As of October 2025, the U.S. Department of Education has restarted student loan forgiveness for certain borrowers after a pause that began in July. This restart mainly helps people who have been paying off their federal student loans through a plan called Income-Based Repayment (IBR) for 20 or 25 years. These borrowers are now starting to get notices—nicknamed "golden emails"—letting them know their loans may be forgiven soon. This comes after delays caused by legal and political issues that affected other forgiveness plans, like SAVE and PAYE, which are still on hold. The government is working to move forward despite these challenges and is focusing on helping the people who qualify under IBR rules.

In 2025, many middle-aged Americans are struggling to save money because they’re spending more than they can afford—a problem known as lifestyle inflation. As the cost of living goes up and mortgage rates stay high, people are turning to buy-now-pay-later options to keep up with their lifestyles. Big retailers like Walmart are now offering these services, making it even easier to spend money that people don’t actually have. Financial experts warn that this kind of spending creates long-term debt and prevents people from building real wealth, especially during midlife when saving for retirement should be a priority.