In the past, our attorneys have received questions about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, and how they may be affected by student loans.
Here is what you need to know: your Social Security benefits can be garnished if you fail to pay a student loan.
This is because there are laws in place to protect lenders from default, and they are very strict. Unfortunately, thousands of Americans each year have their Social Security payments garnished. In 2013, more than 156,000 people had their Social Security checks garnished because of student loans.
If you are struggling to pay student loans and are worried about Social Security garnishment, it may be a good idea to contact your lender. Many times, people who fail to meet certain income levels can have their loan payments deferred or reduced.
We bring this issue up because there has been a lot of news recently about the crippling impact student loans have had on our economy. In fact, due to concerns about the 40 million Americans who are dealing with student loan debt, President Barack Obama released a memorandum to federal agencies calling for a “student aid bill of rights.” The memorandum orders these agencies to come up with plans to help borrowers afford their monthly loan payments.
One proposal being floated by some advocates would make it easier for people who become disabled to get their student loans discharge. To view Obama’s memorandum, you can click here.
I Need Help Seeking Social Security Benefits
Hopefully, the government will do something to address this issue. Remember, for more information about applying for SSDI benefits, you can visit our Social Security FAQ page.
You can visit our Facebook page, our LinkedIn page and our Twitter page if you have questions about the disability process. We also have a Tumblr page that you can follow.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers
Source: http://time.com/money/3739531/student-aid-bill-of-rights-student-loans/
