Advocates are ecstatic after the Trump administration agreed to a student loan forgiveness deal that will allow millions of borrowers to see relief, a rare happy break for a group that has found few defenders in the current White House.

The administration reached a deal with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) last week that resumes student debt relief, mostly for those who have been paying on their loans for the past 20 to 25 years.

The deal says the Education Department will continue to process relief for borrowers in Income-Contingent Repayment and Pay as You Earn plans, until the options are eliminated in 2028 under President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill."

It also allows those who earn student loan forgiveness through qualifying payments this year to avoid taxes on the debt relief even if the cancellation does not happen until 2026. Starting 2026, those who receive student debt relief will have to pay taxes on that money.

“This year, we took on the Trump administration when it refused to follow the law and denied borrowers the relief they were owed. Our agreement means that those........

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