101 Student Debtors: How Resuming Repayment Will Wreak Havoc

46 min readJun 30, 2023

In June, the Supreme Court ruled against student debt cancellation — snatching urgently needed financial relief from millions of mostly low-income families. Worse, the Biden administration has committed to resuming costly student debt payments in September — an unnecessary and reckless policy that will put people’s lives in jeopardy. Now, unless President Biden issues another executive order to cancel student debt and extends the pause on student debt, millions of Americans risk being caught in a catastrophic financial position — having gone through the economic turmoil of the COVID pandemic but being forced to resume crushing student debt payments.

Hear directly from student debtors themselves about how a reckless return to repayment will affect them and their families.

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“Resuming [student debt] payments would devastate my household. I lost both [my] parents and my only sister from Covid. I now have the total responsibility of taking care of a mentally challenged brother and for this reason I can’t work. So there’s only one income and it’s extremely difficult and challenging.” Danette Carpenter, 60 — Florida

“If payments resume without relief, it will change the entire path for my family. It will mean we cannot have a second child. It will mean we aren’t supporting local businesses to get breakfast once a week, or other “luxuries” that we still are lucky to have. We will have to tighten our belts, literally. Our grocery budget will decrease. We might have to downsize our house. We will be living with constant stress. And anger — knowing that I’m paying much higher interest than I would have had I restarted payments several years ago instead of hopefully waiting that Biden would fulfill his promise. I am paying much higher interest than any car I’ve purchased, or our home. It was supposed to be an investment in myself, but now I feel like a burden for my family.” Annalise C, 31 — Wisconsin

“I’m unable to pay this because I’m a single mother and make just enough to cover my home expenses. I’m unable to purchase a home because my student loans are affecting my income and credit. Some employers check credit if you try to apply for a better job. I don’t qualify because of them. I’m just stuck. If I have to start paying again then I would have to decide on which bill to pay first. It would definitely take away from me providing for my family.” Christi S, 53 — South Carolina

“Unfortunately if my debt is not relieved I will not be able to pay my rent nor will I be able to buy groceries pay for Medicine. I really need help!” Carolyn Griffin, 44 — Florida

“I’m 10 years away from retirement age with a school loan debt that QUADRUPLED in value from the principal. With all my education, I’m an underemployed, woman of color, seeking the security of home purchase like other Americans as the head of a single-parent household. DO SOMETHING TO HELP, Mr. President!!!” Dr. Val Oji, 57 — Arkansas

“[Resuming student debt payments] will be devastating. I have been able to afford my insulin and diabetic supplies since they stopped the payments [but] now I will have to cut back. And I am type one. Without insulin, I die.” Shannon, 48 — Texas

“If student loan payments resume that will mean losing an extra $300–400 every month out of my already tight paycheck. I live and work in Philadelphia and it is not getting any cheaper to live here. I am currently saving up to purchase a newer used vehicle and if student loan payments resume I will have to put that on hold, but I need to purchase a more reliable vehicle for commuting to and from work. President Biden needs to take a stand and deliver on the campaign promises he ran and got elected for. Resuming student loan payments is only going to further decimate the lives of hard-working, middle class Americans. If billions of dollars in PPP loans could be forgiven then the same can go for predatory loans given to teenagers.” Sera Snyder, 24 — Pennsylvania

“I have been living paycheck to [pay]check since undergrad 2012. I can afford my basic necessities but dont have the comfort to save enough money for emergencies, car issues, job instability, or costly and needed health services. I am just on the brink with credit card debt and student loan debt. Resuming payments would create a situation for me where the goal of saving and having a comfortable living situation would become more unattainable.” BB, 29 — Hawaii

“My wife was diagnosed with and beat cancer last year. The payment pause made it possible for me to afford her care. If it had not been for the payment pause, I would not have been able to afford cancer care for my wife — even though we have “good insurance.” If the payment pause ends, I will never be able to afford a child. If the payment pause ends, I will never vote for a Democrat again in my lifetime. That’s a guarantee.” Edward Wells, 38 — California

“If payments resume without relief, it will mean I will have to give up my car. There is no way I can afford to make both monthly student loan payments and monthly car payments at once. In turn, my work will be affected. I will have to find alternative ways to get to work which may affect my hours and pay. This in turn will then affect my housing situation. With a country filled with an already large housing epidemic, resuming student loan payments will only make it worse. Living in a state with such high mental illness and drug issues, I can only imagine how much worse it will become with these payments. A plan B needs to be brought forth asap in order to prevent a full societal collapse.” Helen, 24 — New Hampshire

“I am on disability. Unfortunately I can work just not a full time job. I can’t even begin to pay back the student loan debt. If my debt were canceled that would be one less bill that I have to try to figure out how to pay because my Duke Energy bill just went from $200 to $350 and that’s on budget billing. I don’t even know how I’m going to pay that bill monthly let alone a student loan payment. I am currently in forbearance for my loan, but that’s going to end too. This is one debt that needs to be cancelled because I can’t pay.” S.H., 52 — Ohio

“I work in state government and my minimum payments impact my abilities to purchase a home. I work a second job just to try and keep food on the table. If my student loan debt was forgiven I could finally buy a home. I’ve never owned a home and I’m 47. I have worked since I was 15.” Jeffrey Lewis, 47 — Missouri

“I am 61 years of age and I believe without the student loan relief, I will be paying this debt until I go home to glory. I am unable to retire because of this debt.” Patricia Brunt, 61 — Maryland

“Even after going the least expensive route with an excellent state university, I have $50,000 in Parent Plus debt on behalf of my son, who also has his share of federal loans to deal with. My payments, when they start, will be more than $350/month and will significantly impact my quality of life. I’m 72 years old; I continue to work full time because I need to, and I’m not sure how long I will be able to do this. When I am living on Social Security that extra payment will be [crushing] rather than annoying. By contrast, back when economics were a bit more rational in the 1980s, I was able to put myself through a public university with Pell Grants and a small bank loan; I graduated owing about $1500.00. Other civilized countries (Germany, Norway, etc.) make it possible for anyone to attend college without paying for tuition. In our country, even the cheap public schools are expensive. It’s really time to straighten this out. After the vote by our corrupt Supreme Court, we need a Plan B for student debt reduction, and we need it forthwith.” Rick, 72 — New York

“I am 69 years old, a female veteran who has had school loans since the early 1990s. I have faithfully always paid on my loans for the past 24 years and even took from savings to reduce all the accrued interest. I was never told about IDR plans so I was only entered into one when I turned 65 on medicare, 4 years ago. My public and military service is all prior to 1990 and not within the dates to be considered. At This rate my loan will triple and at 85 years old might be forgiven . More likely, I will be too old to remember the annual paperwork and my social security will be taken away. My only income. Starting repayment greatly reduces my social security and my ability to pay for medical expenses, housing and food. I was not permitted to refinance these loans into a lower interest rate. Even not having continual interest placed back on the loan would help. I’ve paid much more than the loan in interest these past 24 years. These loans were managed poorly and information early on and through much of the loan , simply not available. President Biden wants to help but he is focusing on the working people, not the elderly that have paid for years and years to see their loans continue to grow and face real financial hardship.” LLG, 69 — South Carolina

“My partner, my mother, and I all have student debt. Right now we live together, paycheck to paycheck. Given how everything has gotten more expensive over the years, if payments were to resume, we would likely lose the house, the only one my mother of over 60 years has ever had (let alone the two of us millennials). We are a hard working family — this is not right. Execute a Plan B.” Zay, 30 — Texas

“[If student debt payments resume], it means not saving for retirement and not being able to retire; it means being unable to replace my 17 year old car with a newer/used car; it means continuing to neglect my health by working multiple jobs despite continued effects of long COVID.” Patricia Donohue, 60 — Pennsylvania

“I was forced into accepting a “Parent Plus” federal student loan so that my son could qualify for financial aid. I cannot afford to pay for the payments and housing. The interest is piling up. Help!” Lisa K, 53 — Florida

“Dear President Biden, if you allow the conservative and corrupt Supreme Court justices to have the final word on student loan cancellation, I risk losing all that I have worked for to TRY to make payments. I am a Navy vet, special education, two-time cancer survivor and 65 years old. I cannot afford the monthly repayment and you have done absolutely nothing to address student loans. At the very least, remove the composed daily interest on all student loans, maybe then we could afford to repay our loans. DO SOMETHING TO HELP US. YOU PROMISED!” Linda Spencer 65 — Virginia

“As someone who is currently paying more than my mortgage in childcare, I could not afford to pay my (husband’s) student debt. We need the relief that was promised in order to not exacerbate our debt. As of today, my husband has no retirement plan and I can promise you he won’t if we have to pay back his student loan. Give us a fighting chance. That’s all we ask.” Julia Kirn, 33 — Georgia

“I was living paycheck to paycheck and was afraid for my future. I took a huge risk and went to college as an adult for computer engineering. I started at community college and transferred to state school to keep costs as low as possible. I worked full time to support myself and attended school 3/4 time or full time. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with about $45k in federal student loans ($25k in private loans). I got work as a software developer, but I was laid off last year and I can’t find work at all. Since the payment pause, my rent has gone up by over $900 and that was after I had moved to save on rent. Severance is gone, UI is gone, my savings are gone. I will not be able to make any payments on my loans and even if I hadn’t lost my job, I still would have been in worse financial shape than before the pause. I thought I was making a practical responsible choice and now I’m more afraid for my future than I was before.” AM, 38 — Massachusetts

“Dear President Biden, I am writing to you today to beg for more action on the student loan crisis. I need your help, as does my family. We can not pay our basic life expenses while also managing student loan payments. I am a mother of two with a disabled husband. I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Mental Health and Human Services in 2008, and a Master’s in Social Work in 2021. I have a total of $124,000 in student loans. My husband has his own student loans. I have been working since I was 17. I attended public universities, worked through undergrad and graduate school, and only borrowed as much as absolutely necessary to cover the cost of school. The cost of my education was so high, my wages will not ever be enough to repay my loans. I work full time for a VA Hospital, as a social worker. I have been in public service, social services, since 2008. I do not qualify for loan forgiveness, despite making payments on my loans and working in public service. My wages will not allow me to both pay my student loans, and support my family. I truly do not know how we will survive, once the payment pause ends. It feels hopeless, like there is no end in sight: Do we choose homelessness or default on our loans? Please continue the student loan payment pause, forgive debt for those with education in social services or education, or forgive student loans for low income families. Please follow-through on your campaign promises. We need your help. Thank you.” Colleen Morrell, 40 — Maine

“If payments resume without relief, I am looking at working until I am 80 years old doing physical work out in all types of weather. I am a dog walker right now. I have over $200,000 in Parent Plus loans approved by the Federal Government even though I only make $12,000/yr. But worse is the fact that they base repayment on the entire household income which is $50,000. My husband shouldn’t have to be involved in the calculation of this repayment. He’s not these kids’ dad and he didn’t take out these loans.” Mary Rozzelle, 60 — New Jersey

“Biden did nothing for the millions of seniors still in debt after decades. I had to stop paying after unemployment 15 years ago and now, for many years, Student debt takes 15% of my small social security check leaving my wife and I worse off with less food, and inflation has destroyed us and our health as a result.Biden did nothing for the millions of seniors who are still in debt. Since I lost my job 15 years ago I’ve quickly become poor.” Hank, 72 — New York

“I am permanently disabled and working part time. I have two major surgeries coming up which will keep me out of work for 6 months. Having to start repaying loans will make paying rent unaffordable even before having the major neck and back surgeries. I am going to try and wipe out my $30,000 of debt with my doctor’s help. I thought I had gotten the $20,000 written off but a second email came in from Biden’s folks saying the first email was a mistake. This whole experience has been effed.” Lucero, 52, — Texas

“Turning student loan payments back on will wreak havoc in my life, and severely restrict my family’s capacity to survive. Every great nation on this planet offers free or very cheap education to its people. Education is the very foundation of democracy, and while I did take out my student loans knowing that I would have to pay them back one day, I didn’t count on my life circumstances taking the direction they took — severely limiting my ability to pay. I am not eligible for any of the common payment deferrals because I am doing my utmost to make a living despite my situation. I’m one of those people in the “in between” neither poor or destitute enough to qualify for austerity levels of support, nor rich enough to pay my huge student loan payment. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. Leave a REAL LEGACY instead of doing what is politically expedient. We are counting on you.” Eric Grey, 46 — Oregon

“Dear President Biden, without debt relief I will not be able to buy my first house. I don’t make much money and having these student debt pauses means that I can save money for house, retirement, to pay rent and bills. If student debt resumes, I won’t be able to save for these things that are so important, basic needs! Do the right thing and think of a Plan B!” Rachel, 33 — North Carolina

“I will seriously be underwater if these payments resume when they do. I am expecting my first child with my wife this August and continuation of the debt relief is the only thing that can keep me above water. This debt was pushed on me (and many other high schoolers) as a necessity for college so I applied like an idiot 17 year old. My first year I was trapped by my loans not knowing about many grants and scholarships that otherwise would be available to me. My remaining years at college I refused to get any more loans and paid through applying to grants. If I had more info, I would never have taken the loans. Biden is a coward if he doesn’t stick to his word, and democrats will lose big to the fascists if they don’t commit to uplifting the working class.” Loren Howard, 23 — New Hampshire

“Would be very difficult to make ends meet having to repay debts with 3 years of interest added on from the payment pause. I already work 2 jobs.” Jamie C, 42 — North Carolina

“[Resuming student debt payments] means I have to make a choice between a house payment, food or medicine and my saving account!” Jen, 50 — Maryland

“I have a mortgage and 2 kids to support. I also pay my private student loans. I have worked tirelessly to try and pay down as much debt as possible without impacting the lives of my children. Unfortunately, they will be cut short if I have to pay my federal loans. I won’t be able to afford a new car (mine on its last leg), and in turn wont make drs appts, work, daycare, or have safe transportation. I owe 9k on my federal, it might not seem like a lot to some, but that’s $200 a month for YEARS to come. That is a grocery bill for 2 weeks, gas that has inflated because we support other countries and not our own citizens. I have never defaulted on any loans, but after the changes in the world since 2020, i cannot afford that payment without serious cuts to my family wellbeing.” Brittany Kratz, 36 — Pennsylvania

“I don’t know if I can pay all my bills because everything has gone up. My rent, car insurance, electric and food costs are higher. $155 is not a lot but I’ve had a lot of health issues and I had to take out credit card debt and personal loans to make ends meet. Now, I may end up on long term disability because there’s not enough specialists for my disease here. Starting these payments again may leave me with no money for food or gas money to see my doctors. I don’t know how I’m going to make it. I may need to move out of state to live with a friend, which means leaving my job, having my car possibly repossessed, and maybe needing to file for bankruptcy. I really wish that the repayment would start later when the economy was in better shape, not when everything is so inflated. I was barely making it when I was able to work, which I hope to do before the new year, but if I can’t figure out how to make all these payments then I could lose it all. It’s like standing on the edge of the cliff and all my debts are about to push me over. The student loans have been held back for three years but now it’s like they are an avalanche that’s about to be released and it will push me over the edge. I do believe I’m not alone on this and it will not only hurt us but will hurt the entire economy, especially small businesses.” Jeana Black, 45 — Oklahoma

“If student debt relief is not executed, I refuse to pay. I do not have the basic income to pay my student debt from an incomplete degree and to pay for the basic cost of living at the same time. That mark on my credit against me will ruin my already meager score and prevent me from moving out of a rental unit into an actual home in any reasonable amount of time.” Benjamin Smeltser, 23 — Missouri

“I cannot participate in the economy. I won’t be able to start the small business I was planning to start which will impact commercial real estate and my ability to purchase a home someday. I will have to take any profits I make and pour those into my student loans. Which I have been doing for almost 20 years. Looking at my future, this means that I will not be able to help my aging parents, plan for my own retirement, and build a future for myself. If I had known at 18, what I know now. I would have never gone to college. Execute Plan B to help us get back into the economy and build a life for ourselves and future generations.” Mary M, 38 — Texas

“Student debt depletes me of all resources I have to contribute to the economy or retirement. I’m a single, “high earning” Black woman who makes just enough to cover my bills. Inflation has thrown me in 30k cc [credit card] debt and I can’t afford groceries. I’m a tax paying citizen who is being called a freeloader by ppl who don’t understand the heavy weight of student debt and its broken system. Additionally, you made it harder for ppl like me to live a comfortable life after college. I am a responsible person. I don’t come from money. I was trying. Working 7 days a week, while attending school full time and raising two children. Intending to pay back every cent I borrowed, the government is bleeding me dry in interest. I don’t have one more dollar to spare. Forgive it all or at minimum, the interest in addition to the 20k. I have well over 20k just in interest. This isn’t right. Ppl are ending their lives over student debt. I was almost one of them. I’ve got nothing more to give the government. Nothing” Kat, 44 — California

“I’m currently in the process of making a huge career change that will better my life and my family’s life. Unfortunately, that means being unemployed for a bit so I dont actually kill myself at the job im working now. If student loans are turned back on, it would mean I can’t do what is needed to better myself and my family’s life and instead continue destroying my body in the job I’m currently at. I’m chronically ill and the payments being paused or canceled can mean life or death for me. Get rid of the debt.” Ak, 25 — Illinois

“I work a full time salaried job and I’m already having trouble affording housing and food. If and when student loan payments resume, I will have to either get a second job or choose what meals to skip.” AD, 26 — Washington, DC

“I’m going to die without having been able to pay off this debt from attending a public university. Please just cancel these debts.” Paul Boshears, 45 — Georgia

“I will go into debt if I have to continue paying student loans back. The cost of living is extremely high, yet wages are still low. I am a first-gen college student who had no help paying for college. I worked and still had to take out loans to attend a public university in my state. I’ve used my education to serve my community in my legal aid work. The pause on these payments has been a lifesaver- for the first time since graduation, I’ve been able to save a bit of money for an emergency fund. My small savings will dwindle again once these payments go into effect. I am so disappointed that President Biden is backtracking on a promise that he and the federal government made to millions of Americans. This has been one of the biggest disappointments since Trump was elected. To be told our loans would be forgiven and for that to not happen is such a failure of this country.” Erin H., 29 — California

“I will continue to postpone starting a family. The stress of trying to make payments will cause household tension. I will not contribute to the local economy because I will be focused on survival. All because I wanted to get a masters in social work, a low paying job I’m sure your daughter and the secretary of education can attest to. I am thinking about moving to another country because I can not afford to live in the United States anymore.” Taylor Bazajou, 29 — Texas

“My wife and I both work multiple jobs and still struggle every month to make ends meet for our family. Our society is designed to keep the middle class struggling with little to no relief whatsoever from the government. The policies of continuous austerity is cruel and exploitative. To go back on your word about student loan forgiveness would be like tossing a lead brick to someone who’s drowning. If you resume student loan payments without offering any relief, we will remember and there will be drastic political consequences.” Jeffrey Gates, 35 — Maryland

“The cost of living is constantly rising, wages are stagnant, and it’s absolutely unreasonable for myself or any other debtor to be able to resume payments now or ever. There is no reason to continue making the nation’s poorest resume payments that have been paused for 3 years already. Millionaires have had their debt erased without them having to lift a finger and everyone else deserves the same. Quit with the roadblocks, the empty promises, and the stalling and cancel all student debt IMMEDIATELY and AUTOMATICALLY. We voted for you because you promised this. We won’t vote for you again if you don’t fulfill that promise.” Laine Corum, 26 — California

“Both myself and my husband still have student loans and parent plus loans. We already struggle to keep up with bills, turning these back on will take food out of our children’s mouths. Execute Plan B!” Nadea Hefti, 46 — Wisconsin

“My wife and I have over $130,000 in student debt. If student debt repayments resume, it will drastically affect our household budget for groceries, utilities and generally being able to make necessary purchases. The student debt payment moratorium allowed us to purchase a new fridge and stove, when our previous appliances, which were from the ’90s died. We were also able to buy a car that we needed when the engine of our old car crapped out on the road recently and stopped going above 40mph. My union has called for full student debt relief, my area labor federation has called for full student debt relief. If you claim to be such a union friendly president, then listen to unions’ call for full student debt cancellation immediately and with no means testing. The student debt burden that the class of 2023 from Massachusetts public higher education institutions was roughly $400 million. How are they supposed to make use of their new degrees if they graduate with that amount of debt?” Ian Rhodewalt, 37 — Massachusetts

“I’m a Library Branch Manager in a large Urban system, serving some of the city’s most underprivileged and most in need. I don’t do this job for either a huge paycheck or for any special credit, but rather out of a genuine interest in helping to support and strengthen my community to become a better place. I have a 2 year old child at home and approximately a third of my wife and my combined income goes right to basic daycare. I have almost $60,000 in graduate debt, while I am working towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness (still awaiting approval) and am on an income-based repayment schedule. My payments are scheduled to begin in 70 days if nothing else happens, and my payment amount is a huge burden, even under its ostensible basis being from discretionary income. This simply does not reflect our real-life circumstances. Please keep your promise to the average, working-class American out here trying to be a valuable member of our society.” EA, 43 — Pennsylvania

“I’m honestly trying so hard to actually have a life worth living right now. I live paycheck to paycheck as is. This extra expense will basically make it so I can’t afford any items that are not survival items. All to shuffle money toward paying a loan that hasn’t even gone down because the interest kept piling on and will continue to pile on in a greater amount than my payments. I really shouldn’t be at a point where I’m crying because I feel guilty when I buy myself a pair of jeans to replace the tattered decade old ones that don’t fit me anymore. Especially when I voted for someone who promised they would help *people* but keeps funneling money into helping *corporations*.” Rebecca M, 31 — New York

“I’ll be in the streets making as many people as possible aware of the incompetence of Joe Biden, and how Cornel West will be getting my vote as he and the Green Party are for debt abolition. I will also not be paying any interest or principle.” Collin Thomas, 40 — NY

“My entire life was focused on obtaining a quality education to become a valuable member contributing to my community. Now my life is focused on relieving stress caused by an insurmountable amount of student debt.” Lystra, 66 — Pennsylvania

“I am working in my field of study, but still am paycheck to paycheck. take care of my elderly mother, and pay her bills as well. We are making it. work despite how the economy is don and the bad inflation. One more bill, ANY BILL, even if it wasn’t as high as my loan payments are about to be, can spiral our finances out of control. Do what you promised.” Daniel Feldsien, 32 — Missouri

“Since my husband lost his job May 2020, we have been living in poverty. We are both in our 60’s, so no chance of “pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps” at this stage. And I am supposed to pay back student loans? I have been paying since I went to school in the early 90’s. And I owe, due to interest, an EXTRAORDINARY amount of money — like 7 TIMES WHAT I BORROWED. It is a sad situation. I was hoping to have $20k forgiven through this process, and I voted for Joe Biden because of his promise to forgive student loan debt. I’ve heard that our student loan payments prop up the government. ??? That is crazy. I worked myself to death as a single parent raising four children. And I still owe an extraordinate amount of money. Which will probably not be forgiven, depending on what the Supreme Court decides. I am not holding my breath. My state, Texas, and my servicer, MOHELA, both are FIGHTING to keep people like me paying. Well, we have no more money. Went from comfortable six figures to living on less than $800 a month. Just like that. Good luck getting any further payments from me. We are on SNAP, use the food bank, and live very, very meagerly. My country is a disgrace and has failed so many people. It’s a shame and a national disgrace.” Laura, 60s — Texas

“Right now, I am waiting to buy a car, to see if the debt is canceled. If it is not, I can’t afford monthly payments and will continue to walk everywhere. It doesn’t seem like someone with a PhD in Engineering should not be able to afford a car. If payments resume, I will not be going on vacations or buying anything other than the basic essentials such as food. If my debt were canceled, I would buy a car, go on vacation, donate to charities, visit friends and family in other states, and even start my own business. But without upfront capital, I can’t do those things.” JJB, 47 — Maine

“I went to college for 7 years and got a bachelor’s in computer science. I have worked for colleges and hospitals and even the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. None of them would pay me enough to pay off my student loans or buy a home here. Currently, when my student loan payments go into effect, I will not have enough money to pay all of my bills. I don’t know how I’m going to keep paying for my apartment. Student loan payments continuing will most likely end up in my homelessness. But it seems nobody gives a damn.” Z.H, 27 — Colorado

“Biden needs to execute a Plan B for student relief. I make $35,000 a year for a degree that caused me more than half of that. I’m not complaining about paying back. But it’s hard to pay back at this time due to inflation and cost of living. I will have to pay back $157. A month when the relief is over. That payment will hurt me. I only make 1500 take home. My rent is 2500. I’m getting help from my boyfriend to help pay bills. I applied for IDR and that [is] still too high of a payment plan. I refuse to be a statistic and work two jobs to make ends meet. I should[n’t] have to live life like this. Jobs aren’t even paying much but require a bachelor’s etc. Make it make sense, Biden.” Demetris Garrison, 42 — Texas

“Right now I’m living paycheck to paycheck at a job that I love that is influencing kids every day. I am a Clinical Assistant at a pediatric office in central Ohio; I’ve been lucky enough to borrow money from family to do basic medical training so I can make more than $14 an hour at a call center. Currently my mom is waiting for a disability verdict and my brother can only work part-time; we’re all contributing to our household bills and I’ve fallen deeper and deeper in debt the past few months. I can’t utilize programs through my job to further my education if I have to pay back my federal loans. I’m a first gen college student; why am I being punished for becoming a token for my university to brag about? Why should I vote for a man who reneged on every single promise he made? Plan B will save my family from further impoverishment.” Sarah Mc, 25 — Ohio

“I was an older student when I graduated in 2007, just in time for recession. After 15 years of being underemployed and underpaid, I now know I’ll never be able to retire. I can only hope Biden does have a Plan B, because my Plan B is suicide.” FSMartin, 57 — Missouri

“We don’t know how we are going to pay for the payments once they are once again due. We’ll have to stop saving for our retirement. Please just wipe the slate clean, Biden.” Daniel M, 38 — Illinois

“I was born in America to two immigrant parents fleeing the destabilization of Iraq through US intervention. Born here never really having enough finances to support ourselves, we have always struggled. When my college career had begun I found myself torn between too many responsibilities; my education, my financial well-being, and my families wellbeing. Too much rested upon my shoulders, I was frustrated and burnt out and eventually it showed in all aspects of my life. Finally the Pandemic hit and I had to call my college career quits with 15k in debt. Two years later I have found myself in better shape and plan on returning to my education. While financially, I am still where I have always been, living check to check to support my family’s and my own needs. However, the debt forgiveness plan would have completely wiped out my loans and would have allowed me to start from scratch. Restarting payments will likely kill my future goals of acquiring my degree and working in the medical field. It will kill my hopes of upward mobility. I will be another person defeated by the system, trapped in low wage servitude. Forgive the debt, give Americans the second chance they deserve.” Ahmed Khafaji, 23 — Michigan

“Student debt is the first thing I think about when I wake up every morning and the last thing I think about before I go asleep at night. I will never ever forgive Joe Biden if he breaks his promise to cancel student debt and restarts payments on loans he promised to cancel. Anonymous, 44 — NY

“Cancel All Student Debt NOW! This is a predatory system. I am currently relocating cross country to care for my elderly mother at home because of rent in order to pay my student loans every month, because I cannot afford both.” AVP, 38 — Colorado

“My student loans are too much for me to handle right now. My financial situation would be even worse if you turned the payments back on. Please stop these payments from happening. We need your help.” Jace Rubino, 31 — Ohio

“We will most likely end up homeless.” Amber Arbasetti, 43 — Oregon

“We can’t afford the student loans my husband took out in the mid 2000’s. In this post-covid economy, we as individuals have no hope of recovery (financial, physical, or mental). We were already struggling before covid, and now that we are living with complications from having covid, and can only work half as much as we used to, we’re never going to see an end to this debt. We’re never going to get ahead. Our retirement plan is just to die once we’re too old and disabled to continue working. Since I’m already physically disabled, I expect this time to come much sooner than my peers. This is not the “American Dream” we were promised as kids. We’re never going to own a house. We’re never going to be able to afford healthcare. We’re never going to be able to retire. Stop being a coward. Stop bailing out corporations, and start bailing out the people. If you don’t, our blood is on your hands. We’re dying out here, drowning in debt.” Jen F, 45 — California

“The fact that I have $200k in debt to be able to be a licensed mental health professional — perhaps you’ve heard that there is a shortage of us? — its insane. The interest alone will suck up my ability to save anything for retirement or an emergency let alone save for my son’s college until the day I die. This is an impossible situation (especially as I had to work essentially for free for six years in order to get licensed — know what that did to my interest rates?) & a social contract was broken here.” RD, 51 — New Mexico

“I will no longer have disposable income / emergency fund, nor will I be able to save anything more than what I contribute to my 401k via payroll deduction. I am supposed to be retiring in 6–8 years but if $500/mo has to go to stu[dent] loan payments, I will not be able to. Not cancelling/forgiving the debt will mean a huge debt burden will impact my credit score & other finances the rest of my life.” Lisa P, 55 — Indiana

“I graduated in1995 with an undergraduate degree in Communications from University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Michigan. The total sum of my loans at that point was around $33k. I honestly did not understand the implication and the responsibility of the loans as a young adult, as a result they went into default. After that time they were bought and sold assault by 2 or 3 different loan servicing companies, Sallie Mae, later William D Ford etc were the originators. Each time those loans were purchased more money was added to the loan, and all throughout all of those years the interest never stopped, my debt is a catastrophic $160k owed. I barely make $60k take home a yr as a Data Analyst! I am single, never owned a home and likely never will at this point, I have no retirement savings.. I have no idea how I’m gonna live as an aging member of Generation X. There is no way I will ever have this debt paid unless I win a lo[ttery] or encounter some type of windfall of money by some miraculous happening. I absolutely cannot afford the payment that will be required for this monstrous debt. I’m really disappointed and second by this entire thing, The government and lawmakers know that this is broken and there are millions of innocent American people that will suffer. I don’t have a problem paying my debt I took out for school, but over $100k of charges & interest is beyond insanity. Please come up with different options or plans for repayment of these loans. If the government will not eliminate the debts allow people the opportunity to pay the loan origination amount and get rid of ALL of the interest. There has to be another way, PLEASE fix this broken system once and for all.” Beverly Robinson, 51 — Michigan

“We demand a plan B by HEA [Higher Education Act] or 0 percent interest with an IDR plan that includes grad loans. This is indentured servitude because I had to have the loan to get educated, but then can’t keep the income I make after graduation to get out of poverty. This is a poor tax. Tax the rich instead.” SC, 37 — North Dakota

“Repaying student loans will definitely set my spouse and I back on our plans. We will not be able to save for a house, for a car, or for starting a family. All of our money is going to rent, bills, and food! There’s no room for student loan payments on top of our basic survival needs. Student loans are keeping poor people poor for future generations. There is no way we can expect to build generational wealth in our lifetime.” Carla P, 25 — Texas

“You’re adding an extra $1,000 a month to my monthly bills. I pay $1,500 to rent, I have a $500 car payment, I pay $500 in private loans, and I have to send my kid to daycare which is roughly $1,400 a month, and that’s not even full time. That degree cost me so much more than my loans, it cost me mental health and I’m not even using it, because the only job it guarantees me is $30k a year. My husband and I can’t buy a house because of my student debt. We make the same amount my parents made at my age, more even, and we barely have anything saved. We need to buy food, my kid’s clothes and formula, we need to buy another car. My husband works 3 jobs, one is full time. What you’re doing is killing us. It will kill us. It will kill my family. You don’t understand because you’ve never had to. People against student debt will NOT CARE if you forgive it. Their lives will NOT CHANGE AT ALL. But for my husband and I, for my kid, it would be life changing. We could live, we could finally live. You are the president of the United States of America, STOP DICKING AROUND AND DO SOMETHING.” Lauren, 31 — Minnesota

“I will not be able to pay. I was one payment from finishing my 10 year public service loan forgiveness but my new servicer is only going to take ONE payment- so they want me to begin again! I will be 70 when I finish and I’ve been paying my loans since 1986!!!” Lin, 59 — Washington

“Without debt relief, my partner and I will be unable to afford to have children or retire in our old age. I will be unable to provide for my widowed mother in the event that she requires financial or other assistance in her later years.” EM, 31 — Florida

“I will be paying off student loan debt for decades as a licensed social worker, barely making enough money year round to pay back my loans. Living paycheck to paycheck. Execute Plan B so that myself and others like me can afford to live and contribute to our society.” Kendall Armstrong, 24 — Ohio

“I owe nothing but the compounded interest, fees, consolidation, penalties. I have spent decades being angry, embarrassed, disgusted, in disbelief that we would be so abused by this corupt industry, unprotected by our elected officials and agencies. It’s a burden that should never have been allowed to reach such a crisis. Cancel student debt.Do better for Americans.” Lois Kain, 66 — Illinois

“I will never retire, the interest alone will never allow me to get free of this burden. I feel hopeless and have no joy in my life knowing that in October, affording basic expenses will become challenging due to repayment.” Mary B, 59 — Michigan

“If student debt payments resume without any relief I will be forced to choose between paying off my student loans and buying groceries. Everything is too expensive now for no relief to happen, it will drown many like myself.” Ryan, 28 — Washington

“I will be unable to afford rent and food. More importantly I will be joining a larger community of people who refuse to let you put our wellbeing in danger. You have failed to deliver on a single campaign promise letting oil and money drive every single one of your actions. People won’t put up with this forever.” Jude Hall, 29 — Utah

“My husband and I’s student loans are preventing us from starting a family.” Danielle, 28, New York

“My economic situation has completely changed since before the pandemic. I live in a more expensive apartment than I did in 2020, I make slightly more money, but barely enough to pay my bills and the skyrocketing cost of living in Los Angeles. My partner and I both work in the fields we studied in college, we use our degrees every day, but we just do not make the wages necessary to pay off our debts. We bought an Electric Vehicle when we were more confident that our loans would be largely forgiven, now we may lose our car if we can’t keep up with the payments on it and our student loans. It will be a disaster for us personally and will be enough for us to vote 3rd party in the presidential election. We have no hope of owning a home or starting a family with this debt, our lives look incredibly grim. We did everything we were supposed to, did well in high school and went to well-regarded universities, and it seems as though we’re being punished for that. Biden has to figure something else out, this is unacceptable.” Carter Moon, 29 — California

“Please, please Mr. President. It was my generation that voted for you, and I know that I personally did because of your promises to do something about the usurious student loans that I signed 20 years ago. My children should not have to suffer because of loans I took out to try to improve my future. I am very well-educated, and for that I am very grateful, but I can hardly make ends meet working in public service and with inflation still rising. Eggs are $6 a carton but we haven’t experienced any significant pay raises. My credit card debt is creeping up because I use it to buy groceries. If I have to pay a few hundred more dollars into this corrupt student loan system where it feels like I’m just dumping money in the ocean, my family will really struggle. If I refuse to pay, I will destroy my credit and never be able to buy a house or get a car. My American Dream was to give my kids a better life than I had, and so far I’m not having much luck. Please help us, you know you can and you know you should. Thank you.” Alex Aspiazu, 39 — Virginia

“I am a registered nurse who is living in South Florida getting paid way less than I should be. I have been paying off my private student loans during the debt pause and I can absolutely not afford another monthly payment. My federal loans are currently at about 17k and being a pell grant recipient, they would be gone if student loan forgiveness went through. I, and so many other working class Americans, NEED this debt relief NOW. DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!” Jessica Wolf, 26 — Florida

“I bought a house that needs extensive repairs to remain livable. Student loan payments will delay these repairs that I need for long term housing security.” Tasida Barfoot, 41 — Iowa

“Student loan debt is my punishment for wanting to grow in wisdom and knowledge; for having a love of learning. Student loan debt is my punishment for wanting to better my life for the benefit of those around me. Student loan debt is my punishment for being a first generation college student without access to wealth, assets, financial privileges or financial literacy when it mattered most. Student loan debt is my punishment for wanting to make a positive impact in this world through my career. Student loan debt is the punishment my students get for listening to my advice on pursuing a college degree. Student loan debt is my punishment for wanting to break generational cycles of poverty by going to college and pursuing multiple degrees. Student loan debt affects everyone in our economy — businesses will suffer when we can’t afford to purchase their goods or services because our money belongs to Navient first. I can’t afford to raise kids, to buy a house, to help my parents financially, or to travel and see the world like I had always dreamed of doing because of student loan debt. Student loan debt is [crushing] and inequitable. I pray you’re the President who goes down in history as the first to take student loan debt relief and reform seriously.” Carla Montes, 33 — California

“I will almost certainly have to disenroll from my marketplace health insurance plan. I cannot add another $200–400 bill to each month. I am making a lower dollar amount than I did before the pandemic and even less when we consider that prices have skyrocketed. My wife and I have had to take on other debt in order to maintain our careers as they are, in cities where rent is incredibly high. We cannot afford another $300-$500 bill to be tacked on to our monthly expenses at a time when everything else has eaten away at our savings.” Kyle G, 29 — Pennsylvania

“Having such a huge amount of student debt feels like it’s crippling my ability to start building my life. Buying a home, or a car or even starting a family feels like an impossible task with the economy in the current state that it is. It’s already difficult to find a job even with two degrees from well renowned institutions and when salaries are so low and cost of living so high, having to pay back this debt is going to take decades and leave little room for expendable income.” S S, 27 — Georgia

“I am a single, 64 year old woman, a grandmother, with over $30,000 in graduate school debt. This debt made me take a long look at the ideals our country espouses. Education is dear to me. Members of my family are college educated, teachers, principals, students. Yet, I cannot repay my debt after having worked most of my life. There is a term I recently learned, ‘debt peonage’ which begins to explain my experience. Mr. Biden, do the right thing. Cancel student debt.” L, 64 — Ohio

“I am diabetic and will not be able to afford my medication. My husband and I will barely get by paying our bills. I will barely be able to afford my mortgage & basic everyday needs.” SEAP, 32 — Arizona

“Turning payments back on will severly limit how much money I can spend and save every month. Think about how bad that is for the economy… On top of that, I can barely afford to feed myself, and I certainly can’t afford rent where I live, so I’m living with family right now. The American Dream is dead.” Adam Jensen, 28 — Florida

“If I must resume student loan payments, I’m effectively choosing between supporting my family or funding a big corporation that does not have my best interests at heart. My mother and my brothers are homeless. I am one of two breadwinners that can support them right now, but even still our lofty goals are to find them a place to rent. Homeownership is not even in the cards for this generation or the next. Biden needs to question how will resuming student loan debt affect the economy both large scale, small scale, and long term. It short, it wouldn’t do nearly as much as absolving the debt and creating a generation of earners and homeowners would.” JNG, 29 — Illinois

“The weight of student debt in my life is an ongoing concern, continually pushing me towards financial instability. As a full-time, post-graduate educated public state employee, I am already stretched thin with the existing cost of living. If student debt payments are reinstated without any form of federal relief, the consequences will be dire, as it will impede my ability to afford even basic living expenses.” Emily Kohring, 30 — Washington

“We have medical bills and house payments and other concerns. We can’t afford to add student loan debt on top of an already heavy burden.” Bethany D, 34 — Missouri

“With the rising cost of rent, food and interest on my car loan and credit cards, working a 40 hour work week is only allowing me to just barely pay bills. I have to work 50 plus hours a week to make ends meet and ensure that I have food on the table for my children. We have downsized our lives to living in a camper, one car and a very strict budget. I WILL not be able to pay student loans. I CANNOT PAY student loans. I have worked hard to pay 100,000 already and my family just cannot continue to suffer. I WILL [NOT] CHOOSE STUDENT LOANS OVER MY KIDS EDUCATION FUND. I will not choose student loans over weekends with my children and I will not choose student loans over retirement funds. There MUST be another plan.” JF, 33 — Florida

“Since the payments have been paused, we have had our first baby and my husband left his previous job for health concerns. We both have loans to pay off from grad school. We are both lawyers and left legal practice because we weren’t making enough money to pay off our debt anyway (60K doesn’t cut it). Now we have a child, and a house payment, and a car payment with increasing costs of living. I literally do not know where I could possibly come up with money to pay off my debt at this point. The extra cash just does not exist. We’ll either need to get second jobs somehow even though we work 40+ hours a week already or…… I literally don’t know. Everyone told us to go to law school for the job prospects and potential income and that’s a flat out joke.” Emily Bynum, 33 — Oregon

“I am a single mother or 2. Prices have gone up on absolutely everything!!! Everything is going up and nothing is going down. I am struggling trying to pay off smaller debts at the moment and that is taking up a nice amount of my money. Formula, diapers and wipes are expensive and I do not qualify for help from government assistance, but could really use it. My health insurance went up, my car insurance went up, I pay tuition for my older child to go to school. It’s just too much being a single person. Resuming payments would make it take even longer for me to be free from debt. I don’t want to live the rest of my life in debt. I almost regret going to college because it’s caused more burdens than anything. Other countries allow free education, why can’t ours??? I have federal and private students loans that would take forever to pay off. The only way I could leave something behind for my children at the moment is to die, be free from debt and they live off of my life insurance policy. There has to be a better way to leave a legacy than that. Biden needs to come through on his promise!!! Cancel all student debt!!!” RP, 35 — Illinois

“I am a first gen immigrant, child of a single mother. My mom and I grew up in poverty, but she managed to help me pay through some of college. She made under $40K but she invested what she can in me because I am one of her last hopes for generational wealth. The amount of debt I took on was necessary for me to attend my dream school, even with financial aid and scholarships. Without relief, my mom and I may never buy a house. We don’t own property because she’s spent all her money raising me. I am now making a decent income but it is not enough to save for a condo in NY. We will never own property if my student loans are not forgiven.” Y.Z, 27 — New York

“Please give us some kind of student debt relief! I have been on state assistance for medical, dental, and food for months now becasue I cannot find a job, even though I went to college. It’s absurd to think that we can repay the insane amount of debt accrued without steady income that meets the needs of everyday living. We cannot afford to live at this point. We need help from those in power who have the ability to make changes for our community and our country. We were all told by our schools to go to college, as if it was the only way to make a living, and we were forced and convinced to go into debt younger than 18 years old. It’s criminal!” Jazmine Bird, 31 — Oregon

“I’m worried I will fall behind on my mortgage. I will have to start making overpayments again because the interest rate is so high. This will set me back $1,000 a month. I do not know how I will make it work.” Samantha, 35 — Ohio

“Biden, I need you to know my first choices in the election were not you. Bernie and Warren were my top two favorites because I know you didn’t believe in debt cancellation just like you didn’t believe in free college. But you are the President and just like you favor the 1% and police, privatization of essential services, and the increased cost of higher education. You need to serve and respect the voters like me who voted for relief for debtors. You have an obligation to finish the job now because another term is not promised. You should believe that education is a right and the 48 million families are deserving of relief and freedom. Do the right thing. Be the president we need you to be right now. Don’t play with our lives or your obligation to meet your promise. We are the voters who are unafraid and woke. Cancel student debt now.” Tiffany D Loftin, 34 — California

“I have $60k in student loan debt from my combined undergraduate (Political Science) and Master’s degrees (Communication Studies). I worked in non-profit and local government roles for the first 7 years of my career. With both degrees and 6 unpaid internships, the best jobs that I could get were temporary roles in nonprofits. When I finally got full time roles (local government and nonprofit), I made less than 40k/year with no opportunities for raises. My degree(s) did not provide me with any better career prospects, nor did it provide me with pay safety. Being underpaid set me back financially and it eroded my self esteem. I left a career that I was deeply passionate about (local government) because I couldn’t spend another decade making the low wages that I was. I finally make a beyond a living wage, but if student loan payments resume, I will be in the same place that I was because the IDR plans are still astronomically high. I want student debt cleared so that I can buy a home, have a child, get married. That time is passing for me. I want student debt canceled so that my comrades are relieved of the burden that debt places on people. You have the power to immediately change this country. Choose to wipe the debt for the many, many generations that will be impacted so that we can all rise.” CK, 31 — IN

“With inflation, we are making ends meet, but we have a car that is nearing the end of its life and there is no way we can afford another car if payments are turned back on. Honestly it is something we try not to think about because we both get extremely stressed and worried. It is time to follow through on campaign promises, be the President that this country needs and CANCEL ALL STUDENT DEBT!!” Haleigh Gerwig, 26 — Michigan

“At 30 years old I’m being forced to move in with roommates in order to save money on rent when [student] loan payments begin. I live in a modest 1 bedroom apartment but won’t even be able to afford that on my own.” KC, 33 — Ohio

“I’m disabled and the [student debt] payments are more than my whole $350 disability payment. I’m trying to get that. I probably won’t even get it. So [resuming payments] will kind of ruin my grocery budget. Christina Xiong, 43

“My husband and I will not be able to make ends meet. We will go on student debt strike. President Biden needs to use his authority under the Higher Education Act and immediately cancel student debt.” Gloria Weiss, 64 — New York

“My son just got married and is anxious to buy a house and start a family. If student loan payments are turned back on, those plans will either be severely delayed or not happen at all.” Michelle, 66 — Texas

“I want a family and a home to live in but I have a college degree but stil wasn’t promised the pay that I was promised before getting my loan. I feel as if the loan was predatory and now I see a lot of tradeskills getting more pay then a college graduate and as skilled as ever it would still be tough and very stressful to pay these back. If Biden wishes to get elected again he would have to uphold his campaign promises. Until then, he does not have our vote. If that’s his winning strategy they are forever doomed.” Brandon Reda, 29 — New York

“If my payments resume, I will no longer be able to afford my mortgage every month. I will have to refrain from both large and small purchases. I am already living pretty close to paycheck-to-paycheck, and when payments resume I will be just scraping by month-to-month. If my car needs work, I will need to decide how important each repair is and which I can skip altogether due to lack of funds. I have recently been able to get back on top of my credit card payments, when payment resumes I will have no choice but to add to that debt again.” Katy, 33 — Pennsylvania

“Members of the Supreme Court have recently revealed themselves to be ethically dubious and under the influence of billionaires’ agendas. Why should they make decisions that affect millions of regular Americans struggling to pay their bills? FORGIVE STUDENT DEBT NOW and help regular American people!” Rory, 33 — Connecticut

“Since the cost of living crisis (a pleasanter way to word “economic depression,” which is what most Americans are in despite the propaganda machine claiming the economy is great) is now a fact, the 800 dollars a month I was putting toward student loan debt before the pandemic now all goes to rent, utilities, and groceries. I literally cannot pay a penny of this unjust student loan debt, so I look forward to going from 800 credit and a savings account to becoming homeless within a couple years of student loan debt resumption. I’m not going to voluntarily pay, of course, since it’s impossible, but if/when my wages get garnished I will not be able to afford rent. I wish I could explain the weight of the knowledge that one will die on the streets before the age of 50.” SF, 42 — California

“Dear President Biden, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I was raised middle class (in the true definition of the word) in the great state of Michigan by my mother, a nurse, who went back to graduate school when I was 10 to become a nurse-midwife. My mom delivered babies for 35 years before retiring from that work and started her third career and became the education director of a nurses’ union. When she retired from that job, she began teaching in the nursing college at the local university. Education is incredibly important to her. “Do what you love and marry for money,” she used to tell me. So, I tried. I went to college at the University of Michigan, and it is the best thing that ever happened to me. My horizons were expanded to the ends of the earth, I met people quite different and very alike to me, and I felt at home, and empowered there. I met the love of my life. In 2008 when I graduated, the economy had collapsed. I moved back home with my mom for a year, interning, babysitting, and applying to graduate school. In 2009 I moved to Washington, DC to attend George Washington University and receive an MA in Museum Studies. I now work at the Smithsonian, doing work I love and in which I passionately believe. I have over $150,000 in student debt. My husband, who attended law school and works for a federal regulatory agency, is more than $200,000 in debt. We have both been civil servants here in DC for the federal government, the entirety of our decade-long career. During the pandemic we have been granted relief from our monthly $1400 student loan bill, and it has shown us what it could mean to have breathing room. What it could mean to start a family. We are so incredibly lucky, but I do not think “luck” should be a factor. Millions of student loan debt holders are not as lucky as we are. None of us deserve this albatross around our necks for the rest of our lives. Not me, not my husband, and not my mother, who is still paying off her own student debt from 25 years ago. I am thrilled for the millions of fellow borrowers whose lives will change because of this action by President Biden. Unfortunately, my mother, my husband, and I are not one of those people. To say I am disappointed in the President’s announcement is incorrect and unkind; I am disappointed that MORE of us, borrowers who were told the ONLY way onward and upward was through a college education. And for those of us who graduated in 2008 and after, when the grownups in the room had completely failed, we entered the workforce as it was nothing but hourly wages and a scorched earth economy. And then those same grownups turned around and pointed at us and said we were lazy, spoiled, and should not be in this position. That they had worked at their uncle’s bar the summer between high school and college and paid their way through. I babysat 60 hours a week for 6 summers and could barely pay for my books. A credit hour when I was in graduate school cost $1100. An hour.” Jeanine Nault, 37 — Maryland

101 Student Debtors: How Resuming Repayment Will Wreak Havoc

Written by Debt Collective