Legis Daily

Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-3298| House 
| Updated: 5/8/2025
Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Republican Representative

Iowa

Education and Workforce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, titled the "Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025," aims to enhance transparency and borrower awareness for federal student loans. It revises existing counseling requirements, changing "Entrance Counseling" to "Pre-Loan Counseling" and expanding its scope significantly. This updated counseling will be required for the first disbursement of each new loan or in each award year. The expanded pre-loan counseling will provide borrowers with crucial financial information, including an estimate of their monthly payment compared to their estimated monthly income after various expenses, based on potential starting wages and total student loan debt. It will also advise borrowers to borrow only the minimum necessary, warn about high debt-to-income ratios, and offer options for reducing borrowing. A key new provision requires students to manually confirm the exact dollar amount of Federal Direct Loan funding they wish to borrow, ensuring active acceptance of the loan amount. Furthermore, the bill mandates that lenders provide quarterly statements to borrowers during periods when loan payments are not required, such as while in school or during deferment or forbearance. These statements must clearly detail the original principal, current balance, interest rate, total interest paid, and aggregate payments. They will also explain the option to pay accruing interest and warn about the consequences of interest capitalization, encouraging borrowers to make even small voluntary payments to offset accrual.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-8923
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-1216
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023
May 1, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-1559
Introduced in Senate
May 8, 2025
Introduced in House
May 8, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-8923
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-1216
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023


  • May 1, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-1559
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 8, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • May 8, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Education

Related Bills

  • S 119-1559: Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-3298| House 
| Updated: 5/8/2025
This bill, titled the "Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025," aims to enhance transparency and borrower awareness for federal student loans. It revises existing counseling requirements, changing "Entrance Counseling" to "Pre-Loan Counseling" and expanding its scope significantly. This updated counseling will be required for the first disbursement of each new loan or in each award year. The expanded pre-loan counseling will provide borrowers with crucial financial information, including an estimate of their monthly payment compared to their estimated monthly income after various expenses, based on potential starting wages and total student loan debt. It will also advise borrowers to borrow only the minimum necessary, warn about high debt-to-income ratios, and offer options for reducing borrowing. A key new provision requires students to manually confirm the exact dollar amount of Federal Direct Loan funding they wish to borrow, ensuring active acceptance of the loan amount. Furthermore, the bill mandates that lenders provide quarterly statements to borrowers during periods when loan payments are not required, such as while in school or during deferment or forbearance. These statements must clearly detail the original principal, current balance, interest rate, total interest paid, and aggregate payments. They will also explain the option to pay accruing interest and warn about the consequences of interest capitalization, encouraging borrowers to make even small voluntary payments to offset accrual.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-8923
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-1216
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023
May 1, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-1559
Introduced in Senate
May 8, 2025
Introduced in House
May 8, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-8923
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-1216
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023


  • May 1, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-1559
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 8, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • May 8, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Republican Representative

Iowa

Education and Workforce Committee

Education

Related Bills

  • S 119-1559: Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted