The Education Department confirmed it has no plans to restore a key student loan forgiveness tracking tool.
The decision was disclosed quietly in a footnote within a December court filing.
The tracker had allowed borrowers to monitor progress toward income driven repayment forgiveness.
Officials removed the feature earlier in 2025 following legal challenges tied to the SAVE plan.
The move contradicts earlier assurances reportedly given to Democratic lawmakers.
Senator Elizabeth Warren said Education Secretary Linda McMahon promised the tracker would return.
Secretary McMahon stated that she intends to soon restore the income driven repayment payment count tracker.
Elizabeth Warren said.
The tracker originally launched under the Biden Harris administration in early 2025.
It showed credited months remaining payments and eligibility across multiple IDR plans.
Borrowers used the tool to plan finances and potential tax liabilities from loan discharge.
The department removed the tracker in April after court rulings limited qualifying deferments.
Officials said the tracker became inaccurate under revised legal standards.
Some borrowers also reported missing data or inability to access the feature.
In December the department acknowledged the tool had been discontinued.
ED currently has no plans to resume using the tool.
The Education Department said.
The filing cited a February injunction blocking the SAVE plan nationwide.
The department said the injunction undermined criteria used by the tracker.
Rather than revising the tool officials opted to abandon it entirely.
Borrowers will now rely on background reviews conducted by loan servicers.
Servicers report monthly progress data to the National Student Loan Data System.
The system checks eligibility without a fixed review schedule.
Current automated checks apply only to Income Based Repayment plans.
The department plans to expand checks to ICR and PAYE plans in February 2026.
Borrowers will not have direct access to real time progress updates.
The change adds uncertainty to an already shifting repayment environment.
The department recently announced plans to reassign some agency responsibilities.
Officials said federal student aid operations would remain intact for now.
Borrowers also face processing backlogs for repayment and forgiveness applications.
A recent settlement could formally end the SAVE plan altogether.
Millions may be forced into alternative repayment plans to pursue forgiveness.