'Pandemic-era freeze revoked': Why will millions in US face wage garnishment after May 5?

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Starting May 5th, the Education Department will resume collecting defaulted federal student loans, ending the pandemic-era freeze. Millions of borrowers risk wage garnishment and seized tax refunds, impacting 5.3 million currently in default and 4 million nearing it. Critics argue this move will harm struggling families amidst policy confusion and uncertainty surrounding repayment plans.

Starting May 5, the US Education Department will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans, ending a pandemic-era freeze and putting millions of borrowers at risk of wage garnishment and seized tax refunds.

“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon, announcing that the department will begin referring overdue debts to the Treasury Department’s offset program. Borrowers in default will face withheld federal payments and garnished wages after a 30-day notice.

Currently, around 5.3 million borrowers are in default, and another 4 million are nearing that threshold. Borrowers are considered in default after missing payments for nine months, a status that damages credit and opens the door to collections.

The move, a shift under the Trump administration, follows years of leniency during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Federal student loan collections were paused in March 2020 and remained so through the Biden administration’s multiple — and mostly blocked — efforts at sweeping loan forgiveness.

Critics say the restart will hurt working families still struggling with inconsistent policy changes. “This is cruel, unnecessary and will further fan the flames of economic chaos,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

Confusion has mounted amid layoffs at the Federal Student Aid office, paused repayment applications, and legal uncertainty over income-driven plans like the Biden-era SAVE Plan. “Things are really difficult to understand right now,” said Kristin McGuire of Young Invincibles. “People are in default because they can’t pay their loans and because they don’t know how to pay their loans.”

Borrowers still have an option to avoid garnishment through loan rehabilitation, which involves nine on-time payments and is available only once, said Betsy Mayotte of The Institute for Student Loan Advisors.

While President Biden has approved over $183 billion in targeted relief for more than 5 million borrowers, McMahon said the administration went too far. “Going forward… we will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law,” she said.

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