Student loan payments are set to restart in 2023. Here’s how borrowers should prepare.
Regardless of what happens with the Supreme Court, borrowers ought to prepare for payments to restart, said Betsy Mayotte, the president of nonprofit the Institute of Student Loan Advisors. And they should avoid spending as though the debt was already forgiven.
To that end, she suggested borrowers – both those new to payments and those with older loans – set-up an interest-bearing account where they deposit what they expect their monthly payments to be. Mayotte said a little interest can go a long way, but, more importantly, developing the practice of budgeting for student loan payments can help borrowers rebuild or create a new routine.
“Everybody has sort of lost that habit over the last three years,” Mayotte said.
She also said borrowers have the “luxury of time” to enroll now in one of the government’s plans that adjusts monthly payments based on their wages. These income-driven repayment plans can lower a borrowers’ monthly obligations, though they do extend the life of the loan.