Americans over 60 are the fastest growing group of student debtors. That’s awful | Gail Gardner

The White House and US Department of Education should clear loans burdening myself and millions of older Americans

Americans over 60 are the fastest growing demographic of student debtors. I should know. I'm one of them. I'm 77 years old and today I owe $549,497.20 in student loan debt. As seniors stretch limited incomes across rent payments and medical bills, groceries and gas, student loan payments often end up getting paid last - if at all. Decades of broken student relief programs, corrupt loan servicers and government neglect now force millions of older Americans to drag decades-old student debts into their retirement. Without swift, bold policy change and clear political leadership, this crisis will only deepen. The debtors will get older, the debts will get bigger.

That's why this Thursday, 12 September I am traveling from my home in Atlanta, Georgia, to Washington DC with the Debt Collective's caucus of older student debtors. Together, we are demanding the White House and the US Department of Education finally take responsibility for the mess they have made and clear the loans burdening myself and millions of older Americans. This will be the first time in history that elders lead the charge for student debt cancellation - for older debtors and for everyone.