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The Most Educated Religious Groups In America Mar 04, 2026

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A new report from the Pew Research Center offers one of the most detailed looks at how educational attainment differs across religious groups in America.

The findings come from Pew’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, a survey of 36,908 U.S. adults. Because of its large sample size, researchers were able to analyze not only broad religious categories, but also specific denominations within Protestantism and other traditions.

The headline finding: Hindus and Jews stand apart by a wide margin.

Judge Dismisses SAVE Plan Lawsuit — SAVE Borrowers Still In Limbo Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

A federal judge on Friday dismissed the central lawsuit challenging the Biden-era SAVE student loan repayment plan — not because the court endorsed it, but because there is no longer a dispute to decide.

The ruling clarifies the legal posture of the case but does not immediately end the administrative forbearance for the roughly 7 million borrowers enrolled in SAVE.

The decision (PDF FIle), issued by Judge John A. Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, ends the case State of Missouri v. Trump without prejudice and rejects a joint request from the parties to vacate the SAVE rule outright.

The judge notes "that clarity must come from the Department of Education, and not from this Court, which is no longer empowered to weigh the merits of a case that is now moot."

Opinion: Moving Education Programs Around Washington Is Bad Policy Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

The U.S. Department of Education has announced two new interagency agreements, handing off selected responsibilities to the Departments of State and Health and Human Services. The stated goal: break up federal education bureaucracy, improve efficiency, and return education to the states.

As someone who believes deeply in higher education (and in the value of federal student aid programs that expand opportunity), I also believe in an efficient government where tax dollars are spent purposefully to achieve specific goals.

That’s why these interagency agreements deserve a closer look.

Shifting programs from one federal agency to another does not necessarily make government smaller. It makes it more complex. And if we’re not careful, it may reduce accountability while ignoring the structural reforms that education policy actually needs.

Navient Borrower Compensation Payments Begin In 2026 Feb 28, 2026

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Borrowers who were a part of a years-long legal battle over student loan servicing practices are now seeing tangible results: compensation checks arriving in their mailboxes.

According to the CFPB’s website, a third-party administrator began issuing payments on or about February 13, 2026, from a $100 million fund tied to a 2024 enforcement settlement with Navient, one of the nation’s largest former federal student loan servicers. The case accused the company of steering borrowers into repeated forbearances (temporary pauses on payments) even when they qualified for more affordable income-driven repayment plans.

For affected borrowers, some of whom report receiving checks in the thousands of dollars, the payments represent long-awaited financial relief.

Could The Trump Administration Sell And Privatize Student Loans? Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

The Trump administration is once again weighing whether to sell off parts of the federal government’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to private investors — a move that could reshape the nation’s higher education finance system and affect more than 45 million borrowers.

According to reports, senior officials at the Education Department and Treasury Department have been exploring how to offload “high-performing” federal loans to the private market. The discussions, which have allegedly involved finance industry executives and potential buyers, reflect the administration’s broader goal of shrinking the government’s role in student lending and reviving private-sector competition.

This comes after reports earlier this year that Trump wanted the Small Business Administration to take over the student loan portfolio.

The administration is looking at whether privatization could help reduce administrative costs and improve portfolio performance. However, the move could borrower protections, including income-driven repayment options, loan forgiveness programs, and the government’s unique ability to offer flexible hardship relief.

This isn’t the first time the idea has surfaced. The Department of Education chapter in the Project 2025 document proposes reviving the old Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program to “privatize all lending programs, including subsidized, unsubsidized, and PLUS loans (both Grad and Parent).”

So what exactly would it mean if federal student loans were sold to private lenders and could it really happen this time? Let’s unpack the latest proposals, political motivations, and potential consequences for borrowers.

The U.S. Is Taking Harvard To Court (AGAIN) Over Race In Admissions Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, arguing that the university has unlawfully withheld admissions records needed for a federal civil rights compliance review.

The complaint (PDF File), filed February 13, 2026, in federal court in Massachusetts, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to compel Harvard to provide applicant-level admissions data and internal communications related to race and diversity policies . The government is not seeking monetary damages or revocation of federal funds.

At the center of the dispute is compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

Student Loan Borrowers Get Balance Adjustments After SAVE Interest Error Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

Student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance may be getting some relief. Borrowers are reporting that when they login to their online accounts there is a new message: “Your Account Balance was Adjusted.”

The notices, now appearing in some borrowers' portals, state that loan servicers recently conducted a review and made changes based on SAVE administrative forbearance and a 0% interest period. For many, the message comes after nearly a year of confusion and concern over balances that appeared to grow despite federal guidance that interest was paused.

Yet even as the notices roll out, some borrowers say the corrections have not fully appeared in their accounts.

Social Security Cuts: What Young Workers Face Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Headlines warning that Social Security is “running out” have sparked fresh anxiety among younger investors. Some stories highlight a potential $460 monthly benefit cut. Others suggest the system may collapse entirely.

The reality is more complex.

According to the 2025 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds (PDF File), the program is facing a structural shortfall. But that does not mean Social Security is disappearing. And for workers in their 20s, 30s and early 40s, the most important questions are different from the ones driving today’s headlines.

Here’s what actually matters.

Student Loan Debt And Unemployment: Steps To Take For Your Loans Feb 22, 2026

Show notes

When you’re unemployed, it’s hard enough getting out of bed in the morning, let alone searching for a job. Add to that the stress of dealing with your student loans and it’s a wonder you can get out of bed at all. Student loan debt and unemployment is not a fun combination.

We wish we could snap our fingers and make your student loans disappear when you can’t pay them (and even when you can). Instead, we’ll have to settle by giving you some advice on how to deal with them while you’re unemployed.

Before we go into it, the first thing you should do when unemployed is apply for unemployment benefits, if you’re eligible. Any income is a step in the right direction when you have bills you need to pay. Look up your state’s unemployment requirements to see if you’re eligible and how much you can get.

After that, you need to make sure your budget is in order and you're still handling your student loan debt.

Here's our advice that will hopefully get you on the right path so you can focus on your job search.

Front-Loading Financial Aid: Watch Out For This Sneaky Trick Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

Front-loading of financial aid like grants and scholarships is a form of bait-and-switch, where a college gives a better financial aid offer to freshmen than to sophomores, juniors and seniors.

When a college practices front-loading of financial aid, the average grant per recipient decreases after the first year and/or the percentage of students receiving grants decreases.

This means students get smaller grants and/or fewer students get grants. Even if a college keeps the grants unchanged, the net price will increase as college costs increase.

Front-loading of grants causes the mix of grants vs. loans to become less favorable after the freshman year. The family’s share of college costs increases significantly for upperclassmen, even if their ability to pay for college remains unchanged.

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