Top Student Loan Issues Borrowers Are Facing Right Now
From Student Loan Planner by Travis Hornsby
May 5, 2026 · 53 min · Episode 425
About this episode
The episode discusses current issues borrowers face with student loans, including deadlines and misconceptions.
A candid look at what our student loan experts are seeing in real-time consultations. The throughline: borrowers need to pull their heads out of the sand because too many are sitting on consolidation deadlines, surprise recertifications, and PSLF misconceptions that could cost them years of credit. The conversation moves from urgent Parent PLUS deadlines to PSLF edge cases, then to disability planning and ABLE accounts — every topic drawn from patterns the team is seeing across recent consults. Key moments: (03:47) Parent PLUS borrowers must consolidate before July 1 to preserve IDR access (08:09) Servicers are pulling tax data months early — revoke IRS consent to control your recertification (22:29) Big Beautiful Bill removes IBR's hardship test, reopening PSLF for high earners (36:13) Disability creates two tracks: IDR recalculation for income drops, or Total and Permanent Disability Discharge (42:07) ABLE accounts let families save for disability expenses with tax-free growth, and 529 funds can roll in Resources mentioned: StudentAid.gov - official Federal Student Aid site for IDR, consolidation, PSLF, disability discharge, and more Like the show? There are several ways you…
People in this episode
Host: Travis Hornsby
Topics covered
- student loans
- borrower issues
- consolidation deadlines
- PSLF misconceptions
- disability planning
- ABLE accounts
Keywords
- student loans
- consolidation
- PSLF
- Parent PLUS
- disability discharge
- ABLE accounts
- recertification
- tax data
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: StudentAid.gov
Products: ABLE accounts, 529 funds
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