Escape Student Loan Debt Podcast

EscapeStudentLoanDebtPodcast l Student Loan Strategies for the Established Professional
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Tax filings. Investment structuring. Insurance planning. Purchasing your home. Business funding. For listeners with private and federal loans, the Escape Student Loan Debt podcast demystifies Student Loans, how they impact every single area of your finances, and how to get student loan payments or balances forgiven, reduced, re-organized or expedited. Hosted by Brenton Harrison.

  1. 5d ago

    2 Student Loan "Deadlines" You Need To Know

    EPISODE RESOURCES New Payment Guidelines Details Repayment Assistance Plan Explained Two Federal Student Loan “Deadlines” SAVE 90-Day Notices and the Auto-Pay Interest Discount Extension In an off-schedule New Money, New Problems/Escape Student Loan Debt episode, Brenton Harrison explains two federal student loan “pseudo deadlines” and related policy changes. First, some SAVE plan borrowers received a July 1 notice starting a 90-day window to switch repayment plans; those who don’t switch risk being moved to a potentially unaffordable Standard Repayment Plan, and Brenton recommends using studentaid.gov, reviewing whether IRS tax access should be granted or revoked, and using alternative income documentation when needed. He emphasizes the real deadline depends on each borrower’s notice date, with some not receiving notices until as late as spring 2027. Second, a hard September 30 deadline to enroll in auto-pay for a temporary 1% interest rate reduction was extended to December 31, 2026; he discusses savings, servicer autopay errors, and why autopay may help ensure forgiveness credit given new rules. He also warns that borrowers receiving RAP interest subsidies and principal reductions should not pay extra due to Department of Education processing limitations, and urges careful documentation and staying current on Department of Education announcements. 00:00 Two Key Deadlines 01:13 Back From Brazil 02:11 SAVE Plan 90 Days 03:54 Switch Plans Smartly 06:09 Your Real Deadline 07:24 Autopay Discount Update 11:35 Why Autopay Matters 13:05 RAP Subsidy Explained 15:33 Dont Pay Extra Yet 16:48 Document Everything

    2 Student Loan "Deadlines" You Need To Know

  2. Sep 11

    An Attack on PSLF Buyback + SAVE Forbearance Strategies

    EPISODE RESOURCES Details on SAVE Forbearance PSLF Buyback Under Fire: New Rules, SAVE Off-Ramp Deadlines, Refinancing Headwinds, and How to Protect Your Loan Records The episode reviews major recent federal student loan changes, focusing on a new Department of Education restriction that effectively blocks new borrowers from using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback program. The host explains PSLF eligibility (Direct Loans, full-time qualifying employment, and an income-driven repayment plan) and how Buyback, created in 2023, lets eligible borrowers repay what they would have owed during deferment/forbearance to restore PSLF credit. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, SAVE is eliminated and older IDR plans will be phased out; borrowers taking loans on/after July 1 are limited to Tiered Standard or the Repayment Assistance Plan, and deferment/forbearance months from those plans can’t be bought back, making Buyback unusable for new borrowers. The host also covers SAVE forbearance 90-day notices and default standard-plan placements, warns refinancing is harder due to higher yields, and urges manual tracking and downloading StudentAid.gov aid data amid servicing errors. 00:00 Big PSLF Buyback Shakeup 01:08 PSLF Rules Refresher 02:11 Why Buyback Exists 05:34 New Rule Blocks Borrowers 08:39 Plan Choice Strategy 09:44 SAVE Forbearance Deadlines 10:47 Forced Standard Plans Explained 12:27 Refinancing Gets Harder 13:46 Track Everything Manually 15:31 Wrap Up and Next Steps

    An Attack on PSLF Buyback + SAVE Forbearance Strategies

  3. Aug 28

    STUDENT LOAN UPDATES! | Late Payment Woes, RAP and Lost PSLF Credits!

    EPISODE RESOURCES Updated Payment Guidance from Department of Ed Federal Student Loan Updates: MOHELA Default Letters, IDR Recertification Tips, New On‑Time Rules, PSLF Tracker Issues, Borrowing Limits Lawsuit, and PSLF Buyback Progress In this episode, we share major federal student loan updates, focusing on errors and rule changes affecting forgiveness and repayment. MOHELA mistakenly sent default-risk notices to thousands of borrowers who were current. With income recertification restarting after the 2020 pause, we share alternate forms of documentation that might be preferable to a tax return. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the grace period for on-time payments is removed for IDR and PSLF credit, creating concerns about weekends and autopay timing; Repayment Assistance Plan borrowers also risk losing interest subsidy and $50 principal reduction if late, and guidance suggests extra payments may disrupt subsidies. The PSLF tracker temporarily disappeared and some counts were reduced, potentially correcting prior adjustment-era credits. A lawsuit has temporarily paused lower graduate borrowing limits, and PSLF Buyback processing appears to be improving after streamlining to a button-based application. 00:00 Student Loan News Intro 01:49 MOHELA Default Letter Error 03:11 Recertify Income Smartly 07:19 Grace Period Removed 10:17 RAP Subsidy Rules 13:32 PSLF Tracker Disappears 17:45 Borrowing Limits Lawsuit 19:56 PSLF Buyback Speeds Up 21:31 Wrap Up Next Steps

  4. Jul 10

    Save Forbearance Extended? | PSLF Update, Recertification Strategies and More!

    Post–July 1 Federal Student Loan Updates: SAVE Forbearance Delays, Recertification Strategies, Rate Discounts, and Lawsuit Wins In this episode, we share some unexpectedly-positive updates post the July 1st deadline, including SAVE forbearance potentially being extended for some borrowers until deep into 2027. The episode covers common studentaid.gov application errors, income recertification strategies (IRS access vs. manual documents, pay stubs, and temporarily increasing pre-tax contributions), and revoking IRS data consent on studentaid.gov.  Additional updates include a temporary interest-rate discount up to 1%, and two lawsuit-related wins: a court blockage of the proposed PSLF employer restrictions, and a pause on lower graduate borrowing caps, allowing up to $200,000 for certain graduate borrowers enrolling next semester. 00:00 Upbeat Loan Updates 01:12 SAVE Forbearance Timeline 02:45 More Time and Tradeoffs 04:35 Recertification System Glitches 06:07 Lowering Payments Strategies 10:00 Revoke IRS Access Steps 10:43 High Income IBR Cap Hack 13:36 New Interest Rate Discount 15:29 Court Wins PSLF and Grad Loans 19:41 Wrap Up Key Takeaways

    Save Forbearance Extended? | PSLF Update, Recertification Strategies and More!

  5. Jun 12

    Busting Myths Before the July 1 Deadline

    EPISODE RESOURCES New Money New Problems Podcast July 1 Deadline Changes, SAVE Ending, New Borrowing Caps, and Myth-Busting In this episode we explore major federal student loan changes tied to the key July 1 deadline and dispels common myths about what's to come. Key updates include new borrowing caps for Parent PLUS loans and the important distinction between a "standard" graduate student and a "professional" student. A new income-driven option, the Repayment Assistance Plan, arrives July 1, while PAYE and ICR will be phased out by July 1, 2028. Parent PLUS borrowers can lose access to IDR and PSLF after July 1 without required steps, and any new Parent PLUS borrowing after July 1 removes IDR/PSLF eligibility. SAVE is ending, with a 90-day window starting July 1 to choose a new plan. Consolidation must be completed and disbursed before July 1, and unnecessary consolidation can erase forgiveness credit. The episode also covers plan-switching credit rules, exemptions for already-enrolled students from new caps, and pending lawsuits challenging PSLF employer restrictions and graduate borrowing limits. 00:00 July 1st Changes Overview 01:45 New Borrowing Limits 04:01 New Repayment Plans 05:15 Parent PLUS PSLF Cutoff 06:20 SAVE Plan Ending 07:05 Consolidation Deadline 07:30 PSLF Employer Rule 08:48 Myths After Break 10:11 Parent PLUS Consolidation 11:16 Avoid Unneeded Consolidation 13:16 SAVE Letters Explained 14:54 PAYE Eligibility Update 17:05 IBR Hardship Removed 18:05 Switching Plan Credits 20:03 New Loans Change Options 21:08 Borrowing Limits Exemptions 21:39 Lawsuits And Hope 23:45 Wrap Up And Next Steps

    Busting Myths Before the July 1 Deadline

  6. May 29

    How (and Why) to Review Your Student Loan History [REPLAY]

    EPISODE RESOURCES Student Aid Website   How to Download and Read Your NSLDS File on StudentAid.gov (and Spot Forgiveness/Credit Errors) As student loan guidelines change and they apply past credit to borrowers' accounts, it's important you know how to review your loan history. In this episode, we discuss how to download and review your NSLDS data file, and easter eggs in the document that could lead to faster loan forgiveness than you think. We walk listeners through creating/logging into a studentaid.gov account, navigating to My Aid, viewing details, and using “Download My Aid Data” to obtain the NSLDS file, which initially looks confusing but includes critical data. Using a de-identified sample, We show how to verify and update contact information, review total disbursements and balance growth over time, check Pell Grant lifetime usage, identify which loans are Direct vs. FFEL/Perkins and may require consolidation for forgiveness eligibility, and read loan status timelines to spot improper long consecutive forbearances that may need correction. We end by previewing deeper guidance on consolidated loans, PSLF, and updated income-driven repayment rules in the next episode. 00:00 Why Your Aid Data Matters 00:54 NSLDS File Overview 02:20 Create Your StudentAid Account 03:02 Find and Download Aid Data 04:31 What You’ll Learn Next 05:45 Read the Top of the File 06:40 Loan Totals and Balance Growth 08:00 Loan Types and Consolidation Clues 09:34 Decode Status and Payment History 11:32 Spot Forbearance Rule Violations 13:28 Wrap Up and Next Episode

    How (and Why) to Review Your Student Loan History [REPLAY]

  7. May 15

    The History of Student Loans, Pt. 1 [REPLAY]

    EPISODE RESOURCES The Debt Trap The History of Student Loans, Pt. 2 How Student Loans Started: From GI Bill Direct Loans to Federally Backed Bank Loans (1944–1965) During a light week for federal student loans, we replay our very first Escape Student Loan Debt episode on how the student loan system began. Join us as Brenton covers key student debt milestones: the 1944 GI Bill’s uneven access for Black, brown, and some female veterans; the 1958 National Defense Student Loan Program that produced Perkins Loans; the 1960 creation of the United Student Aid Fund to guarantee bank loans; and the 1965 Higher Education Act creating the Guaranteed Student Loan Program (later Stafford/FFEL), a public-private model that obscured federal costs until defaults.  00:00 Weekly Update And Replay 01:19 Podcast Intro And Host 02:07 Why History Matters 02:53 Two Minute Crisis Summary 04:28 GI Bill Origins 1944 05:31 Perkins Loans 1958 06:06 Budget Reporting Problem 07:44 USA Fund And Bank Guarantees 09:07 Midroll And Assessment 09:44 Higher Education Act 1965 10:47 FFEL Model Explained 11:55 Wrap Up And Next Episode

  8. May 1

    Student Loan Regulation Updates!

    EPISODE RESOURCES RISE Student Loan Regulations Fact Sheet ...I Just Lost $33,709 Episode Repayment Assistance Plan Explained Finalized DOE Student Loan Rules: New Caps, Repayment Assistance Plan, and Default Rehab Changes (Effective 2026–2027) In this episode we share newly finalized Department of Education regulations tied to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and explain how they may affect student loan borrowers starting in 2026–2027. We outline new federal loan caps beginning July 1, 2026: graduate loans limited to $20,500 annually/$100,000 total; professional programs (11 fields including law, medicine, dentistry, and clinical psychology) to $50,000 annually/$200,000 total; and Parent PLUS capped at $20,000 annually/$65,000 per dependent, plus a $257,500 lifetime limit for new borrowers. We also cover repayment changes including a new Repayment Assistance Plan becoming the only income-driven option for first-time borrowers after July 1, 2026, a tiered 10–25 year standard plan, expanded loan rehabilitation to twice per loan with IDR opt-in at agreement signing, revised forbearance limits, sunsetting certain deferments for loans after July 1, 2027, and new institutional and part-time borrowing rules, warning current borrowers to be cautious about taking new loans. 00:00 New Rules Overview 00:20 Community Updates 01:36 Fact Sheet Breakdown 02:24 Graduate Loan Caps 03:13 Professional Degree Definition 04:53 Parent PLUS Limits 07:10 Lifetime Borrowing Cap 07:54 Repayment Plan Overhaul 09:17 Tiered Standard Plan 10:41 Default Rehab Changes 13:04 Deferment Forbearance Shifts 14:01 School Part Time Limits 15:16 Key Takeaways Next Steps

    Student Loan Regulation Updates!
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About

Tax filings. Investment structuring. Insurance planning. Purchasing your home. Business funding. For listeners with private and federal loans, the Escape Student Loan Debt podcast demystifies Student Loans, how they impact every single area of your finances, and how to get student loan payments or balances forgiven, reduced, re-organized or expedited. Hosted by Brenton Harrison.

Information

  • Creator
    EscapeStudentLoanDebtPodcast l Student Loan Strategies for the Established Professional
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    114
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Escape Student Loan Debt Podcast
  • Show Website
    Escape Student Loan Debt Podcast

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