Borrowers of federal student loans have a "fundamentally different" relationship to their debt than other financial obligations, according to a new report by the New America think tank. The report, written by Jason Delisle and Alexander Holt, is based on an analysis of several focus groups of student loan borrowers across the country. Read more...
Feds’ Debt Collector Drama
By Michael Stratford. Two of the debt collection companies that the U.S. Department of Education earlier this month accused of misleading borrowers could potentially continue to collect defaulted loans on the department’s behalf under a different contract. Read more...
'Bill of Rights' for Student Borrowers
By Michael Stratford. The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it plans to create a centralized complaint system for federal student loan borrowers as well as a single Web site where they can manage their loan payments. Read more...
New Evidence Sheds Light on Why Some Borrowers Struggle to Repay Student Loans
Obama to Expand Protections for Student-Loan Borrowers
Russian Students Say State Has Stopped Paying Their Stipends
More than 40 Russian universities have delayed stipend payments to their students since the beginning of the year, student rights ombudsman Artyom Khromov confirmed to The Moscow Times on Thursday. Read more...
U.S. Cuts Off Student-Loan Collectors for Misleading Debtors
By John Hechinger. The U.S. Education Department, citing “inaccurate representations” to student-loan borrowers, will end debt-collection contracts with Navient Corp. and four other companies.
Representatives of these companies, which pursue students who default on their loans, made misleading statements about programs that help borrowers get back on track, the agency said in a statement late Friday. More...
The lonely shame of student debt
Debt Relief for Corinthian Students?
By Michael Stratford. The Obama administration, under pressure from Congressional Democrats and consumer advocates, is deciding whether to relieve the debt of some federal student loan borrowers who attended Corinthian Colleges. Read more...