Student-Loan Overhaul Triples Payments, Upending One Georgia Family’s Budget

Federal student-loan reforms enacted on July 1 by the Trump administration scrapped the Biden-era SAVE plan, pushing Jodi Sprague’s monthly payment from $404 to $1,014 beginning in September. The Sprague household, already managing a $144,000 debt from Jodi’s history and teaching degrees, now must tighten its budget, cancel a Florida trip, and forego extra work for the children. Olivia, a 19-year-old public-relations major at Georgia Southern University, is limited to the $6,000 federal borrowing cap for the semester, while Evelyn, 17, is re-evaluating a costly forensic-pathology career.

Paul Sprague, a city employee, is considering a second job and even tapping life-insurance proceeds to help. The payment increase also jeopardizes Jodi’s eligibility timeline for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, as the Education Department now requires exact-date payments. The family’s story reflects broader anxiety among borrowers facing higher bills after the policy shift.