As Tennessee Lawmakers Expand Protections for Student Loan Borrowers, Ameritech Financial Supports Further Legislation to Help Borrowers

ROHNERT PARK, Calif., April 4, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Tennesseans who default on their student loans should have a little more protection when it comes to retaining their professional licenses. Currently, Tennessee is one of several states where it’s legal for professional licenses to be revoked because of student loan defaults, but that may be changing somewhat. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that aligns student loan borrowers with federal programs that potentially lower their payments, supports increased protections for borrowers.

“We hope that more and more states take action to get rid of laws that don’t help borrowers or the communities they live in,” said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial.

We hope that more and more states take action to get rid of laws that don't help borrowers or the communities they live in.

Tom Knickerbocker, Executive Vice President of Ameritech Financial

A New York Times report brought widespread attention to the issue of professional licensing and student loan default. State legislatures might be feeling increased pressure to decide whether laws allowing professional licenses to be revoked because of loan default are unethical and counterproductive; some lawmakers have been spurred into action, including those in Tennessee.

Tennessee, however, apparently couldn’t pass a law fully eliminating the ability to revoke licenses over loan defaults, but did establish further protections by allowing for a medical hardship exemption in a new bill. The legislature is now sending that bill to the governor to sign into law.

Federal student loan borrowers who are struggling can improve their chances of avoiding delinquency and default by entering into an income-driven repayment plan. These plans base monthly payments on income and family size and are, therefore, often much more affordable to borrowers. Income-driven plans require an initial application and yearly recertification in order to remain enrolled in the plan.

Ameritech Financial supports increased borrower protections like the pending Tennessee law as well as established federal programs like income-driven repayment. Ameritech Financial provides services to borrowers regarding income-driven repayment plans, namely document preparation assistance and recertification assistance. Ameritech Financial also helps borrowers understand programs to determine if any particular plan may be more suitable for them.

“While we’re looking forward to further protections for borrowers on the state and federal level, we hope to bring to light certain resources that borrowers can use now,” said Knickerbocker. “Ameritech Financial helps borrowers who might otherwise be falling behind on their payments apply for a plan that may work better for them.”

About Ameritech Financial

Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.

Ameritech Financial is a member of the Association for Student Loan Relief (AFSLR), and each representative on the phone has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service.

Contact

To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:

Ameritech Financial
5789 State Farm Drive #265​
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
1-800-792-8621
​[email protected]

Source: Ameritech Financial