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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.

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

A Biden-era student loan repayment plan is ending. Here’s what Wisconsin borrowers should know

March 30, 2026

The end of the SAVE repayment plan means big changes for borrowers. DebtSmarts’ Executive Director Carole Trone joined WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” to share what will change for borrowers and how they can plan ahead.

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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 on student loans

Ask Contact 6: Student Loans

October 10, 2025

Questions Answered in this Live 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

DebtSmarts helps Wisconsinites make sense of student loan issues in Wisconsin.

Close-up of a person in a red plaid shirt holding papers, with a news headline about Wisconsin student loan defaults on a news broadcast. DebtSmarts was interviewed for this broadcast.
Split screen news broadcast with a male news anchor on the left and Executive Director Carole Trone on the right. The headline reads "STUDENT LOAN DEFAULTS INCREASING IN WISCONSIN."

Student loan defaults in Wisconsin, nationwide nearly double over past year.

July 21, 2026
Women studying at a classroom desk with laptops, notebooks, and drinks, with a presentation slide about hematological disorders on screens in the background.

Trump Loan Caps Negatively Impact Wisconsin Grad Students.

July 3, 2026
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
A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a black jacket, standing outdoors near a brick building, looking confused or skeptical.

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

New rule to impact federal student loans, for college programs by 2027.

August 25, 2026
Close-up of U.S. dollar bills placed on top of a tax document related to income-driven repayment plans.

Student loan defaults surge in Wisconsin, US after payment pause ends.

July 22, 2026

Wisconsin student loan defaults surge as pandemic relief ends.

July 28, 2026
Executive Director Carole Trone appears on a television news screen. Behind her is a bookshelf with various books and a framed certificate or diploma on the wall. The news headline at the bottom reads 'STUDENT LOAN CHANGES,'

Are You Ready? Student Loan Rules Changed on July 1.

June 26, 2026
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
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Educators Respond to the Dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education

March 20, 2025
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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
Breaking news graphic with a photo of Will Kennelly, a political reporter, on a red and navy blue background with text and logos.

The Changing Student Loan Landscape in Wisconsin 

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
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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