6-month suspension of student loan payments in coronavirus stimulus touted as ‘significant relief’

close

Video

CARES Act suspends student loan payments until October

Americans with student loans are getting interest-free relief through September; David Spunt has the details.

Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here. 

Forty-five million borrowers maintain over $1.6 trillion in student loan debt and, with unemployment numbers growing amid the coronavirus pandemic, the situation has left Americans wondering just how they are going to pay even one more bill.

Know who your provider is because if your loan is through the federal government, help has arrived.

The CARES Act coronavirus stimulus bill was signed into law last month and it enables borrowers to suspend payments on federally held student loans until Sept. 30, giving people a six-month reprieve.

According to the bill: There will also be no interest accrued during those six months. Furthermore, any borrower who has defaulted on that federally held student loan will not have their tax refund withheld, wages garnished, or social security payments withheld. Collection calls are even put on hold.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE 

Betsy Mayotte of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors says this is "significant relief for the majority of student loan borrowers." Mayotte, who has been a student loan advocate for decades, said: "I was in it during 9/11. I was in it during Katrina. And I have never seen such a significant relief package being offered to student loan borrowers."

And these relief waivers are just what University of Massachusetts senior Julia Cassiani says she needs right now. Planning for her future during coronavirus has been one of the most stressful things Cassiani has had to deal with. College ending abruptly was one thing but looking for a job during an unstable economy worries her more.

"It's going to be very hard to get a job," Cassiani explained. "You see everyone getting laid off from a lot of jobs and it makes you hesitant to even bother trying because you know there's not much room for you there."

Planning to earn a degree in sustainable food and farming next month, Cassiani will hold close to $40,000 in student loan debt. Cassiani said she was going to go the traditional route for her payment plan but that was before this pandemic upended the class of 2020's world.

MEET THE FORMER NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER WHO IS CHALLENGING THE CORONAVIRUS NARRATIVE

"I had this original idea in my head." Cassiani said, "it would take me about 20-25 years to pay off my loans." Now, she sees hope in this federal act because "with some of this relief, it will take less time" to pay off her student debt.

Mayotte cautioned that there are still about 25 percent of borrowers that aren't going to receive relief from these federal waivers because those individuals took out a loan through their state or directly from their institution or even a private bank. She said borrowers should check with their loan provider and ask if their loan qualifies

Her other advice is to be patient. "What I'm seeing is a lot of anxiety." Mayotte explained "people are looking at their accounts saying, 'oh, you know, they screwed up because I'm still accruing interest.'"

Student loan lenders have until April 11 to inform borrowers of whether they are covered.

Fox News’ David Spunt and Jason Donner contributed to this report.