Student loan forgiveness quietly resumes during US shutdown: Here’s why relief is still going out

Despite the ongoing US government shutdown, some federal student loan borrowers have begun receiving notices that their debt will soon be discharged. These unexpected emails from the US Department of Education confirm that loan forgiveness is proceeding, even though much of the government’s operations remain on hold. This development comes as a surprise to many borrowers who feared their loan relief might be paused indefinitely due to political gridlock. According to multiple notices reviewed by CNBC, the Education Department is moving forward with cancelling some or all federal student loans for eligible borrowers under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan. Student loan forgiveness continues despite shutdown An email sent to one borrower reads: “You are now eligible to have