Massachusetts And Connecticut Student Loan Relief Lawyer

Experienced Representation for Student Debt Relief

At the Law Office of Glenn F. Russell, Jr., we’re proud to provide reliable representation to students navigating the complexities of student loan management and debt relief. Since 2007, our skilled advocate has helped individuals resolve complex student loan disputes throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, empowering them to turn the page and reclaim their financial freedom.

We are aggressive in court, friendly on the phone, and unparalleled in our results for clients seeking relief. Our seasoned student loan relief attorney can fight for the favorable outcome you deserve while keeping your unique goals in mind during the legal proceedings, liberating you to take back your life and recover your economic security.

Reach out to our office or call (888) 400-9318 to learn how we can deliver the customized legal solutions you require to meet your unique needs.

Financial Challenges Faced by College Students in 2025

Students who are unable to pay off their loans in a timely manner can be hit with a myriad of legal issues, including unexpected lawsuits, tax refund intercepts, wage garnishments, and more. They may also be on the receiving end of abusive treatment from creditors as a result of delayed repayment.

Fortunately, our firm’s extensive understanding of debt repayment allows us to fight for our clients while maintaining a personable and compassionate approach. Whether you’ve been paying off your student loans for months or decades, our Massachusetts and Connecticut  attorney has the legal knowledge and diverse skillset to guide your steps wisely.

CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS MAY HAVE ELEGIBILITY FOR LOAN FORGIVENESS OF UP TO $20,000.00 IF THEY MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA

Click here -→  CT student loan reimbursement program: Eligibility and how to apply

Biden-Harris Administration Launches 2023 SAVE Plan

Paying off your student loans shouldn’t put you in financial distress. Unfortunately, Congress passed a law preventing further extensions of the student loan payment pause, with student loan interest set to resume on September 1, 2023.

In August 2024, The Biden-Harris Administration introduced the 2023 SAVE plan (“Saving on A Valuable Education”). The income-driven repayment plan had the potential to cut many borrowers’ previous monthly payments in half and leave some without a monthly bill altogether.

However, as of March 26, 2025, the online IDR application is once again available for eligible borrowers to apply for the Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plans. The online loan consolidation application is also available again.

Life doesn’t always go as planned. When you first signed up to receive financial aid or agreed to the terms of a student loan, you were predicting what your financial situation would be like after graduation—and for many graduates, reality can paint a very different picture.

As of 2023, there were nine federal repayment plans available that provide various options for recalculating and potentially forgiving a portion of student loan debt. However, each program is unique and comes with its own diverse set of criteria, legal conditions, and eligibility requirements, making it all the more important to consult with a trusted debt relief attorney before making important legal decisions regarding federal repayment plans.

FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN HARDSHIP DISCAHARGE IN BANKRUPTCY 
UNDER NEW 2022 GUIDANCE FROM THE DOJ

Many people are under the impression that it is impossible to discharge student loans in bankruptcy. This mistaken belief has prevented many elegible borrowers from seeking relief under the new guidance set forth by the Department of Justice regarding hardship discharge of student loans in bankruptcy, if you meet the new criteria as set forth by the Department of Justice.

In November 2022, the Department of Justice ("DOJ") released guidelines streamlining (and in some cases making it easier) for a borrower to receive a “hardship discharge” of their student loans. That 2022  guidance can be found here 

Each year, individuals in the bankruptcy process seek to discharge student loan debt in order to get the “fresh start” envisioned by the bankruptcy code.  Congress has set a higher bar for discharging student loan debt compared to other debt—debtors who seek to discharge student loans must prove in a separate “adversary proceeding” that paying their student loans would impose an “undue hardship.”  But that higher bar need not be an insurmountable barrier for debtors who cannot afford to pay their student loans. 

The Department of Justice, in close coordination with the Department of Education, has implemented a new process at the outset of “adversary proceedings” [in bankruptcy] in which debtors seek to discharge federal student loans in bankruptcy.   

While the bankruptcy judge makes the final decision whether to grant a discharge, the Justice Department can play an important role in that decision by supporting discharge in appropriate cases.  

The new process will help ensure transparent and consistent expectations for the discharge of student loan debt in bankruptcy; reduce the burden on debtors of pursuing such proceedings; and make it easier for Justice Department attorneys to identify cases where discharge is appropriate. 

Under the Justice Department’s new process, debtors will complete an attestation form to assist the government in assessing the discharge request.  The Justice Department, in consultation with the Department of Education, will review the information provided, apply the factors that courts consider relevant to the undue-hardship inquiry, and determine whether to recommend discharge. Even where the applicable factors may not support a complete discharge, where appropriate, the Justice Department will consider supporting a partial discharge. 

Justice Department attorneys will assess the undue-hardship factors in the following manner: 

A. Present Ability to Pay – Using existing standards developed by the IRS and the information provided by the debtor, the Justice Department attorney will calculate a debtor’s expenses and compare those expenses to the debtor’s income. If a debtor’s expenses equal or exceed the debtor’s income, the Department will determine that the debtor lacks a present ability to pay.  

B. Future Ability to Pay – The Department will then assess whether the debtor’s present inability to pay is likely to persist in the future.  The Department attorney will presume a debtor’s financial circumstances are not likely to change if certain factors—such as retirement age, disability or chronic injury, protracted unemployment history, lack of degree, or extended repayment status—are present.  Where such factors are not present, the Department attorney will assess the facts showing whether the debtor’s present inability to pay is likely to persist. 

C. Good Faith Efforts – In assessing what courts call the “good faith” standard, the Department will focus on objective criteria reflecting the debtor’s reasonable efforts to earn income, manage expenses, and repay their loan.  The Department attorney will consider, for example, whether the debtor contacted the Department of Education or their loan servicer regarding payment options for their loan.  A debtor will not be disqualified based on past non-payment if other evidence of good faith exists.  A debtor also will not be disqualified based on their not enrolling in an income driven repayment plan where the debtor was deterred from participating in such a plan or otherwise provides a reasonable explanation for nonenrollment.   

Need help managing student loans? Call (888) 400-9318 to schedule a consultation with a trusted student debt relief attorney in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

Contact a Trusted Debt Relief Attorney in Massachusetts and Connecticut

Attorney Glenn F. Russell, Jr. has over 15 years of experience helping clients navigate life’s most difficult financial situations, making our team uniquely suited to evaluate your financial profile and determine your eligibility for specific programs.

From the first phone call to the final court date, we’ll collaborate closely with you to achieve a favorable outcome and liberate you from longstanding debts. We help clients navigate student loan management, repayment, and forgiveness by assisting with the following steps:

• Ensuring all legal requirements are met under your selected plan – All federally approved programs require you to “recertify” your income every year. To do so, you will be required to complete the recertification. Our firm can assist you during a brief telephone, virtual, or in-person meeting.
• Determining which program is best suited for your needs – After a thorough analysis of your student loan records, financial profile, and income, our firm can determine your eligibility for each of the nine federally approved student loan repayment programs. Each program differs in how they forgive, restructure, or consolidate your debt. The report also provides us with the background information necessary to advise you on the best course of action to ensure you maintain a healthy financial profile.
• Working to keep regular payments reasonable and affordable – Our firm can keep you informed and recommend an appropriate repayment program based on your unique circumstances. We’ll work to keep your monthly payment as affordable as possible by basing the monthly amount on how much you make, as opposed to how much you owe.
• Determining potential eligibility for loan forgiveness – Our experienced lawyer can assess your unique legal and financial situation to determine whether you qualify for full or partial student loan forgiveness by the federal government.
   
• We can offer a complete assessment of  
  
  1) Whether you qualify for a “hardship discharge” under the new guidance from the DOJ
  
  2) If so, we are capapble and experienced in helping you complete and file the necessary “Attestation”, and file a limited Adversary Proceeding in your filed bankruptcy. We would prepare and file your bankruptcy, and under the new DOJ Guidance the normal additional filing fees associated with this lawsuit within the bankrutcy would be waived.
  
  We would gather all of your necessary information, and then would perform  a “Discharge Snapshot - Assessment of dischargeability”, and then run a Comprehensive Analysis of dischargeability to account for your particular situation to determine if you may qualify for a hardship discharge in bankruptcy.  If you appear to be elegible to request a hardship discharge , we could also complete the Attestation Package on your behalf to submit in your Adversary Proceeding.  
  
  3) We also can analyize your options outside of bankruptcy, with regard to helping you select what are the best payback options under federally available programs.
   
• Consolidating student loans in default – Our skilled advocate can help [under appropriate circumstances] to possibly consolidate any defaulted loans into one new federal student loan, cure existing defaults, and set up one easy payment to a sole loan servicer to get your financial health back on track.

Getting Started with Student Loan Repayments

To get started with student loan repayment, the first and most important step is to request an analysis of your current student loan debt with us. After the analysis is complete, you will be provided with your options based on the qualification factors required by the federal government and the Department of Education.

It's important to understand that securing strong representation can be necessary, even for those who aren't actively in the middle of a legal dispute. Many students and graduates may require an attorney’s help to manage their student loans and eliminate the potential for future lawsuits. We can inform you of the legal options available for repayment while ensuring your regular payment isn’t higher than necessary.

We also offer guidance to those with questions about student loan repayments in the wake of major life changes, such as unemployment, divorce, parenthood, and more. If needed, our firm is prepared to help you to attempt to consolidate, refinance, or do whatever is necessary to bring your student loans down to a level you can work with.

See our student loan calculator to see potential monthly loan payment reduction

Our student loan calculator is provided for illustrative purposes only and assumes all loans are federal and borrower is eligible for all repayment plans. The information obtained by using our online calculator is not, and should not be taken as, legal or financial advice. Borrower’s eligibility for the payment and savings will depend on several factors. There are many factors involved to determine the repayment plans for which borrower is eligible, which depend upon your particular situation.

Take the First Step Toward a Debt-Free Future

When it comes to student loan management, it’s imperative to handle your student debt responsibly to avoid lasting financial and legal ramifications. With various legal options available to you, there’s no need to sacrifice your quality of life or peace of mind regarding student debt relief. Our firm has over 15 years of experience to help you navigate the legal complexities of student loans and debt relief in Massachusetts or Connecticut. Call (888) 400-9318 to request an appointment with our Massachusetts and Connecticut student loan attorney.

Our Massachusetts and Connecticut debt relief attorney has successfully resolved a variety of student loan disputes. Contact us online to request a case evaluation. 

```