Key Takeaways Among the 14.9 million federal student loan borrowers ages 35 to 49, the average borrower in this age group holds about $45,295 in student loan debt. This age group has the highest delinquency rate among student loan borrowers. Are you a federal student loan borrower between the ages of 35 and 49? Here's how your balance and repayment status compare with other borrowers your age. About 14.9 million borrowers ages 35 to 49 hold $674.9 billion in student loan debt as of September 2025, ...

Core Insights - Millions of federal student loan borrowers are currently in default or delinquent, with numbers expected to rise as payments restart [2][11] - The Department of Education is ending the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, affecting 7.43 million borrowers who will need to transition to another plan [2][5] - The transition process may be slow due to a backlog in applications and reduced staffing at the Department of Education [3][4] Group 1: Borrower Impact - Borrowers transitioning from the SAVE plan may face significantly higher monthly payments, potentially hundreds of dollars more than anticipated [5][8] - Many borrowers have not made payments in over six years, leading to concerns about their ability to adjust to new payment requirements [7][8] - The number of borrowers in default or delinquency is likely to increase as payments resume, exacerbating existing financial struggles [8][11] Group 2: Economic Implications - Defaulting borrowers may have wages garnished, which could reduce their disposable income and negatively impact overall economic growth [4][11] - The increase in delinquency and default rates could lead to long-term economic consequences, including lower federal revenue [4][10] Group 3: Recommendations - Borrowers are advised to explore repayment plan options now and prepare for new monthly payments, as some plans will be phased out by 2028 [12]