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