Department of Education removes student loan forgiveness tracker, leaving borrowers in the dark

In a significant development, the U.S. Department of Education has removed the IDR payment tracker feature from the StudentAid.gov website, causing confusion among student loan borrowers. The IDR payment tracker, which was first introduced in January 2025, allowed borrowers to monitor their progress towards student loan forgiveness under Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans. The tracker provided essential information including qualifying payment counts and remaining time until loan forgiveness. Many borrowers noticed the disappearance of the tracker recently, leading to concerns about their ability to manage their loans effectively following the removal. The National Consumer Law Center has issued warnings to borrowers to take screenshots of their dashboard pages reflecting their IDR status before the potential removal of these features. Reports from various borrowers indicate that the removal took place suddenly, leaving them without access to vital information regarding their loan forgiveness progress. It remains unclear whether the removal impacted all borrowers in IDR plans or was limited to specific cases, especially those affected by a recent court injunction. In addition to the tracker removal, there is ongoing turmoil in the federal student loan repayment landscape. Almost two million borrowers are currently unable to enroll in an IDR plan or switch plans due to a system-wide processing pause implemented by the Department of Education. This issue creates an even more daunting challenge for borrowers navigating their repayment options. The landscape of student loans is further complicated by the proposed changes in the House GOP student loan plan, which suggests terminating most income-driven repayment options and introducing a simplified repayment system. Overall, with the IDR tracker gone and significant proposed reforms in the works, borrowers are facing uncertainty regarding their future student loan repayment strategies. The removal of the tracker may ultimately hinder borrowers' decision-making ability as they try to assess their financial situations and obligations moving forward. Therefore, advocacy groups are urging the Department of Education for clarity on borrowers' options and need for consistent, accessible information regarding their student loan statuses.