Atlanta's Elite Fashion and Entertainment Consultants

Joe Biden canceled all student loan debt

The claim: Joe Biden canceled all student loan debt
On the campaign trail, now-President Joe Biden pledged to act on federal student loan debt forgiveness and wipe out $10,000 for all borrowers. One student loan borrower claimed on Facebook that the president has already acted on that promise.

"My student loans are gone," reads a Feb. 2 Facebook post with hundreds of shares. "I love you Biden!" Many users expressed skepticism and commented, "Mine still showing."

Fact check: Student loan debt still exists, despite viral social media claim

Biden student loan forgiveness plan
On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order extending a payment pause on federal student loans through at least September. During the beginning of the pandemic, former President Donald Trump suspended student loan payments, froze interest and told loan servicers to stop collection efforts as part of the COVID-19 relief effort. That was set to expire on Jan. 31.

It is still unresolved whether debt cancellation would be done through executive action by Biden or through legislation passed by Congress.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted on Feb. 4 that the Biden administration is "reviewing whether there are any steps he can take through executive action and he would welcome the opportunity to sign a bill sent to him by Congress.”

Biden wants to forgive loans for students attending two-year and four-year public colleges and extend loan forgiveness to students who attend private historically Black colleges and universities or minority-serving institutions, according to his campaign website. His plan also includes forgiving all undergraduate tuition related to federal student debt for borrowers earning up to $125,000 a year.

"Biden will create a new, simple program which offers $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student debt relief for every year of national or community service, up to five years," his campaign website reads. Those working in schools, government and other nonprofit settings would be automatically enrolled in the program.

Student loan debt has not been canceled
While federal student loan payments have been temporarily paused, there has been no action by Congress or Biden to cancel student loan debt.

Biden's outline for a $1.9 trillion stimulus package excluded student loan debt cancellation. The relief package includes $1,400 stimulus checks, investing $20 billion in a national vaccination program and $400 per week unemployment insurance benefits.

Further, none of Biden's executive orders signed since Jan. 20 reference student debt cancellation.

There has also been no legislation passed by Congress canceling student debt, and details of the stimulus plan continue to be negotiated. In a Feb. 4 press briefing, Psaki said the White House is still reviewing if it can provide debt relief through executive order while calling on Congress to pass legislation.

"The president has and continues to support canceling $10,000 of federal student loan debt per person as a result of the COVID crisis," Psaki said. "If it is passed and sent to his desk, he will look forward to signing it."