It will be ok. I had Mohela and Nelnet loans.  You'll be fine.  At our house, we made paying loans off a priority. Paid them off plus my two kids's loans finally last year.  You didn't mention the numbers. Must have been out of state tuition or an elite private school. My homies had to stay in state.  In 1980's, in-state undergrad tuition at Oregon must have been only around $500 per term.  In 1973, UO tuition was $164 per term.  You could do four years for under $15k in the mid 1970's. The good 'ol days.  It sounds like this person chose the minimum possible payments with no intention of repayment. For decades.  On a loan balance of probably in the $20k-$30k range at most? Or $50k with grad school?  Any brand new cars bought during 3+ decades? Houses? Marriages?  I know I am old fashioned and more frugal than most, but what am I missing on the math?  Am wondering if I should call Mohela and Nelnet and inquiring about some retroactive loan forgiveness for stupidly paying mine off.