Student-loan borrowers face a slew of changes in 2026: 'It's going to be very scary to figure this out."

"Misty Knapp just wants the student-loan forgiveness she was promised. Knapp, 59, has been working in public service as a nurse since 2012 and has been enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program since 2017, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after 10 years of qualifying payments. She said she didn't know PSLF existed when she entered public service, but once she saw it was possible to get her six-figure balance forgiven, she was banking on the relief."

"She now has a projected six payments left to make. However, she's been in payment limbo since the summer of 2024, and she's worried that the relief she's counting on will keep getting pushed back. "I'm really just trapped," Knapp told Business Insider. She's enrolled in the SAVE income-driven repayment plan, which has been paused due to ongoing litigation. "I can't move forward with my life plan at all while I'm stuck in this loan forgiveness purgatory.""

"Since President Donald Trump took office, he has proposed a slew of changes to the student-loan industry, including eliminating existing repayment plans like SAVE, limiting eligibility for PSLF, and placing new borrowing caps on advanced degree programs. The changes have left borrowers wondering when - and if - they'll face higher monthly payments or receive debt relief."

A public-service nurse enrolled in Public Service Loan Forgiveness faces uncertainty after enrolling in the SAVE income-driven repayment plan, which is paused amid litigation. She expected six-figure debt relief after qualifying payments but now remains in payment limbo with only a few projected payments left. Proposed changes from the current administration include eliminating repayment plans like SAVE, restricting PSLF eligibility, and capping borrowing for advanced degrees. Those policy changes, signed into law and slated for implementation in July 2026, aim to reduce unsustainable borrowing but introduce delays and administrative complexity for borrowers and servicers.

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