New York - Happy commencement season! All you bright-eyed young
scholars, clutching hard-earned degrees and marching toward your future, are
probably thinking about something other than America’s $1.4 trillion student
debt load.
We hate to be buzzkills, but this week on Game Plan,
Francesca and Rebecca urge borrowers to face the grim reality of their student
debt burden, whether they graduated days or decades ago.
Don't worry, we offer suggestions and resources,
too! Student debt doesn't only affect students and recent grads it’s also
a burden that can follow people through their working life and influence every
financial and career decision they make.
Read also: Student loans: what are your options?
It’s easy to feel panicked by doom-and-gloom news,
especially when things like income-based repayment plans and the public-service
loan forgiveness program may be threatened under the Trump administration.
To separate worries from reality, we spoke with Bloomberg's
Shahien Nasiripour, who covers student debt and education policy. Shahien
explains how the country’s student loan problem got so bad and how people should
be thinking about their own past and future debt.
BLOOMBERG