If you felt a financial gut punch this week, you’re not alone. The federal government just hit “resume” on student loan collections after a three-year pandemic break, and for Black women, the consequences are brutal.
Let’s be real: student debt was already a storm. Now it’s a tsunami.
We’re Not All Starting From the Same Place
Black women didn’t need another reminder that the system isn’t built with them in mind, but here it is. We borrow more to go to college. We earn less after graduating. We juggle caregiving, career gaps, and chronic underpayment. And now we’re being told to “get current” on loans we had no fair shot at paying off to begin with?
According to the American Association of University Women, Black women leave school with nearly $39,000 in student debt on average, higher than any other group. That number doesn’t include the interest that piles up when jobs don’t pay enough, when you defer payments to stay afloat, or when you’re underemployed with a degree that was supposed to open doors.
Collections Are Back… And They’re Coming In Hot
Here’s what’s happening: the Treasury Department is back to snatching tax refunds, garnishing wages, and even dipping into Social Security checks. Yes, your grandma’s check could shrink because of loans she co-signed or tried to pay off herself decades ago.
And while the Education Department says borrowers can call a hotline or enter repayment plans, the real issue isn’t access, it’s affordability and fairness. Income-driven repayment plans help some, but they’re Band-Aids on a bullet wound.
This Isn’t Just About Money, It’s About Justice
Student debt has become the financial version of a trapdoor, especially for Black women. We’re told education is the key to success, then penalized when we use it. Meanwhile, the racial wealth gap ensures we have fewer safety nets, and the gender pay gap keeps us from catching up.
Let’s not forget: the government paused these payments for three years. That means they can choose to protect vulnerable communities. They just chose not to this time.
What Now?
If you’re in default, move quickly:
- Loan rehabilitation might clean up your credit if you make nine payments in ten months.
- Income-driven repayment Plans can get payments down to as little as $0/month.
- Talk to the Default Resolution Group to understand your options, don’t wait until your tax refund disappears.
Final Word
There’s no sugarcoating this: resuming collections without real reform is a choice. And it’s one that disproportionately hurts Black women who’ve done everything they were told was right, get the degree, get the job, play by the rules.
If we’re serious about equity, canceling debt can’t just be a political talking point. It has to be a policy priority. Until then, the message is clear: the system still expects Black women to carry the weight.
