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EPISODE RESOURCES New Payment Guidelines Details Repayment Assistance Plan Explained Two Federal Student Loan “Deadlines” SAVE 90-Day Notices and the Auto-Pay Interest Discount Extension In an off-schedule New Money, New Problems/Escape Student Loan Debt episode, Brenton Harrison explains two federal student loan “pseudo deadlines” and related policy changes. First, some SAVE plan borrowers received a July 1 notice starting a 90-day window to switch repayment plans; those who don’t switch risk being moved to a potentially unaffordable Standard Repayment Plan, and Brenton recommends using studentaid.gov, reviewing whether IRS tax access should be granted or revoked, and using alternative income documentation when needed. He emphasizes the real deadline depends on each borrower’s notice date, with some not receiving notices until as late as spring 2027. Second, a hard September 30 deadline to enroll in auto-pay for a temporary 1% interest rate reduction was extended to December 31, 2026; he discusses savings, servicer autopay errors, and why autopay may help ensure forgiveness credit given new rules. He also warns that borrowers receiving RAP interest subsidies and principal reductions should not pay extra due to Department of Education processing limitations, and urges careful documentation and staying current on Department of Education announcements. 00:00 Two Key Deadlines 01:13 Back From Brazil 02:11 SAVE Plan 90 Days 03:54 Switch Plans Smartly 06:09 Your Real Deadline 07:24 Autopay Discount Update 11:35 Why Autopay Matters 13:05 RAP Subsidy Explained 15:33 Dont Pay Extra Yet 16:48 Document Everything

EPISODE RESOURCES Details on SAVE Forbearance PSLF Buyback Under Fire: New Rules, SAVE Off-Ramp Deadlines, Refinancing Headwinds, and How to Protect Your Loan Records The episode reviews major recent federal student loan changes, focusing on a new Department of Education restriction that effectively blocks new borrowers from using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback program. The host explains PSLF eligibility (Direct Loans, full-time qualifying employment, and an income-driven repayment plan) and how Buyback, created in 2023, lets eligible borrowers repay what they would have owed during deferment/forbearance to restore PSLF credit. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, SAVE is eliminated and older IDR plans will be phased out; borrowers taking loans on/after July 1 are limited to Tiered Standard or the Repayment Assistance Plan, and deferment/forbearance months from those plans can’t be bought back, making Buyback unusable for new borrowers. The host also covers SAVE forbearance 90-day notices and default standard-plan placements, warns refinancing is harder due to higher yields, and urges manual tracking and downloading StudentAid.gov aid data amid servicing errors. 00:00 Big PSLF Buyback Shakeup 01:08 PSLF Rules Refresher 02:11 Why Buyback Exists 05:34 New Rule Blocks Borrowers 08:39 Plan Choice Strategy 09:44 SAVE Forbearance Deadlines 10:47 Forced Standard Plans Explained 12:27 Refinancing Gets Harder 13:46 Track Everything Manually 15:31 Wrap Up and Next Steps

EPISODE RESOURCES Updated Payment Guidance from Department of Ed Federal Student Loan Updates: MOHELA Default Letters, IDR Recertification Tips, New On‑Time Rules, PSLF Tracker Issues, Borrowing Limits Lawsuit, and PSLF Buyback Progress In this episode, we share major federal student loan updates, focusing on errors and rule changes affecting forgiveness and repayment. MOHELA mistakenly sent default-risk notices to thousands of borrowers who were current. With income recertification restarting after the 2020 pause, we share alternate forms of documentation that might be preferable to a tax return. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the grace period for on-time payments is removed for IDR and PSLF credit, creating concerns about weekends and autopay timing; Repayment Assistance Plan borrowers also risk losing interest subsidy and $50 principal reduction if late, and guidance suggests extra payments may disrupt subsidies. The PSLF tracker temporarily disappeared and some counts were reduced, potentially correcting prior adjustment-era credits. A lawsuit has temporarily paused lower graduate borrowing limits, and PSLF Buyback processing appears to be improving after streamlining to a button-based application. 00:00 Student Loan News Intro 01:49 MOHELA Default Letter Error 03:11 Recertify Income Smartly 07:19 Grace Period Removed 10:17 RAP Subsidy Rules 13:32 PSLF Tracker Disappears 17:45 Borrowing Limits Lawsuit 19:56 PSLF Buyback Speeds Up 21:31 Wrap Up Next Steps

Post–July 1 Federal Student Loan Updates: SAVE Forbearance Delays, Recertification Strategies, Rate Discounts, and Lawsuit Wins In this episode, we share some unexpectedly-positive updates post the July 1st deadline, including SAVE forbearance potentially being extended for some borrowers until deep into 2027. The episode covers common studentaid.gov application errors, income recertification strategies (IRS access vs. manual documents, pay stubs, and temporarily increasing pre-tax contributions), and revoking IRS data consent on studentaid.gov.  Additional updates include a temporary interest-rate discount up to 1%, and two lawsuit-related wins: a court blockage of the proposed PSLF employer restrictions, and a pause on lower graduate borrowing caps, allowing up to $200,000 for certain graduate borrowers enrolling next semester. 00:00 Upbeat Loan Updates 01:12 SAVE Forbearance Timeline 02:45 More Time and Tradeoffs 04:35 Recertification System Glitches 06:07 Lowering Payments Strategies 10:00 Revoke IRS Access Steps 10:43 High Income IBR Cap Hack 13:36 New Interest Rate Discount 15:29 Court Wins PSLF and Grad Loans 19:41 Wrap Up Key Takeaways

EPISODE RESOURCES New Money New Problems Podcast July 1 Deadline Changes, SAVE Ending, New Borrowing Caps, and Myth-Busting In this episode we explore major federal student loan changes tied to the key July 1 deadline and dispels common myths about what's to come. Key updates include new borrowing caps for Parent PLUS loans and the important distinction between a "standard" graduate student and a "professional" student. A new income-driven option, the Repayment Assistance Plan, arrives July 1, while PAYE and ICR will be phased out by July 1, 2028. Parent PLUS borrowers can lose access to IDR and PSLF after July 1 without required steps, and any new Parent PLUS borrowing after July 1 removes IDR/PSLF eligibility. SAVE is ending, with a 90-day window starting July 1 to choose a new plan. Consolidation must be completed and disbursed before July 1, and unnecessary consolidation can erase forgiveness credit. The episode also covers plan-switching credit rules, exemptions for already-enrolled students from new caps, and pending lawsuits challenging PSLF employer restrictions and graduate borrowing limits. 00:00 July 1st Changes Overview 01:45 New Borrowing Limits 04:01 New Repayment Plans 05:15 Parent PLUS PSLF Cutoff 06:20 SAVE Plan Ending 07:05 Consolidation Deadline 07:30 PSLF Employer Rule 08:48 Myths After Break 10:11 Parent PLUS Consolidation 11:16 Avoid Unneeded Consolidation 13:16 SAVE Letters Explained 14:54 PAYE Eligibility Update 17:05 IBR Hardship Removed 18:05 Switching Plan Credits 20:03 New Loans Change Options 21:08 Borrowing Limits Exemptions 21:39 Lawsuits And Hope 23:45 Wrap Up And Next Steps

EPISODE RESOURCES Student Aid Website   How to Download and Read Your NSLDS File on StudentAid.gov (and Spot Forgiveness/Credit Errors) As student loan guidelines change and they apply past credit to borrowers' accounts, it's important you know how to review your loan history. In this episode, we discuss how to download and review your NSLDS data file, and easter eggs in the document that could lead to faster loan forgiveness than you think. We walk listeners through creating/logging into a studentaid.gov account, navigating to My Aid, viewing details, and using “Download My Aid Data” to obtain the NSLDS file, which initially looks confusing but includes critical data. Using a de-identified sample, We show how to verify and update contact information, review total disbursements and balance growth over time, check Pell Grant lifetime usage, identify which loans are Direct vs. FFEL/Perkins and may require consolidation for forgiveness eligibility, and read loan status timelines to spot improper long consecutive forbearances that may need correction. We end by previewing deeper guidance on consolidated loans, PSLF, and updated income-driven repayment rules in the next episode. 00:00 Why Your Aid Data Matters 00:54 NSLDS File Overview 02:20 Create Your StudentAid Account 03:02 Find and Download Aid Data 04:31 What You’ll Learn Next 05:45 Read the Top of the File 06:40 Loan Totals and Balance Growth 08:00 Loan Types and Consolidation Clues 09:34 Decode Status and Payment History 11:32 Spot Forbearance Rule Violations 13:28 Wrap Up and Next Episode

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