Payments still due and loan servicers remain open, collection activity will still happen. IDR applications will still be processed. Pell Grants and Direct Loans will continue to be disbursed, but processing may slow. PSLF ECF processing will ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Robert Farrington writes about higher education and student loans. Starting January 1, 2026, certain types of student loan forgiveness will once again be treated as taxable income.

Federal loans are often more affordable and easier to get, but private loans can close funding gaps