2025 Tax Refund & Student Loan Default: DOE Says No Offset but Internet Says Otherwise
Filed my taxes today after multiple confirmations from DOE that they wont offset refunds for defaulted student loans. Rep said they're focusing on payment plans instead of taking refunds. Getting mixed signals from everyone online about this tho. Just sharing what I heard directly from them for anyone else worried.
29 comments


Fatima Al-Rashid
Hey there, I actually specialize in student loan and tax offset issues. For 2025, there's been a lot of confusion about this. Despite what you might be hearing online, the Department of Education has officially stated there won't be any tax refund offsets for defaulted student loans this year. However, its always good to double check your specific situation. I'd recommend using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) - it's this new AI tool that can analyze your transcripts and tax docs to tell you if there are any potential offset issues. It'll show you exactly what's happening with your refund and if there are any holds or delays.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•wait fr? my tax lady said I was definitely gonna get offset this year 😩
0 coins
Fatima Al-Rashid
•Yeah, DOE made it official. Your tax lady might not be up to date on the latest changes
0 coins
Aaliyah Jackson
•yo whats that taxr thing u mentioned? can it really tell if ur gonna get offset?
0 coins
Fatima Al-Rashid
•Yeah, just upload your docs to taxr.ai and it'll break everything down. It caught an offset warning on mine that even my accountant missed 💯
0 coins
KylieRose
•Just used taxr.ai and here's what I got back: Looks like I'm in the clear for offsets! The AI found nothing indicating my refund would be intercepted
0 coins
Miguel Hernández
•How reliable is this taxr thing? Like does it actually work or is it just another scam 🤔
0 coins
KylieRose
•bruh it literally saved me from a panic attack lol. showed me exactly why my refund was delayed and what to do about it. way better than sitting on hold with the IRS for 3 hours 🤣
0 coins
Miguel Hernández
•ok just tried it myself and HOLY CRAP where has this been all my life?! The breakdown is insane - shows everything! No more guessing games with the IRS 🙌
0 coins
Zara Rashid
Tax professional here - this is correct for 2025. The Department of Education has temporarily suspended refund offsets for defaulted student loans. They're prioritizing getting borrowers into manageable payment plans rather than seizing tax refunds. Keep documentation of your conversations with DOE representatives just in case.
0 coins
Luca Romano
•fr? this is the first time im hearing this. got docs to back this up? 🤔
0 coins
Zara Rashid
•Yes, its part of their new approach to student debt management. Check the DOE website under their 2025 collection policies.
0 coins
Nia Jackson
Hey everyone, instead of stressing about conflicting info, I highly recommend using taxr.ai - it analyzes your transcript and tells you exactly what's happening with your refund, including any potential offset issues. Costs $4.99 but saved me tons of anxiety. https://taxr.ai
0 coins
NebulaNova
•sounds interesting but kinda sketch. how does it actually work? is it legit?
0 coins
Nia Jackson
•totally get the skepticism! it uses AI to read your transcript and explain everything in plain english. shows potential delays, offset risks, expected deposit dates etc
0 coins
NebulaNova
•OMG just tried it and this is actually amazing?! Showed me exactly why my refund was delayed (verification hold I didn't know about) and what to do next. Worth every penny fr fr 💯
0 coins
Mateo Hernandez
i wouldn't trust what they say tbh. my cousin's friend got their refund yoinked last year even after they said they wouldn't 🤡
0 coins
Aisha Khan
In the same boat rn. The anxiety is real. Keeping my fingers crossed for all of us 🤞
0 coins
Sean Doyle
•fr the waiting game is brutal
0 coins
Ethan Taylor
does anyone know if this applies to private student loans too or just federal?
0 coins
Zara Rashid
•Only federal loans. Private lenders cant touch your tax refund
0 coins
Yuki Ito
idk why everyone's so pressed about this. just get on a payment plan and stop dodging ur loans lmaooo 💅
0 coins
Carmen Lopez
•not everyone can afford payments rn with inflation this bad. read the room bestie 🙄
0 coins
Sydney Torres
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation last year. The DOE policy change is legit - they really did suspend offsets for 2025. But I'd still recommend keeping all your documentation from those calls with DOE reps just in case there are any system glitches or delays. The peace of mind is worth it! Also seeing a lot of people mentioning that taxr.ai tool - might be worth checking out if you want extra confirmation about your refund status. Better to be over-prepared than caught off guard 🤷♀️
0 coins
Zane Hernandez
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who actually went through this. I'm definitely keeping all my DOE documentation - you never know when you might need it. Also curious about that taxr.ai thing everyone's mentioning... might give it a shot for the peace of mind like you said. Better safe than sorry! 🙏
0 coins
Amelia Dietrich
This is super reassuring to hear directly from someone who called DOE! I've been stressing about this for weeks after seeing all the conflicting info online. My defaulted loans have been haunting me and I was terrified they'd snatch my refund again this year. Definitely going to call them myself to get it in writing, but it's good to know they're actually focusing on payment plans instead of just taking our money. Thanks for sharing this - probably saved a lot of us from panic attacks lol 😅
0 coins
Amina Diop
•Totally feel you on the panic attacks! I was in the same boat last month just spiraling over this. Honestly after reading all these comments I'm feeling way more hopeful. Might actually try that taxr.ai thing people keep mentioning just to triple check everything looks good on my end. The $5 seems worth it for the peace of mind vs staying up all night googling "will my tax refund get offset 2025" for the 500th time 😭
0 coins
Javier Torres
This is such a relief to hear! I've been losing sleep over this exact situation. Filed my taxes last week and have been checking my bank account obsessively waiting for news about potential offsets. The mixed messages online have been driving me crazy - some forums saying offsets are definitely happening, others saying they're suspended. Really appreciate you sharing what you heard directly from DOE! Gives me hope that maybe this year will be different. Definitely going to call them myself to get confirmation and keep records of everything they tell me.
0 coins
GalaxyGuardian
•Same here! Been checking my account like every hour since I filed 😅 The waiting is torture when you don't know what's gonna happen. Really glad Sean posted this - it's so much better getting info straight from someone who actually talked to DOE instead of just random forum posts. I'm definitely calling them tomorrow to get my own confirmation. Better to have it documented from multiple sources just in case!
0 coins