The Incredible, Rage-Inducing Inside Story of America's Student Debt Machine

[smirkymonkey]

1. The situation w/ student debt in this country is a nightmare.

I had to go into forbearance for a while because I couldn't make the minimum payment after a 9/11 layoff which lasted almost two years (I had a temp job here and there) and then a few years of underemployment. My loan ballooned because of compounded interest. It grew to almost three times it's original amount.

I am now paying it off on an income-based plan and have never been delinquent, but I feel like I will never get caught up and I can't really save for retirement and forget about buying a home.