{"id":640,"date":"2025-05-14T14:31:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/?p=640"},"modified":"2025-07-06T17:49:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T17:49:49","slug":"student-loan-default-ohio-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/14\/student-loan-default-ohio-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Student Loan Storm Is Here, Ohio \u2013 Don\u2019t Let It Catch You Slippin&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"640\" class=\"elementor elementor-640\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27f9076 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"27f9076\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4550890 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4550890\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hey Ohio \u2013the time to play it cool about student loans is over. Uncle Sam isn\u2019t waiting anymore. Starting <\/span><b>May 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, if you\u2019ve been ignoring your student loan bills, things are about to get serious. We\u2019re talking <\/span><b>wage garnishments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>tax refund seizures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>collections coming after you<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 all while you\u2019re just trying to get by.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t just a national issue \u2013 it\u2019s personal for us. Ohioans, especially in cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo, are carrying some of the <\/span><b>heaviest student loan debt in the country<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And now, after years of delays and broken promises, the system is moving in.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c9644d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1c9644d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What\u2019s Really Going Down<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc2f19e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"dc2f19e\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44149b0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"44149b0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the long pandemic pause, <\/span><b>federal student loans are officially back on the table<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you haven\u2019t made payments for months \u2013 or even years \u2013 your loan could already be in <\/span><b>default<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That means:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government can start taking money <\/span><b>directly out of your paycheck<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your <\/span><b>tax refund or Social Security check<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be taken without warning.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your loan might be sent to <\/span><b>collections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, dragging your credit down with it.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And once collections get involved, the pressure doesn\u2019t stop.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.S. Department of Education says default kicks in after 270 days of missed payments \u2013 that\u2019s about 9 months. Plenty of Ohioans are already there. And come May, the consequences will hit.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9304c59 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9304c59\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02f055d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"02f055d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ohio Will Feel This The Hardest<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-afea8ec e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"afea8ec\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4149953 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4149953\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ohio ranks among the top 10 states for <\/span><b>highest student loan debt per borrower<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The average balance? Over <\/span><b>$33,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That\u2019s not pocket change \u2013 that\u2019s a down payment on a house or a chance at a business.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s worse for urban and low-income communities. Many people didn\u2019t even finish school but still walked away with thousands in debt. The interest keeps building, the notices keep coming, and the money just isn\u2019t there. And now, the system is ready to collect by any means.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5e3937 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f5e3937\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1046d8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d1046d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What You Can Do to Stay Ahead<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9659529 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9659529\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e4d666 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6e4d666\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t the time to go silent. Here\u2019s how to take control before they take it from you:<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Check Your Loan Status<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Go to<\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Studentaid.gov<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and log in. You need to know if your loan is just behind or already in default.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Look Into Income-Based Repayment Plans<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Programs like an <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/idr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Plan could lower your payments \u2014 sometimes even to $0\/month \u2014 depending on your income.<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/i><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Talk to a Legit Advisor \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are<\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/collegenowgc.org\/overview-of-college-now-services\/adult-learners\/student-loan-debt-counseling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> free help options through nonprofits like College Now Greater Cleveland<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>.<\/strong> Don\u2019t fall for shady companies offering to \u201cfix\u201d your loans for a fee.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ad8e81 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5ad8e81\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a777e49 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a777e49\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b848304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b848304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bottom Line: Don\u2019t Let the System Win<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef8a35b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ef8a35b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We didn\u2019t create this mess, but that doesn\u2019t mean we have to get swept up in it. Protect your paycheck. Protect your future. The government is moving \u2013 it\u2019s time to move smarter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f86fa52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f86fa52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ohio Unity has your back.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e3e1df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5e3e1df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re keeping an eye on the latest updates and making sure our people get the info they need. Share this with your community. Let\u2019s help each other stay ready and stay free. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c511e07 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c511e07\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c6a1a4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1c6a1a4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"762\" src=\"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-1024x975.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-691\" alt=\"A black student reviews his ohio student loan options\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-1024x975.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-300x286.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-768x732.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-1536x1463.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-700x667.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257-500x476.jpg 500w, https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-diva-plavalaguna-6149793-scaled-e1751824113257.jpg 1792w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hey Ohio \u2013the time to play it cool about student loans is over. Uncle Sam isn\u2019t waiting anymore. Starting May 2025, if you\u2019ve been ignoring your student loan bills, things are about to get serious. We\u2019re talking wage garnishments, tax refund seizures, and collections coming after you \u2013 all while you\u2019re just trying to get [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=640"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":697,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640\/revisions\/697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohiounity.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}