Two Courts Temporarily Halt Parts of Biden’s SAVE Student Loan Repayment Plan: What You Need to Know

In a pivotal ruling this week, the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, the flagship student loan repayment initiative of the Biden administration, hit an obstacle as two courts issued temporary injunctions against parts of the plan. SAVE, introduced to address growing concerns over the Department of Education’s previous income-driven repayment plans (IDRs), now has over 8 million enrollees. Despite its popularity among borrowers, several Republican-led states challenged the plan, suggesting it overstepped the administration’s authority and could potentially cause financial harm through lost revenue as it offers loan forgiveness in fewer years than previous models.

On Monday, judges in Kansas and Missouri partially agreed with these arguments, temporarily halting certain aspects of the SAVE plan and introducing a wave of doubts and concerns for millions of student loan borrowers. Let’s delve into what this means for the SAVE plan and its future.

The Court Rulings Explained

In Kansas, U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree issued an injunction on the forthcoming phase of the SAVE program, which was set to launch on July 1. This comprehensive overhaul promised to slash payments for many borrowers by as much as 50% starting next month. Simultaneously, U.S. District Judge John A. Ross of Missouri blocked the SAVE plan from providing any additional loan forgiveness, a key facet of the program that would have allowed some borrowers to qualify for forgiveness after 10 years of repayments, rather than the traditional 20 or 25 years.

Future of Enrollment in the SAVE Plan

Despite these legal setbacks, the Department of Education has confirmed borrowers can still sign up for the SAVE plan. However, those already enrolled will not see the promised decrease in payments beginning July 1, as had been scheduled under the plan. More information for borrowers is expected to be released soon.

Impact on Debt Forgiveness

The court rulings do not seem to affect those who have already had their student debts forgiven under the SAVE plan. “People who have received cancellation should be able to keep the cancellation.” said Persis Yu, deputy executive director and managing counsel of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

Response from the Biden Administration

The White House has stated that the Department of Justice “will continue to vigorously defend the SAVE Plan” and will appeal both decisions. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed disappointment, mentioning that the Department has relied on the authority under the Higher Education Act three times over the last 30 years to implement income-driven repayment plans.

Republican-led States Respond

Republican officials have expressed satisfaction with the court’s decisions. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach called the Kansas injunction a “victory for the entire country,” arguing that the decision to forgive billions of dollars in student debt should be made by Congress, not the presidency.

As it stands, there is still much uncertainty surrounding the future of the SAVE plan and how it will affect both current student loan borrowers and those considering higher education. Despite these temporary injunctions, it is clear the fight for a more accessible and manageable student loan repayment system is far from over.