Shifting federal student loan policies leave borrowers wondering what's best: Law of The Land
By Stephanie Haney,
Published August 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT
Listen • 51:35
Pla2na
/
Shutterstock
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid resumed collections of its defaulted federal student loan portfolio on May 5. The Department has not collected on defaulted loans since March 2020.
Federal Student Loan Overhaul
The Trump administration's changes to available federal student loan repayment plans, along with new Parent Plus loan and graduate school borrowing caps went into effect July 1,
leaving many borrowers wondering what's in their best interest as legal challenges against overhaul continue to play out in court.
On Monday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we look at the student loan lending landscape in the latest installment of our "Law of The Land" series, where we look at how the law affects our everyday lives.
Currently the Biden-era Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan is no longer available, causing concern for people who worry about not being able to make higher monthly payments under its replacement, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), which may also increase the so-called marriage penalty for couples who file their taxes together rather than as individuals.
There is some good news for federal loan borrowers who were defrauded, as a lawsuit that was first filed against the Trump administration in 2019 has finally been settled, giving relief to 450,000 people by canceling their student loan debt after they were misled by the schools they were enrolled in.
On the private loan side, experts worry that the rise in online education programs coupled with federal borrowing limits may increase predatory lending practices, as people cobble together financing for their education.
Guests:
- Eileen Connor, Lawyer, and President and Director, Project on Predatory Student Lending (PPSL)
- Carolina Rodriguez, Director, Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP)
Jon Batiste to Perform at Blossom Music Center
Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste is known for creatively blending genres.
This week he brings his interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven as well as his originals to a night at Blossom with the Cleveland Orchestra. The former bandleader for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and co-composer of Pixar's "Soul" also just released more music in his piano series.
Ahead of Thursday night's concert, Jon Batiste spousoke with Ideastream's Deputy Editor of Arts and Culture Carrie Wise.
Guests:
- Jon Batiste, Musician, Singer, Songwriter and Composer
- Carrie Wise, Deputy Editor of Arts and Culture, Ideastream Public Media
Tags
Sound of Ideas Sound of Ideas Sound of Ideas: Law of The Land
Stephanie Haney is the host and a producer of the "Sound of Ideas" for Ideastream Public Media. She's an award-winning journalist and podcast host who is licensed to practice law in both Ohio and California.
See stories by Stephanie Haney
Drew Maziasz is a coordinating producer for the "Sound of Ideas" and also serves as the show’s technical producer.
