I think the bigger part is how it reduces payments and covers any interest that would otherwise go unpaid. For example, I went back to college and just graduated with an associates degree last year with $8k in student loans. My income for my family size may well land me at $0 payments. If my income never increases noticably I would pay $0 for a decade then have no student loan debt. If my income increases I may have to start making payments but most importantly, my balance will not grow due to unpaid interest and will be forgiven after a decade. This is a significant improvement over the $80/mo I would be paying on my student loans before this legislation (but obviously several steps back from the full waiver I would have received as a Pell Grant recipient)
I think the bigger part is how it reduces payments and covers any interest that would otherwise go unpaid. For example, I went back to college and just graduated with an associates degree last year with $8k in student loans. My income for my family size may well land me at $0 payments. If my income never increases noticably I would pay $0 for a decade then have no student loan debt. If my income increases I may have to start making payments but most importantly, my balance will not grow due to unpaid interest and will be forgiven after a decade. This is a significant improvement over the $80/mo I would be paying on my student loans before this legislation (but obviously several steps back from the full waiver I would have received as a Pell Grant recipient)