U.S. Economy
Why is life expectancy falling faster for adults without a BA?
Americans have borrowed heavily to go to college. Student debt now amounts to $1.5 trillion, more than Americans owe on their credit cards. More than 10 percent of that debt is 90 days delinquent or in default. And student loans have become a potent political issue. The Trump administration has rolled back some of the limits and rules imposed by the Obama administration, and several Democratic presidential candidates are proposing to forgive some or all student loans, or to make the first two years of college (and sometimes more) free of tuition.
To inject rigorous research and evidence into this heated debate, the Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings invited half a dozen economists with expertise in this area to discuss some of the big questions and controversies.
Loan burdens and defaults: Failure of the repayment system or failures in accountability?
Should we raise or lower the ceilings on amounts students and parents can borrow?
How big a macro-economic problem is the run up in student debt?
Agenda
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October 7
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Introduction
Adam Looney Nonresident Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Executive Director, Marriner S. Eccles Institute, University of Utah -
Loan burdens and defaults: Failure of the repayment system or failures in accountability?
Moderator
Louise Sheiner The Robert S. Kerr Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Policy Director - The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy @lsheinerPanelist
Adam Looney Nonresident Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Executive Director, Marriner S. Eccles Institute, University of Utah
Dubravka Ritter Senior Research Fellow - Consumer Finance Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia -
Should we raise or lower the ceilings on amounts students and parents can borrow?
Moderator
Jordan Matsudaira Associate Professor of Economics and Education Policy - Teachers College, Columbia University @jdmatsudairaPanelist
Matthew Chingos Vice President, Education Data and Policy - Urban Institute
Lesley J. Turner Associate Professor of Economics - Vanderbilt University -
How big a macro-economic problem is the run up in student debt?
Moderator
David Wessel Director - The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Senior Fellow - Economic Studies @davidmwesselPanelist
Sandy Baum Nonresident Fellow, Center on Education Data and Policy - Urban Institute
Laura J. Feiveson Chief, Household and Business Spending Section, Division of Research and Statistics - Federal Reserve Board
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