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In the News: DebtSmarts Provides Needed Insights

DebtSmarts is a trusted voice guiding Wisconsin's 700,000+ student loan borrowers.

Journalists and media outlets turn to us for expert insights, real-life stories, and actionable steps for borrowers.

Below, you’ll find highlights of our work featured in news stories, reports, and interviews—along with quick notes on how we contributed.

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Welcome to DebtSmarts, where Wisconsin students, families, and borrowers get clear, trusted, and free guidance before, during, and after college.

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Department of Education notifying student loan borrowers of repayment plan ending!

March 30, 2026

A group focused on college affordability explains what the ending of the SAVE repayment plan means for borrowers. Then, two guests discuss how the rising amount of fat in cows’ milk is affecting cheesemaking. And, we learn about a new movie premiering at the Wisconsin Film Festival. The Trump administration is ending a Biden-era student loan repayment plan. The U.S. Department of Education is now notifying borrowers that they have 90 days to apply for a different repayment plan or be automatically enrolled in one. The Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt explains.

Student loan plan ending
Wisconsin Public Radio

Advice for Student Loan Borrowers
Interview on The Larry Meiller Show

February 5, 2026

Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites are in default on paying back their student loans. The U.S. Department of Education recently said they could face garnishment of their wages. We talk to Carole Trone, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt, about loan borrowers’ options.

Carole Trone on Student Loan Default

Ask Contact 6: Student Loans
DebtSmarts experts answer key borrower questions on FOX6 Milwaukee.

October 10, 2025

By Jenna Sachs

Some of the Many Questions Answered in this Session:

  • How to get loan forgiveness

  • What to do if you’ve lost track of your loans

  • Can loans be discharged for seniors or due to serious illness?

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IN THE NEWS

See how DebtSmarts are making headlines across Wisconsin.

Students in academic regalia at graduation ceremony in an indoor stadium filled with attendees, holding diplomas with one smiling woman in the center wearing medals.

Student loan plan ending, Increasing butterfat, ‘John Wick’ writer visits film festival

March 30, 2026
Sign for the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, displaying a red background with university logo and white text.

UW-Madison is Changing Its Financial Aid Process

October 1, 2025
A woman with red hair, glasses, and earrings sitting indoors, wearing a light sweater over a striped shirt, in front of a wooden bookshelf.

Delay in Student Loan Forgiveness Impacts Milwaukee Woman

September 25, 2025
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News 3 Now Live at Four WISC-TV — Channel 3000

July 14, 2025
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Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers Could Now Face Debt Collection

June 23, 2025
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Federal Student Loan Collections Resume — What It Means for Borrowers in Default

May 5, 2025
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The Future of Student Loans. Wisconsin Today Show — Wisconsin Public Radio

March 25, 2025
A statue of a cartoon dog dressed as a graduate, holding a rolled diploma, standing outdoors on a red circular platform, with trees and an academic building in the background at the University of Wisconsin.

How Two-Thirds of Badgers Graduate from UW-Madison Debt Free!

May 18, 2026
Illustration of a woman pulling a shackle labeled 'DEBT' with a chain attached to a graduation cap, symbolizing student debt burden.

6 Ways Wisconsinites Can Avoid Student Loan Default

January 28, 2026
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Everything You Need to Know About FAFSA Applications

October 1, 2025
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Financial Aid Changes Ahead of Fall Semester

September 4, 2025
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Republicans Cap Federal Student Loans for Graduate Students

July 9, 2025
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How Student Loan Debt is Affecting Wisconsinites

June 20, 2025
Students walking past Bascom Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with banners and flags, and a news headline about student loan debt on a television screen.

Facing Student Loan Debt? One Wisconsin Organization Can Help

April 23, 2025
U.S. Department of Education sign on the exterior of a government building.

Wisconsin Educators Respond to the Dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education

March 20, 2025
Three people, two women and a man, standing behind a podium with a sign that reads 'AMERICA 250 FORWARD WISGOP 2026'. They are holding hands raised in the air, smiling. The woman on the left has brown hair and is wearing a dark blazer and white shirt. The man in the middle is wearing glasses, a dark suit, white shirt, and a red tie. The woman on the right has curly brown hair and is wearing a brown dress. There are American flags in the background.

What Wisconsinites Should Know About Student Loan Repayment Changes

January 27, 2026
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Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt Offers Free Help as FAFSA Opens

September 29, 2025
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Watch For the Record WISC-TV News 3 — Channel 3000

July 27, 2025
Wooden blocks with the words "STUDENT LOAN SCAMS" on a white surface, with a person in a blue shirt stacking the blocks.

Avoid Student Loan Debt Scammers - KFIZ Radio

June 29, 2025
A large group of students in red graduation caps and gowns attending a graduation ceremony.

Wisconsin Borrowers Confused as Student Loan Payments Required Again

June 5, 2025
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New Student Loan Rules Could Affect More Than 700K Wisconsin Borrowers

April 22, 2025
Donald Trump sitting at a desk, talking on the phone, with papers in front of him, in a dimly lit room.

Trump Order on Student Loan Forgiveness Sparks Confusion

March 12, 2025

DEBTSMARTS PODCAST INTERVIEWS

Episode 13: Interview with Benjamin Lee - Student Loan Expert

The Financial Findings Podcast: Where Financial Research, Policy, and Practice Meet.

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Click Here To Listen

Episode 14: Interview with Dr. Carole Trone - Executive Director

The Financial Findings Podcast: Where Financial Research, Policy, and Practice Meet.

Financial Findings Podcast with Carole Trone
Click Here To Listen