[spthorn60]

LOL, I half-expected commenters to rail on how unfair student debt is, and how debt forgiveness would solve problems like this (which it would, but create new ones for generations to come), but I was surprised and pleased that there are others like me who are taking what I think is a more common sense approach.

Parents and educators should be teaching young people fiscal responsibility from a young age, so among other things, they don't get caught in debt traps, and they understand the evil of "minimum payments".

Fortunately, the author is only 38, and has the opportunity to change her financial situation. Not an easy task, not without a lot of sacrifices and discipline, but hey, that's what I'd call real adulting.

[ipsocannibal]

The fact that the author wrote this article, journalist going to journo, without recognizing her own culpability in the sitution indicates to me that she really hasn't learned anything which would allow her to 'right the ship'. If anything she is doubling down on the habits that caused her trouble in the first place. If she were a bit wiser she would have written an article advocating for bankruptcy regulations to be reformed to allow the discharging of student loan debt as once was allowed. (the change in this policy was another gem from the George W. administration). Then she could say she's willing to accept the hit of bankruptcy to clear the slate to turn her financial life around. Instead her plea is 'give me money, no questions asked, because I make poor choices and I'm not willing to accept it'.

[sjg007]

This article is about COVID relief to Federal student loans repayment and interest rates. Her FFELP loans are effectively Federal even though they are owned by a private company because they are guaranteed by the Federal government. These are not private student loans though they are currently owned by a private company. So she can consolidate her way out of the situation I believe and then take advantage of the 0%.

She's asking for basic fairness for govt backed loans nothing more.

[ipsocannibal]

Fairness does not remove the underlying math of her situation. Even at 0% interest she still has more than 100K in debt which is approximately 3 times her average salary. Treating this like a mortgage (3 times your yearly salary is a good ratio when buying house) she may be able to pay this off in 25 to 30 years. Thats basically the rest of her whole working life. So no asking for simple fairness will not alleviate her plight, bankruptcy on the other hand would if she could discharge the debt.