Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks: New Ideas for Treatment of Student Loans in Bankruptcy

By Robert B. Branson and Tammy Branson, Branson Law PLLC (Orlando, FL)

Congress’ goal of bankruptcy is for the honest debtor to get a fresh start. Since most federally guaranteed student loans are nondischargeable, the current outcome is a “false start” instead of a fresh start.

Resolving a $1.5 trillion student loan crisis is problematic in that the caselaw was developed during a period when the statutory regime allowed for discharge after five and later seven years. Litigation on student loan dischargeability has not been a . . .

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