Joint Consolidation
Nineteen years after Congress ended the Joint Consolidation Loan program, borrowers who combined their loans with their spouse’s loans still find themselves waiting for access to student debt relief.
Between 1992 and 2006, married borrowers could combine their individual federal student loans into a single Joint Consolidation Loan. These loans could not be separated even in the event of divorce, domestic violence, or an unresponsive partner. Congress passed the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act in September 2022, but borrowers are still waiting on the Department of Education to fully implement it. As a result, these borrowers lack full access to certain debt relief programs.
What We’re Doing
Protect Borrowers partners with grassroots organizations, like SpousalConsolidation.DoUsPart, whose members have Joint Consolidation Loans. Working to support and uplift the experiences of borrowers directly affected by these loans, we continue to push for the full implementation of the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act and to ensure that Joint Consolidation Loan borrowers receive the full relief they need.