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It’s been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans. Last year, the long-contested SAVE plan introduced by the Biden administration ended with a settlement agreement. President Donald Trumps Big Beautiful Bill introduced new borrowing limits for graduates and raised challenges to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. While several changes for student loan borrowers will take effect this summer, other key questions remain unresolved. More than 5 million Americans were in default on their federal student loans as of September, according to the Education Department. Millions are behind on loan payments and at risk of default this year. Borrowers “genuinely struggle to afford their loans and then to hear that the administration is making it more expensive and taking away some of the tools and resources that help folks afford their loans is really, its panic-inducing, said Winston Berkman-Breen, legal director at Protect Borrowers. Last month, the Education Department announced that it would delay involuntary collections for student loan borrowers in default until the department finalizes its new loan repayment plans. The date for this is still unclear. If youre a student loan borrower, here are some key things to know: If you were enrolled in the SAVE plan The SAVE plan was a repayment plan with some of the most lenient terms ever. Soon after its launch it was challenged in court, leaving millions of student loan borrowers in limbo. Last December, the Education Department announced a settlement agreement to end the SAVE plan. What is next for borrowers who were enrolled in this repayment plan is yet to be determined. Seven and a half million borrowers who are currently enrolled in SAVE need to be moved to another plan, Berkman-Breen said. As part of the agreement, the Education Department says it will not enroll new borrowers, deny pending applications, and will move all current SAVE borrowers into other repayment plans. The Education Department is expected to develop a plan for borrowers to transition from the SAVE plan, yet borrowers should be proactive about enrolling in other repayment plans, said Kate Wood, a lending expert at NerdWallet. If you are looking to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan Borrowers can apply for the following income-driven plans: the Income-Based Repayment Plan, the Pay as You Earn plan, and the Income-Contingent Repayment plan. They all have similar criteria, and they function similarly. Your payment is set as a percentage of your income, not how much you owe, so its usually a lower payment, Berkman-Breen said. The payment amount under income-driven plans is a percentage of your discretionary income, and the percentage varies depending on the plan. Since many people are looking to switch plans, some applications to income-driven repayment plans might take longer to process, said Jill Desjean, director of policy analysis at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. You can find out which repayment plan might work best for you by logging on to the Education Departments loan simulator. If youre working toward your Public Service Loan Forgiveness There are no changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program yet. Last year, the Trump administration announced plans to change the eligibility requirements for participating nonprofits. The policy seeks to disqualify nonprofit workers if their work is deemed to have substantial illegal purpose. The Trump administration said its necessary to block taxpayer money from lawbreakers, while critics say it turns the program into a tool of political retribution. The proposal says illegal activity includes the trafficking or chemical castration of children, illegal immigration, and supporting foreign terrorist organizations. This move could cut off some teachers, doctors, and other public workers from federal loan cancellation. This is something that obviously is very stressful, very nerve-wracking for a lot of people, but given that we dont know exactly how this is going to be enforced, how these terms are going to be defined, its not really something that you can try to plan ahead for now, Wood said. While this policy is currently being challenged by 20 Democrat-led states, its expected to take effect in July. In the meantime, Wood recommends that borrowers enrolled in the PSLF program continue making payments. If your student loans are in default Involuntary collections on federal student loans will remain on hold. The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it is delaying plans to withhold pay from student loan borrowers who default on their payments. Federal student loan borrowers can have their wages garnished and their federal tax refunds withheld if they default on their loans. Borrowers are considered in default when they are at least 270 days behind on payments. If your student loans are in default, you can contact your loan holder to apply for a loan rehabilitation program. They essentially come up with a payment plan where youre making a reduced payment,” Woods. After five successful payments on that rehabilitation plan, wage garnishment will cease. If youre planning to attend graduate school Trumps Big Beautiful Bill has changed the amount graduate students can borrow from federal student loans. Graduate students could previously borrow loans up to the cost of their degree; the new rules cap the amount depending on whether the degree is considered a graduate or a professional program. Wood said that if you’re starting a new program and taking out a loan after July 1, you will be subject to the new loan limits. Under the new plan, students in professional programs would be able to borrow up to $50,000 per year and up to $200,000 in total. Other graduate students, such as those pursuing nursing nd physical therapy, would be limited to $20,500 a year and up to $100,000 total. The Education Department is defining the following fields as professional programs: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology. If you want to consolidate your loan The online application for loan consolidation is available at studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation. If you have multiple federal student loans, you can combine them into a single loan with a fixed interest rate and a single monthly payment. The consolidation process typically takes around 60 days to complete. You can only consolidate your loans once. ___ The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. Adriana Morga, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Whoopi Goldberg has been a household name since she starred in The Color Purple in 1985. Fast forward over 50 years, and she’s still as driven as ever. Goldberg, 70, cohosts daytime talk show The View. In 2024, she founded AWSN, the All Women’s Sports Network. Shes also an author, activist, mother, and grandmother. And, shes also doing it all solo. Goldberg is happily single and has been for decades. She says that will never change. In a recent interview with Interview magazine, Goldberg opened up about her solo life, which she happens to genuinely love. So much, in fact, that she says she plans to stay single because, as she put it, “in the last 25 years, I recognized that not everybody’s cut out to be in a relationship.” She continued, revealing that she doesn’t ever “want to live with anybody,” echoing her 2016 statement to The New York Times when she famously said “I don’t want somebody in my house!” A growing trend While we don’t hear women talking about how glad they are to be single all that often, the tide seems to be turning. More women are deciding to stay single, and studies suggest that trend will continue. A 2019 Morgan Stanley study, based on Census Bureau historical data and Morgan Stanley forecasts, found that 45% of prime working-age women (ages 25-44) will be single by 2030. That’s the largest share in history. That’s why hearing Goldberg’s perspective, and witnessing her joy and continued drive, is refreshing. It’s also more relevant than ever as some women feel unbothered by not being in a relationship, regardless of the fact that society has long pushed women toward marriage and motherhood. Are single women more ambitious? Surely there are plenty of ambitious people in long-term relationships that manage to balance both. However, Goldberg’s view that that doesn’t work for her, is important to hear. Because, quite simply, no matter what lens you’re looking from, relationships are work, tooand sometimes, they can steal your energy and your ambition. Likewise, some research has shown that those single women are powerful forces at work. A 2023 Wells Fargo study found that women who aren’t married are becoming an increasingly influential part of the workforce.Despite not living with a partner, Goldberg isn’t lonely, she says. Perhaps because she keeps astoundingly busy. “Im not good at [romantic] relationships because you have to think about other people, and I have enough to think about with my daughter and her husband and my grandkids and my great-grandkids and all the people at work.” Some might call it selfish. But, as Goldberg put it way back in 2016, she’s simply “a woman who knows what she wants.” What she wants just happens to be “a home all to her damn self.”
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E-Commerce
Valentine’s Day is known as the day to celebrate all things loveand also a day for expensive dates. However, a new offering from one of your favorite fast food chains may have you skipping the white table cloths and snagging something from McDonald’s instead. McDonald’s is serving up caviar this Valentine’s Day. But there’s a catch. In a Feb. 2 announcement, the chain explained what the latest offering entails. “To be known is to be loved, and we know our fans love pairing our crispy Chicken McNuggets with their favorite caviar,” it said. “Inspired by this perfect match, were dropping our first-ever McNugget Caviar kits featuring premium Baerii Sturgeon caviar on Feb. 10 After all, nothing says ILY quite like a limited drop from McDonalds just in time for your Valentines Day plans.” [Photo: McDonald’s] McDonald’s has partnered with Paramount Caviar to bring customers the offering free of charge. “Each kit includes everything you need for an upscale yet effortless celebration: a 1oz tin of McNugget Caviar, $25 Arch Card for plenty of Chicken McNuggets, plus crme fraīche and a Mother of Pearl caviar spoon to top it all off,” it said. It’s been a tough time for fast food joints, but McDonald’s has managed to stay ahead of competitors, in part, due to meal deals, budget offerings, and nostalgic throwbacks. Plus, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen McDonald’s test out an offbeat partnership. The chain previously linked up with Krispy Kreme donuts, but dissolved the collaboration last year, citing profitability issues. While it would be nice to grab the offering at your local McDonald’s restaurant, unfortunately, you won’t be able to snack on caviar at the Golden Arches. The offering is only available online at McNuggetCaviar.com. The deal starts Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. EST, so if you’re hoping to get your caviar kit for Valentine’s Day, you better hurry up and place your order. According to the announcement, kits are limited. If caviar isn’t exactly your jam, that’s okay. McDonald’s says they’ll be providing customers with plenty of other ways to celebrate the day of love, but you’ll have to follow along on their socials to keep up.
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E-Commerce
A trial focused on the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media and whether Meta misrepresented the safety of its platforms is set to start in New Mexico with opening statements Monday.It’s the first stand-alone trial from state prosecutors in a stream of lawsuits against major social media companies, including Meta, over harm to children, and one that is likely to highlight explicit online content and its effects.New Mexico Attorney General Raśl Torrez sued Meta in 2023. His team built the case by posing as kids through social media accounts, then documenting the arrival of sexual solicitations as well as the response by Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.Prosecutors say they’ll provide evidence and testimony that Meta’s algorithms and account features enticed and addicted young people to social media, while also creating a “breeding ground” for predators who target children for sexual exploitation. Prosecutors allege Meta failed to disclose what it knew about those harmful effects, in violation of state consumer protection laws. Meta also is accused of creating a public nuisance.“Meta knowingly exposes children to the twin dangers of sexual exploitation and mental health harm,” the lawsuit states. “Meta’s motive for doing so is profit.”Meta denies any legal violations and says prosecutors are cherry-picking evidence to make sensationalist arguments. On Sunday, Meta called the state’s investigation “ethically compromised” in its use of child photos on proxy accounts, delays in reporting child sexual abuse material and the disposal of data from devices used in the investigation, in social media posts on X by company spokesperson Andy Stone.The company says lawsuits are attempting to place the blame for teen mental health struggles on social media companies in a way that oversimplifies matters. Meta says it has a longstanding commitment to supporting young people, highlighting a steady addition of account settings and tools including safety features that give teens more information about the person they’re chatting with and content restrictions based on PG-13 movie ratings.“For over a decade, we’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most,” the company said in a statement. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made.”It’s unclear whether Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify at trial. New Mexico limits the ability to compel out-of-state witnesses to testify in person, while prosecutors can present testimony by Zuckerberg from a deposition.Personal opinions of Zuckerberg and evolving attitudes toward social media loomed over jury selection from a pool of more than 200 residents of Santa Fe County, including several educators, young adults who grew up with social media and others who never signed up.“Quite frankly, he’s the tech bro making money off of all of us,” one person said of Zuckerberg.An attorney for the state warned that there would be “very sensitive and very explicit material discussed in terms of safety to children” during the trial.More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms. The majority filed their lawsuits in federal court, and New Mexico’s case against Meta is the first to reach trial.Opening statements have been postponed in a bellwether trial underway in California against social video companies, including Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube, that focuses on a 19-year-old who claims her use of social media from an early age addicted her to technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. TikTok and Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. settled claims in the case.Torrez, a Democrat seeking reelection this year to a second term, has urged Meta to implement more effective age verification and remove bad actors from its platform. He’s also seeking changes to algorithms that can serve up harmful material and criticizing end-to-end privacy encryption that can prevent the monitoring of communications with children for safety. Morgan Lee, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Even after the final whistle blew on the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 win over the New England Patriots, Rockets Super Bowl was far from over. Sure, the brand had a Super Bowl ad featuring Lady Gaga singing a Mr. Rogers classic, but that was just the beginning. At 8 p.m. ET, immediately after Rocket and Redfins Super Bowl spot aired, the brands released the first of six app-exclusive clues that would roll out over the next 48 hours for users to play a contest in order to win a million-dollar home. This last part of Rockets Super Bowl strategy is perhaps its most important because its not just focused on entertaining audiences or attracting their attention; its about recruiting their participation. Rocket CMO Jonathan Mildenhall told me last week that Super Bowl strategies must now have pre-game, in-game, and post-game stages, and participation was key. Were going to ensure that weve got eyeballs on the spot looking for the home, but its only after it airs that the first of six clues are given, and the remaining six clues are given over a 48-hour period to ensure that Rocket and Redfin are in the postgame conversation, Mildenhall said. So the new strategy that I would implore all marketers to be thinking about is youve got three stages of Super Bowl investment, and one of those stages has to be dominated by your audience participation. The Super Bowl is simultaneously a singular moment for advertisers, and a microcosm of the broader challenges facing brands every single day. Sure, its the biggest, most high profile collective cultural moment we have left, but it retains the same difficulty of standing out, making a mark, and really getting our attention as any other moment. As a result, more brands are working to get audiences involved in some way, shape or form, in order to break through all the noise. Heres a look at how four brands tackled participation in each stage of the Super Bowl. Pre-game prep Comcast Xfinitys Jurassic Park-themed spot is one of the most Super Bowl-y things a brand could do. Bringing back a beloved franchise classicincluding de-aged versions of the original castand putting its own quirky twist on it to tie in its product is not exactly rocket science. Its obvious people will love it. But how do you make sure they really love it and remember it? Comcasts chief growth officer for connectivity and platforms Jon Geiselman says that the Super Bowl used to be a single, high-stakes moment, now its a runway. Audiences dont just show up on game day anymore, says Geiselman. For marketers, thats changed the job. The ad isnt the finish line; its the centerpiece of a much longer story. Created with agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (GS&P), Comcast Xfinitys longer story included an in-game NBA take-over at Phillys Xfinity Arena during the Sixers-Bucks game on January 26. Then, in San Francisco in the week leading up to the game there were Jurassic Park Lyft Rides, where the brand turned some Lyft vehicles into the iconic Jurassic Park tour cars, had dinosaur projections light up the citys historic Hobart Building, a motion-sensored T. Rex billboard on Market Street, and taking Baby Tango raptor character outside of Universal Orlando to roam the city and engage with fans. View this post on Instagram GS&P creative director Jen Hart says the pre-game strategy was itself split into stages. The first thing out of the gate was taking down an NBA arena during primetime, with Reggie Miller and Noah Eagle offering commentary on live TV about what was unfolding, says Hart. The next day on social, we invited the world to bring the park back online with an alluring grand prize: a trip back to Jurassic Parks set in Hawaii. We then opened the doors to the parkincluding a lost commercial running on television for a fully functional Jurassic Park, as well as the original cast teasing our Super Bowl spot on social. In-game action Getting fans involved during the game is a unique challenge given theres, you know, an actual football game people are watching. But a good marketers job is to find the space, no matter how small, to squeeze in a compelling reason for us to pay attention. Three brands who worked in different ways to do that this year were Coinbase, OpenAI, and Kraft. OpenAI released three regional ads before the game, but saved its direct pitch to coders for the big game itself. CMO Kate Rouch says that not only was their ad aiming to be a rallying cry for builders to try its newest version of Codex, but it was littered with easter eggssmall signs within the adfor coders to find and use to get prizes and other goodies. Actions speak louder than words, so we’re offering Codex for free, and we have this point of view about building and making things, that anyone can do this, says Rouch. So this Easter egg, is actually tied to a behavior in Codex, and you have to participate in the product to unlock the merch. It’s just a small, simple thing, but we wanted to signal that this is about making things, and kind of lift up people who are going to do something. Crypto platform Coinbase had a lot to live up to. Under former CMO Rouch, the brand made a splash at the 2022 Super Bowl with a bouncing QR code, so current CMO Cat Ferdon knew they needed to continue that legacy of uniquely getting peoples attention. Her solution: why not get people singing karaoke? The Coinbase ad brilliantly mimicked old school karaoke machine screen to get viewers to sing-along with its adapted version of the Backstreet Boys 1997 hit Everybody. Coinbase vice-president of creative Joe Staples says that what makes the Super Bowl unique is that there are 120 million people actively watching ads. So you can choose to do the thing you normally do with more famous people, or you can take it as a time to talk to a nation, says Staples. Or you can just acknowledge that everyone’s had six beers and loads of wings, and are in the room with 15 friends watching a commercial. The participation goal here was to get people laughing and singing with each other. Ferdon says that its about carving out a moment, and making an event out of that moment. Ideally, we’re giving the audience something to participate in so that people in the room, wherever they’re watching, can feel like they’re a part of that event with us, she says. And that in itself is actually the spectacle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kraft Mac & Cheese (@kraft_macandcheese) Kraft Heinz didnt have an official big game spot for Mac & Cheese, but it did invest in a celebrity to get people participating during the game. The brand had comedian John Mulaney, who voices its ongoing Best Thing Ever campaign, to respond to every Super Bowl ad in real-timeincluding Coinbases karaokewith custom video ads during the big game on social. Kraft Heinz CMO Todd Kaplan says the point is to try and engage the audience where they are, specifically, on the second screen during the game. Listen, not all 50 plus ads are going to be home runs, he says. Its about finding the moments to come in a humorous way with a point of view for our brand and just drive a conversation, which is really what our job is as marketers. Post-game work This is perhaps the toughest Super Bowl nut to crack. Its also the most recent part of the game that brands have been trying to tap into. Rocket essentially decided to combine all the trappings of more traditional ad, pack it with an emotional punch, and then do its own version of DoorDash All The Ads. In 2024, DoorDash pulled off a Super Bowl hat-trick in that it had a creative idea that got attention and awareness right awaydelivering a lucky winner everything advertised during the gamewith the short-term pay off of actual DoorDash app downloads. It got more than eight million contest submissions and 11 billion impressions. With a clue to winning a million dollar home embedded in its Super Bowl ad, Mildenhall says that the contest will drive Redfin app downloadsyu need the app to enter the contestand ideally even provide a post-game boost to its commercial. I’m hoping that our ad becomes the most-viewed Super Bowl ad this year,” he says. “Because we’re driving people back to it six times so that they can identify which of the homes you’ve seen in the ad is actually available on Redfin tp win.
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E-Commerce