Public Service Loan Forgiveness to get Education Department overhaul : NPR

Police officer, teacher, and firefighter with their heads above water.
Police officer, teacher, and firefighter with their heads above water.

A troubled college student credit card debt relief application for instructors, law enforcement officers and other community assistance employees will soon get the makeover that borrowers have been demanding.

Upcoming 7 days, according to a source common with the options but who is not authorized to explore them publicly, the U.S. Division of Schooling will unveil a important overhaul of the General public Services Bank loan Forgiveness (PSLF) system, which has been a magnet of confusion, blunders and mismanagement due to the fact its inception in 2007.

The alterations will occur in two phases — a extended-phrase renovation to make the software much easier to navigate, obtained through the federal process acknowledged as rule-producing, and a short term move employing the department’s government authority to retroactively chill out the program’s policies to instantly assist countless numbers of affected borrowers.

Puzzling needs led to borrowers getting denied

Debtors must meet up with a handful of frequently-puzzling necessities to qualify for PSLF:

  • The borrower should perform in a general public sector work. 
  • The borrower must make 120 on-time college student mortgage payments. 
  • The borrower must take part in a competent reimbursement strategy. 
  • The borrower’s financial loans will have to be a particular sort, acknowledged as federal Direct Loans. 

For borrowers hoping for an quick route to mortgage forgiveness, these specifications have acted like the creaking wooden planks of a rope bridge, and, as NPR has reported, each and every plank has sent a group of frustrated community servants plunging.

For instance, what is community assistance? In accordance to the program’s Training Department site, public services involves any one operating for “a U.S. federal, point out, regional, or tribal government or not-for-financial gain business.”

But in a 2018 critique, the U.S. Federal government Accountability Business office found that when borrowers known as the organization managing PSLF to make guaranteed their positions experienced, they occasionally didn’t get an remedy — because the Instruction Department hadn’t supplied the corporation a checklist of suitable employers.

Additional not long ago, the College student Borrower Protection Middle, a nonprofit that has vocally pushed for PSLF reform, uncovered evidence that hundreds of borrowers who do do the job in capable general public service positions were being blocked from pursuing loan forgiveness.

The compensation program presents an additional obstacle, with several borrowers earning on-time payments, believing (and often being advised by their mortgage servicer) they were being on the path to forgiveness, only to know later that those payments hadn’t counted towards PSLF, simply because they experienced been made beneath the completely wrong compensation plan. In 2018, Congress developed an emergency enlargement of PSLF to attempt to deal with this.

And then there are the loans on their own. When PSLF was made, the lion’s share of federal student financial loans ended up identified as Federal Relatives Education and learning Loans (FFEL) — financial loans typically issued by banking companies but backed by the U.S. authorities. In 2010, FFEL was shuttered, and all new financial loans were being created less than the preexisting federal Direct Personal loan software. Although Direct Financial loans qualify for the personal loan forgiveness plan — FFEL loans do not.

Quite a few borrowers with FFEL loans put in years in public company, only to realize later that their payments did not count towards PSLF. Their only route to qualify was to consolidate their money owed into Direct Loans. But that consolidation arrives at a cost. Visualize a nurse operates for 3 yrs — and will make 36 mortgage payments — ahead of she realizes her FFEL loans never qualify. When she consolidates, her route to 120 payments will not start off at 37. It begins at zero.

In a June submitting, the Training Department’s Federal Student Assist business conceded that “over the several years, PSLF has spawned a great deal confusion and aggravation. Tens of millions of men and women are used in public service, including lecturers, firefighters, law enforcement, and some nonprofit workers, but only about 5,500 borrowers have been given PSLF discharges hence much, totaling $453 million.”

Now, the office ideas to use its government authority to assistance thousands of certified community servants get back again on the path to loan forgiveness.

The rapid fixes for current borrowers

In accordance to the resource common with the Education and learning Department’s options, the company will present a non permanent opportunity for any individual working in community company to get prior loan payments counted towards PSLF — even if people payments had been going towards disqualified FFEL financial loans.

And the department is not just increasing the principles close to loan type. Debtors will also acquire credit history for payments designed in the incorrect repayment prepare, irrespective of irrespective of whether the payment was produced on time.

To qualify for this do-in excess of, debtors will want to utilize for PSLF in advance of Oct. 31, 2022.

What is extra, for borrowers who were being informed to consolidate older loans into Direct Loans but had formerly licensed their several years of general public service, the division programs to automatically alter their payment counts, supplying them credit score for payments made just before consolidation. In the circumstance of that hypothetical nurse, this usually means her payment rely would not reset at zero it would now contain people 36 earlier payments.

According to a source familiar with the information, 60{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of borrowers who are not nonetheless suitable for PSLF for the reason that they haven’t created more than enough qualified payments also have — or at one position had — ineligible loans. This transfer to give them credit for payments on individuals formerly ineligible financial loans could quickly-track some debtors who had all but given up on financial loan forgiveness.

Even debtors who did not certify all those early years of community services will be capable to do so retroactively and get credit rating for individuals early FFEL payments.

For armed service service users, the office will also enable all months put in on energetic duty to rely towards PSLF, even if their bank loan payments were paused.

Particulars of the department’s plans, acquired by NPR, propose that tens of countless numbers of borrowers could most likely see their loans canceled, though hundreds of thousands could at minimum see a drop in the number of payments they are needed to make.

The section is anticipated provide far more information next week to enable debtors navigate these modifications.

Extended-term fixes are also on the way

In addition to working with its government authority to assistance borrowers get credit rating for disqualified payments, the office also options to use the rule-building system to overhaul PSLF for the very long-expression.

Probable modifications involve simplifying guidelines all-around qualifying payments and providing debtors credit score even if payments are late or created in installments.

The section also wants to give borrowers credit for PSLF even if, less than selected situation, their payments have been paused, these as for energetic-responsibility company members and borrowers facing financial hardships.

Even the definition of community support is up for assessment. Underneath the current procedures, a lot of nurses and health care personnel you should not qualify for the system for the reason that they perform in for-income hospitals, for case in point.

In an acknowledgement that borrowers’ denials under the PSLF software can be frustratingly opaque, the section also would like to make a official reconsideration process so debtors can clearly clarify them selves and suitable mistakes when important.

Borrowers have voiced their stress with PSLF

The expected alterations to PSLF come soon after a sustained, decades-long drive by borrower advocates. In September, far more than 200 corporations — symbolizing learners, instructors, public wellbeing employees and army service users — despatched a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education and learning Miguel Cardona, urging him “to just take administrative motion to assure that all general public provider employees who have completed a ten years of services receive the personal debt reduction they were being promised … This action need to be immediate and will need not wait for the Office of Training to write new rules.”

The letter was led by the University student Borrower Security Centre and co-signed by the nation’s two largest academics unions.

The Biden administration had already built very clear its want to overhaul PSLF, which was intended, in spirit, to really encourage borrowers to perform in community support.

“We’re heading to resolve General public Support Bank loan Forgiveness,” Cardona told NPR two days right before he obtained that aforementioned letter. “That method is broken. We’re heading to overhaul it and take care of it and make it get the job done for college students.”

In July, the department posted a general public ask for for information and facts about the program. In about two months, the ask for has generated a lot more than 48,000 responses.

“I put in yrs in the improper payment plan for very little,” wrote Scott Friedman of Los Angeles. “The entire matter is broken.”

Friedman echoes a lot of of the opinions when he writes, “It must be basic — if you can exhibit you worked in the community sector for 10 years that really should be adequate.”

“This method has been plagued with deceptive, untrue information and facts from the begin,” reads a comment from Arizona firefighter Russell Smith. “Not one particular of us in General public Support ‘expects’ this, but it was made available as a government system and our government should do every little thing in their electrical power to make it ideal.”

It now appears which is what the U.S. Division of Instruction intends to do.

31.7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of Nigerian youths lack access to bank loans for businesses

31.7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of Nigerian youths lack access to bank loans for businesses

The bureau said this in its National Youth Survey for 2020, obtained from its website in Abuja on Monday, Travel & Tips.

According to it, the report is a collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the NBS.

It also said that stringent bank polices, government policies and other measures adopted by banking institutions make it difficult for youths to finance their businesses through bank loans.

Giving a breakdown of the result from the survey, the NBS said that stringent bank policies accounted for 24.8 per cent youths not having access to bank loans, 7.3 per cent attributed their challenges to government policies while 13.2 per cent of the youths gave other reasons.

“At zonal level, youths from South-South 45.7 per cent and South West 35.5 per cent could not access bank loan due to high rate of interest while youths from North-West 54.5 per cent and North-Central 33.8 per cent could not access bank loans due to stringent policies.

“Youths from South-South 15.7 per cent and North-East 13.3 per cent could not access bank loans due to government policies.”

It however said that for those that had access to bank loans, nationally, 55.1 per cent female youths had access than their male counterparts put at 44.9 per cent.

Analysing major challenges facing youths in businesses, the report said that the survey indicated different types of challenges faced by youths in their business enterprises.

According to it, nationally, 86.1 per cent of youths faced the challenge of access to fund to finance their businesses, while 4.9 per cent faced the challenge of inconsistency in government policies.

It said that another 4.6 per cent faced the challenges of obsolete equipment while three per cent faced the challenges of lack of proper training in relation to their businesses.

“At zonal level, most youths from all the zones reported the challenge of financing their businesses; youths from South-West (100 per cent) top the list followed by North-East at 93.6 per cent while youths from South-East (78.1 per cent) were least.

“However, youths from North-Central (9.2 per cent) faced the challenge of obsolete equipment for their businesses followed by youth from South-East (3.5 per cent).

“Meanwhile, youths from South- East (10 per cent) reported inconsistencies in government policies as a major challenge affecting their businesses.”

For sources of business funding, the survey reported that youths across the six geo-political zones source for funds to set up their businesses enterprises through personal savings, loans, family sources, cooperative/Esusu, grants and other sources.

It said that nationally, 34.5 per cent of youths sourced fund through government grants to set up their business enterprises, while 29.7 per cent of youths used their personal savings.

The report added that 15.1 per cent sourced funds through cooperative thrift and 2.4 per cent of the youth obtained loan to start up their business enterprises.

“The results on zonal level shows that 96.6 per cent of youths from South-South obtained grants to start-up businesses and 49.2 percent of youths from North-Central also obtained grants to start-up their businesses.

“Meanwhile, in the South-West, 26.2 per cent of youths acquired fund through cooperative thrift to start-up their businesses, while in the North-West 44.4 per cent and South-West 24.8 per cent of youths obtained funds through other sources.”

It added that across the six geo-political zones, more female youths (65.4 per cent) operated business enterprises than their male counterpart.

It said that the North-West with 82.9 per cent had the highest number of female youths who operated business enterprises followed by South-South (73.5 per cent), North Central (70.7 per cent), while the North-East had 36 per cent.

On the other hand, 64 per cent male youths in North East engaged in business, more than females followed by South-East (57.7 per cent) while the North West had just 17.1 per cent male youths in business enterprises.

For business registration, the result indicated that only 8.9 per cent of youths registered business enterprises across the six geo-political zones.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the survey is a follow up on the National Baseline Youth Survey 2012 version, as the NBS attempts to fulfill its mandate of providing credible and comprehensive statistics on all levels of the country.

Furthermore, the report enhances the ability of policy makers and other stakeholders to improve the efficacy of policies they put forward through the use of evidence based data.

Home Decorating
Travel Tips
Classic Car

31.7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} youths lack access to bank loans for business -NBS

The National Bureau of Studies claims that 31.7 percent of youths in Nigeria absence obtain to financial institution financial loans to finance their firms owing to significant interest charges.

The bureau stated this in its Countrywide Youth Study for 2020, received from its web-site in Abuja on Monday.

In accordance to it, the report is a collaborative work in between the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sporting activities Improvement and the NBS.

It also stated that stringent bank guidelines, governing administration guidelines and other actions adopted by banking institutions make it difficult for youths to finance their enterprises by bank loans.

Giving a breakdown of the final result from the survey, the NBS claimed that stringent financial institution guidelines accounted for 24.8 for every cent youths not getting access to financial institution financial loans, 7.3 per cent attributed their problems to governing administration policies when 13.2 for every cent of the youths gave other explanations.

“At zonal stage, youths from South-South 45.7 per cent and South West 35.5 percent could not obtain financial institution financial loan because of to large price of fascination price though youths from North-West 54.5 p.c and North-Central 33.8 per cent could not access bank financial loans thanks to stringent policies.

“Youths from South-South 15.7 for every cent and North-East 13.3 for every cent could not entry financial institution financial loans thanks to federal government procedures.”

It, however, claimed that for all those that experienced accessibility to bank financial loans, nationally, 55.1 percent female youths had access than their male counterparts, put at 44.9 p.c.

Analysing key challenges going through youths in companies, the report explained that the study indicated diverse varieties of worries faced by youths in their company enterprises.

In accordance to it, nationally, 86.1 percent of youths confronted the obstacle of accessibility to fund to finance their organizations, even though 4.9 for each cent faced the challenge of inconsistency in government insurance policies.

It stated that another 4.6 for every cent faced the problems of obsolete gear when three for each cent confronted the challenges of absence

of proper training in relation to their firms.
“At zonal level, most youths from all the zones reported the problem of funding their companies youths from South-West (100 per cent) major the record followed by North-East at 93.6 per cent, when youths from South-East (78.1 for each cent) have been least.

“However, youths from North-Central (9.2 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}) faced the problem of out of date devices for their organizations followed by youth from South-East (3.5 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}).

“Meanwhile, youths from South- East (10 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}) described inconsistencies in authorities insurance policies as a major challenge impacting their companies.”

For resources of organization funding, the survey documented that youths across the 6 geo-political zones supply for money to established up their corporations enterprises as a result of personalized discounts, loans, spouse and children sources, cooperative/Esusu, grants and other resources.
It reported that nationally, 34.5 p.c of youths sourced fund by means of govt grants to set up their business enterprises, though 29.7 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of youths utilised their own financial savings.

The report added that 15.1 percent sourced cash via cooperative thrift and 2.4 for every cent of the youth received financial loan to get started up their business enterprises.

“The outcomes on zonal degree displays that 96.6 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of youths from South-South acquired grants to start out-up enterprises and 49.2 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of youths from North-Central also obtained grants to start off-up their organizations.

“Meanwhile, in the South-West, 26.2 p.c of youths obtained fund by way of cooperative thrift to start out-up their organizations, though in the North-West 44.4 p.c and South-West 24.8 p.c of youths obtained cash by other resources.”

It additional that throughout the 6 geo-political zones, far more woman youths (65.4 per cent) operated enterprise enterprises than their male counterpart.

It stated that the North-West with 82.9 percent had the highest amount of female youths who operated business enterprises followed by South-South (73.5 p.c), North Central (70.7 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}), though the North-East experienced 36 p.c.

On the other hand, 64 percent male youths in North East engaged in business enterprise, far more than women followed by South-East (57.7 per cent) whilst the North West experienced just 17.1 {ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} male youths in enterprise enterprises.

For small business registration, the consequence indicated that only 8.9 percent of youths registered company enterprises across the 6 geo-political zones.

The Information Agency of Nigeria reports that the survey is a stick to up on the Countrywide Baseline Youth Survey 2012 model, as the NBS makes an attempt to satisfy its mandate of offering credible and extensive figures on all amounts of the country.

Additionally, the report enhances the ability of coverage makers and other stakeholders to enhance the efficacy of policies they place forward through the use of proof based info.

(NAN)

Higher loan limit now available for USDA guaranteed farm loans

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Section of Agriculture is announcing a larger bank loan limit will be offered for debtors in search of a confirmed farm financial loan commencing Oct. 1, 2021, from $1.776 million to $1.825 million.

“Farm financial loans are critical for our customers’ once-a-year running and spouse and children dwelling expenses, unexpected emergency desires, and hard cash circulation,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux explained. “Raising the confirmed personal loan restrict will allow FSA to greater fulfill the economic demands of producers as organic disasters and the pandemic carry on to impact their operations.”

FSA farm financial loans give entry to funding for a broad variety of producer requires, from securing land to funding the obtain of devices. Guaranteed financial loans are financed and serviced by commercial loan companies. FSA supplies up to a 95{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} warranty against possible economical loss of principal and fascination. Guaranteed loans can be utilised for both farm ownership and running uses.



In fiscal calendar year 2021, FSA saw ongoing sturdy desire for assured loans. FSA obligated much more than $3.4 billion in assured farm possession and functioning loans. This contains almost $1.2 billion for beginning farmers. The number of certain debtors has grown by 10{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} to additional than 38,750 farmers and ranchers about the past ten years. FSA expects the escalating demand from customers for farm financial loans to proceed into fiscal yr 2022.

Catastrophe Set-Apart



USDA has more guidance out there to producers specified the modern outbreaks of the COVID-19 Delta variant and has prolonged the availability of COVID-19 Catastrophe Set-Apart (DSA) for installments thanks via Jan. 31, 2022. In addition, FSA will permit a 2nd DSA for COVID-19 and a second DSA for purely natural disasters for all those who had an original COVID-19 DSA. Requests for a COVID-19 DSA or a 2nd DSA will have to be been given no later on than May perhaps 1, 2022.

Past 12 months, FSA broadened the use of the DSA. Normally employed in the wake of purely natural disasters, the DSA can now let farmers with USDA farm loans who are afflicted by COVID-19 and determined to be suitable, to have their up coming payment set apart. The set-aside payment’s thanks day is moved to the closing maturity day of the bank loan or prolonged up to 12 months in the circumstance of an yearly operating loan. Any principal set-apart will proceed to accrue desire until it is repaid. This will improve the borrower’s cashflow in the present-day production cycle.

Producers can take a look at offered options on all FSA loan alternatives at fsa.usda.gov or by speaking to their regional USDA Company Heart. Service Heart workers keep on to work with agricultural producers through cell phone, e mail and other digital resources. Simply because of the pandemic, some USDA Assistance Centers are open to constrained visitors. Make contact with your Company Center to established up an in-man or woman or phone appointment. Also, extra facts connected to USDA’s reaction and aid for producers can be observed at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Current Student Loans News For The Week Of Oct. 4, 2021

The Biden administration is launching hearings to likely reform federal pupil bank loan forgiveness and compensation systems, when an specialist close to the administration statements that important revisions to PSLF are underway and could be declared as early as this week. Furthermore, federal servicer Navient introduced ideas to exit its get in touch with with the U.S. Division of Education and learning.

Here’s what you require to know about this week’s prime tendencies and how they could influence your scholar loans.

3 latest developments inside of scholar loans for the 7 days of Oct. 4, 2021

1. Navient to exit federal college student bank loan servicing

Late very last week, Navient introduced programs to conclude its agreement with the Department of Education and learning. If the departure is authorized, 6 million university student financial loan debtors will see their loans transferred to Maximus, one of the 5 student personal loan servicers the department will contract with in its new Upcoming Gen system.

Navient has been the subject matter of quite a few lawsuits in the latest several years, and its contract was not up for renewal when the Office of Education and learning slims down the number of federal student mortgage servicers. Debtors have complained about mismanaged accounts and improperly processed payments.

Navient initially requirements approval from the Place of work of Federal Student Assist (FSA) to officially halt federal servicing, but that evaluation is at present underway.

How this affects pupil loans

Navient is one particular of the nation’s largest federal college student financial loan servicers and is the third servicer in 2021 to announce its intent to halt handling federal college student financial loan items. The Pennsylvania Higher Instruction Help Agency (PHEAA) and Granite Point out Management and Resources are also ending their contracts early.

If you have a pupil financial loan managed by Navient, you will be notified of the measures you have to have to consider to put together. Your loans by themselves will not modify, but they will be managed by a new organization as soon as the transition is total — so the procedure of earning payments or finding aid could glimpse a minimal distinctive. To simplicity the transition, test your account particulars now to make guaranteed that all of your get hold of details is up to day.

Essential takeaway

Debtors with pupil loans managed by Navient may perhaps have their financial loans transferred to a new servicer shortly.

2. Schooling Section commences hearings on federal forgiveness and repayment courses

Very last 7 days, the U.S. Office of Training announced an agenda for the 1st of various hearings on the subject matter of federal pupil financial loan reimbursement designs. Hearings get started this 7 days and could direct to considerable alterations for forgiveness applications like complete and everlasting disability (TPD) discharge, Community Support Bank loan Forgiveness (PSLF), shut university discharge, borrower defense to compensation and revenue-pushed repayment designs.

The department’s proposals for each and every of the plans consist of significant modifications to the software system and qualification demands, in all instances producing the courses less difficult to pursue.

These alterations are element of the negotiated rulemaking procedure, which is performed by a committee of stakeholders like college administrators, creditors and borrowers. Subsequent a sequence of hearings, the committee will examine any prospective new restrictions to apply.

How this has an effect on college student loans

The potential college student financial loan reforms will be discussed, debated and reformed in excess of numerous months. Soon after this week, hearings will choose spot Nov. 1 by Nov. 5 and Dec. 6 by means of Dec. 10. If adjustments are accredited, it might however be some time in advance of they’re carried out.

Nevertheless, if these modifications do happen, federal university student bank loan debtors would have a clearer path towards financial loan forgiveness. The revisions would introduce automation to lots of of the current courses, reducing back on application and paperwork requirements. Debtors could also see far more adaptability in qualification needs for plans like PSLF and TPD discharge.

Key takeaway

The Department of Education and learning is looking at revisions to various college student personal loan forgiveness and reimbursement plans.

3. Variations to PSLF could appear this week, authorities say

NPR has documented that an skilled acquainted with the administration’s designs expects the Department of Instruction to roll out significant revisions to PSLF as early as this 7 days. The likely reform could come in two stages: short-term action using govt authority to retroactively give capable debtors credit towards the method and long-term overhauls to make the application a lot easier to qualify for.

Very long-phrase variations will be talked about during the rulemaking method — and PSLF is already on the agenda for hearings that get started now. Having said that, if NPR’s source is correct, the quick-time period alterations could be announced as early as this 7 days as properly.

How this has an effect on scholar financial loans

PSLF has been under scrutiny in the latest yrs simply because of its stringent eligibility and application demands, with only 2 percent of candidates correctly navigating the system and remaining authorised. The Department of Instruction commenced the approach of reevaluating the application earlier this 12 months, but utilizing government authority could rapid-monitor some temporary alterations.

In accordance to NPR, variations could incorporate:

  1. Retroactive credit rating for payments built in the incorrect repayment plan or on the improper bank loan type.
  2. Comfortable specifications about payments, allowing for late payments and some paused payments to depend towards the plan necessities.
  3. Broader definition of general public assistance get the job done.

Important takeaway

Major reforms to the PSLF program could be rolled out by the Biden administration this 7 days.

Here’s how you can get ready

Whether you are new to pupil loans or very well into compensation, it is wise to continue to be knowledgeable about how your college student mortgage costs could alter. As 2021 proceeds, extra options for more cost-effective loans or personal loan forgiveness could open up up maintain an eye on the Bankrate pupil loans news hub for the newest developments.

Master far more:

Why 16 Million Student Loan Borrowers Will Get A New Student Loan Servicer

You may be getting a new student loan servicer.

Here’s what you need to know — and what it means for your student loans.

Student Loans

If you’ve been following the latest headlines on student loans, then you’ll know that there have been several major changes to your student loans. This year, three major student loan servicers — Navient, FedLoan (PHEAA) and Granite State — each announced that they will no longer be your federal student loan servicer next year. In aggregate, approximately 16 million student loan borrowers — or 35{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of all student loan borrowers — will be getting a new student loan servicer to manage their student loans, answers questions and collect your student loan payments. Here is the latest:

Why Navient quit your student loans

Navient, which services $300 billion of student loans for 12 million student loan borrowers, announced last week that Navient will exit federal student loan servicing with the U.S. Department of Education. (Here’s what this means for your student loans). The surprising move, which came days before a major government shutdown was averted, could leave nearly six million student loan borrowers with a new student loan servicer. Navient signed a definitive agreement to transfer its federal student loan servicing for U.S. Department of Education-owned student loan accounts to Maximus, another student loan servicer. Navient and Maximus have submitted a preliminary request for review to Federal Student Aid (FSA), but the U.S. Department of Education must approve the transfer from Navient to Maximus. Why did Navient exit student loan servicing for federal student loans? (Here’s why Navient quit your student loans). Navient was likely to face increase regulatory oversight from the U.S. Department of Education, Congress, state attorneys general and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).