If you’re in default on your student loan at tax time, the government can seize your tax refund. Watch this video to see two ways to get out of default and get your money!

We’ve heard all kinds of stories at the AFT’s student debt clinics, where we’ve helped hundreds of members lower their monthly payments and avoid interest they shouldn’t have to pay. If you’ve defaulted on your student loans—meaning you haven’t made a payment in over a year—you’re not alone. Three thousand people default every single day.

And every time someone defaults, they risk losing any tax refund they may be counting on to pay rent, utilities, and other basics.

We think a system that results in 3,000 people defaulting on their loans every day is deeply flawed—and we’re working on a policy that would fix that system rather than punish folks who are already struggling to pay for school. Meanwhile, we have some advice about how to keep your tax refund if you haven’t filed yet, even if you are in default.

Every year, the Department of Education garnishes more than $2 billion in tax returns because of unpaid student debt. This is a silent crisis affecting more than 9 million student loan borrowers. You have options though!

Watch the video to find out what steps to take today.

Use Facebook and Twitter to help other borrowers hang onto their refunds.

Jeri

Jeri O’Bryan-Losee
Statewide Secretary/Treasurer
United University Professions
Post Office Box 15143
Albany, New York 12212-5143
800 342 4206 / 518 640 6600
www.uupinfo.org

Dear Colleagues,

If you or someone you know is struggling with student debt, there are free federal programs that can help reduce monthly payments and eventually lead to student loan forgiveness, but these lifeline programs are significantly under-enrolled. In an effort to help our members get access to these programs, United University Professions and the American Federation of Teachers are proud to host a Student Debt Clinic which will provide information on how to take advantage of them.

We will be offering two Student Debt Clinics on Thursday, April 11, 2019, in University Union West (UUW) Room 324 at the following times: 12pm–1:30pm and 4:30pm–6:00pm.

To attend a Student Debt Clinic, you must pre-register here: http://aft.to/StudentDebtClinicRSVP. From the “student debt clinic” drop-down menu, please select the UUP clinic that you are interested in attending – they are labeled “UUP [Campus Name] [time] [date].” In the affiliate field, type in the full name of our local (United University Professions).

Registration is first come, first serve, and we must cap attendance for a single clinic at 50 participants in order to ensure that we are able to provide maximum assistance to attendees. We will serve refreshments at the clinics.

Managing your student loan debt is the first step in taking on the inequities which plague our system of higher education. We look forward to seeing you, so register now!

In solidarity,

Sean G. Massey, Ph. D
UUP Chapter President
Binghamton University