Economic and Student Loan Debt Relief Act of 2020
This bill extends the suspension of payments on student loans held by the Department of Education (ED). It also generally allows for an exclusion from taxable income of employer payments of student loans.
Specifically, the bill requires ED to suspend all payments due on Federal Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loans held by ED through December 31, 2020. (Currently, this suspension period ends on September 30, 2020). Normal payment obligations and interest accrual resume at the end of this period.
Additionally, ED must carry out a program, beginning on November 1, 2020, to provide at least six notices to borrowers that normal payment obligations will resume. (Currently, this program begins on August 1, 2020.)
The bill also generally provides a permanent exclusion from employee income, for income tax purposes, of employer payments of student loans. (Currently, this exclusion from income is only for payments of student loans made before January 1, 2021.)