In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down US President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan, the New York Times published an article highlighting various alternative options for individuals seeking relief from their student loan burden.
The article stated, “There are still plenty of ways to get your student debt wiped away. What follows is a list of ways to eliminate your federal student loan balance aside from paying in full."
Among the strategies suggested by the Times were making use of income-driven repayment plans, appealing for public service loan forgiveness, and exploring the possibilities of bankruptcy and disability discharges. However, one unexpected and perhaps shocking subheading emerged, which simply read “death.”
“This is not something that most people would choose as a solution to their debt burden," the article noted, before going on to explain that student loans are indeed cancelled when the borrower dies. The article further stated that loans taken out by parents or relatives to support a dependent child’s education are also forgiven in the unfortunate event of their death.
Following the publication of this information, social media platforms became a breeding ground for backlash as users began calling out the content. Writer Parker Molloy expressed her concern by tweeting, “That’s a little dark, NYT." Another user sarcastically commented, “NYT’s useful life hack on how to escape student debt," accompanied by a screenshot of the article.
According to reports, a spokesperson for the New York Times declined to provide any comment but mentioned that there would be a slight update to the article in question.
Following the initial publication, the NYT made revisions to the original article. The headline was modified by removing the word “six," and the subheading related to “Death" was reframed as “Debt Won’t Carry On."
