For around a decade, each month the government has received hundreds of dollars in paychecks from a woman in Florida named Michelle, in order to pay back old student loans that were due and unpaid.
In order to make sure about loan repayment, the U.S. Department of Education may legally order garnishment of any individual’s salary, Tax Returns, and Social Security benefits. The garnishment of Michelle started in the year 2008, in Orlando, as a school teacher, who demanded to be recognized by her first name. And this is only because her personal finances are involved in this story.
For the coming 8 or 9 years, Michelle struggled while she supported her two children. She stated, “I lost everything including my house over this just because I am not able to afford it”.
“And suddenly the amount of $800 per month was gone. I am confused and want to consider whether should we get the meal or keep the lights turned on. Currently, what is more important?” By the end of the garnishment period, Michele realized that her student loan was paid in full. But, past spring, she began to get notices regarding the different loans, which Michelle took from the now-defunct Perkins Loan Program when she was at the University of Florida, pursuing an undergraduate degree.
To graduate and undergraduate students, low-interest federal loans are offered by the program with unusual “financial need”, based on the Department of Education. With the help of the Perkins program, she applied for loan forgiveness after completing her graduation in 1997 from the University of Florida. And later, to get the loan, she fulfilled the teaching service demands and requirements.
Michelle stated, “I went through the depression and hiding from all this. It was long ago and passed a long time, so, I was confused about how to make sense of this. And now, my gut feeling is; I am going to lose everything and about to retire.”
