The U.S. Department of Education is winding down some of the most generous student loan repayment policies introduced under the Biden administration, signaling a shift away from widespread debt forgiveness programs that benefited millions of borrowers over the past four years.

Since President Joe Biden took office, about 5.3 million borrowers have had portions of their federal student loan debt forgiven through various initiatives aimed at reducing monthly payments and expediting relief. However, officials now emphasize that large-scale forgiveness is unlikely to return. Nicholas Kent, undersecretary of education, stated in March at a Brookings Institution event that while the department remains interested in supporting borrowers through different mechanisms, the era of broad loan forgiveness “is not coming” and “those days are gone.”

One notable policy set to end in July is the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, which had allowed borrowers to cap monthly payments based on income and move quickly toward forgiveness. At the same time, the Education Department will gain the authority to revoke public service loan forgiveness status from employers engaged in what it deems illegal activities, potentially affecting borrowers’ eligibility.

Replacing SAVE is the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), effective July 1, 2026, which requires borrowers to make minimum monthly payments of at least $10 and maintain payments for 30 years before qualifying for loan discharge—except for those in qualifying public service jobs. This is a longer repayment horizon compared to previous plans that required 20 or 25 years.

RAP includes provisions to help borrowers manage unpaid interest by waiving it when minimum payments are insufficient and providing government subsidies to reduce principal balances by at least $50 monthly. According to the Education Department, over 80% of new borrowers entering repayment under RAP could clear their debts within 15 years. Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, noted that the plan’s structure might enable some borrowers to pay off their loans more quickly depending on income levels.

Despite these changes, the transition is causing concern among borrowers. Kymi Able-Brown, a 38-year-old physical therapist battling cancer, recently received notice that she must switch from her previous income-driven plan, which required no monthly payments, to a new plan with estimated payments ranging from $1,100 to $1,400. She currently owes about $200,000 and said the increased payments are unaffordable given her medical expenses and family responsibilities.

Similarly, Jazzmine Rosales, a single mother of three in San Antonio, is grappling with choices after learning she must enroll in a new repayment plan following the phaseout of SAVE. Employed by a nonprofit supporting the deaf and hard of hearing, she earns $29,000 annually and previously qualified for $0 monthly payments. Under RAP and other options, her loans could be forgiven between 2039 and 2044, but she faces uncertainty regarding the final amount owed and potential tax implications.

This tax concern stems from recent changes: student loans forgiven on or after January 1, 2026, are now considered taxable income under federal law, a significant departure from the five preceding years when such forgiveness was tax-free in most cases. Rosales has contemplated applying her tax refunds toward accelerating loan repayment to avoid uncertainty around potential tax liabilities.

As new repayment programs take effect later this year, borrowers across the country face a more complex and prolonged path toward student debt relief, marking a notable shift from the more lenient strategies that characterized the previous administration’s approach.