These days, with rising prices, many people are struggling to manage monthly rent, insurance, gas, food expenses, and student loan payments.

Especially when the topic of Student Loan Forgiveness under Income-Driven Repayment comes up, everyone's expression darkens. Although there is a student loan income-driven forgiveness program, watching the government handle this issue lately shows that the actual administration is almost at a standstill.

The student loan income-driven forgiveness program allows federal student loan borrowers to adjust their monthly payments based on their income level. Borrowers only pay a certain percentage of the amount left after deducting basic living expenses from their monthly income, and if their income is low or they are unemployed, their payment can be set to almost nothing or even $0.

The key point of this program is that if borrowers make consistent payments for a certain period, the remaining principal of their loans will be forgiven. Generally, after 20 or 25 years of repayment, the remaining debt is eliminated. Additionally, those who have worked in public service or non-profit organizations for over 10 years can receive full forgiveness more quickly through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. This program was established to reduce the long-term financial burden caused by student loans.

Currently, there are reports that over 800,000 applications for the income-driven repayment program and Public Service Loan Forgiveness are backlogged, indicating that the administrative system is paralyzed.

As of the end of last year, there were over 730,000 pending applications for the income-driven repayment program, and more than 80,000 applications for public service loan forgiveness have not been processed. In the meantime, some individuals have been waiting for over a year without receiving any results.

A 38-year-old woman working at a library has reportedly been waiting for a response for 14 months. Even after inquiring through chat every month, she only hears that "there are many backlogged cases, so it is delayed." In simple terms, it means that documents are just floating around within the system, and no one is taking responsibility for processing them.

This situation is absurd because this program was originally designed for people who cannot manage their debts and those who work quietly in the public sector. It was a promise to allow borrowers to pay only what they can afford based on their income and to forgive the rest if they make consistent payments for a certain period.

Millions of people have chosen their careers and made plans based on that promise. However, now they have applied but have no idea when results will come. Meanwhile, interest accumulates, late payment warnings arrive, and reports suggest that there are 9 million people in the US on the brink of default.

And in the midst of this, the government is starting wage garnishments and preparing to seize tax refunds. It's as if promises are just promises, and money must be paid no matter what.

Ironically, while the administration boasts, "We are working hard to process these cases," they have simultaneously laid off thousands of Department of Education employees. With those who were reviewing income-driven repayment applications and processing loan forgiveness gone, there's no way the work speed can increase.

This is like trying to run a broken factory better while kicking out the technicians. And the burden falls squarely on the borrowers. Jobs become unstable, promised relief measures are stuck in legal battles, and all that remains are backlogged applications and garnishment notices.

To be honest, looking at this situation, it's clear that the US has a structure that shifts debt onto individuals while sidestepping systemic responsibility. Tuition continues to rise, but individuals bear the entire burden, and the government creates programs but fails to implement them properly. Then, when a crisis arises, they again talk about "the responsibility of the citizens."

Among peers, there are many who have given up on buying homes or postponed marriage due to student loans. This is not a problem caused by individual laziness. The structure is designed this way.

Currently, the total amount of student loans in the US exceeds $1.6 trillion. This is larger than the budget of many countries. Yet, the administrative system managing this is astonishingly primitive, slow, and irresponsible. Some say, "We can't help it because of court rulings," while others claim, "The administration is doing its best," but in the meantime, what is actually collapsing is the financial stability and life plans of ordinary people. Ultimately, student loans in this country are becoming not just simple debts but a lifelong burden.

These days, when I watch the news, I think that America is not a land of education but a land of debt. And this debt is not managed by a sophisticated system but is simply piled on people, hoping that time will resolve it.

There are many times when I wonder if this is really a developed country. Student loans are not just an individual problem but a matter of trust in the national system. However, it seems that this trust has already hit rock bottom, and I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way.