initiative will benefit those with smaller loan balances, addressing the struggles faced by borrowers who didn't complete their degrees.

Beginning next month, the Education Department will automatically wipe away balances for eligible borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan, providing a proactive approach to ease the financial burden on those grappling with student debt. 

The plan's comprehensive provisions, including the reduction of payments to 5% of discretionary income, are set to roll out in stages, further transforming the landscape of student loan repayment.

Meanwhile, the administration continues to explore additional avenues for widespread loan cancellation, working on proposals to provide targeted relief to specific groups of borrowers.