No Relief: Who’s Holding Student Loan Debt Companies Accountable?

A new investigation by NerdWallet’s public-interest journalism team focuses on student loan debt-relief companies that promise consumers savvy fiscal help but too often do little to actually lighten their load — and, in some cases, actually increase borrowers’ financial burdens. Reporters Richard Read and Teddy Nykiel discuss who is — and isn’t — holding these companies accountable. What would need to change at the state and federal levels to improve consumer protections? How can borrowers find legitimate help? And how can education journalists use NerdWallet’s “watch list” to inform their own reporting on student debt issues?