Or you can do what some other graduates have done and take a job that has loan forgiveness built in. Some teachers, police officers, nonprofit workers and others qualify. Americorps and VISTA qualify. After making ten years of payments, steadily, loans up to a certain amount may be forgiven. In the case of Americorps and VISTA it is related to length of service, etc.

Look into that and be a productive member of society, owning your life choices, no matter your age at the time. I think that’s what gets to me. It reads like he didn’t like the outcome, so is “taking a stand” by not meeting his responsibilities.

Life is full of regrets, and not living up to your potential so you can avoid a debt will lead to more regret than you think later on. You cannot count on the world’s view and policies changing in your favor. Plan for them not to change and if you can live with that, then it is up to you to also own the other repercussions. It could also change for the worse, with sanctions on those that owe $X to the federal government. Don’t be surprised. Pensions and all kinds of social engineering plans have fallen through before and will again.

There are social ripples, as well. Your partner, or partners, will want to know how you can contribute-earning the least amount of money needed doesn’t maximize your earning potential. You may well know this, but many leave cooperative/communal living environments, even after a decade or more. What then? Will you struggle to repay what is not forgiven? Will you accept federal or state dollars in the form of reduced health insurance, food assistance, child nutrition/health insurance programs because you are standing firm not to pay back something you owe?