The Biden administration is preparing for a potential wave of student loan defaults, as borrowers who fell behind during the pandemic face collection activity again. This will be the first time in nearly five years that borrowers in default will have their wages and retirement benefits garnished.

A recent memo from the U. S. Department of Education, obtained by CNBC, provides details on when these collection efforts will resume, possibly as soon as this summer. The memo emphasizes the importance of continuing initiatives to help borrowers stay current on their loans as penalties and mandatory collections restart.

In 2022, approximately 7. 5 million federal student loan borrowers were in default, a number that had dropped to around 5. 5 million by late 2024. The Education Department has taken steps to mitigate a full-blown default crisis, similar to the 2008 mortgage crisis.

"It's crucial to follow through on the outlined actions to prepare for the resumption of default penalties later this year, " noted James Kvaal, the U. S. Undersecretary of Education, in the memo.

This shift comes as the Trump administration is set to transition into office, with the memo serving as a blueprint for handling defaulting borrowers.

Biden Administration Readies for Post-Pandemic Student Loan Defaults

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