How much of your Social Security can a student loan default take?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money How much of your Social Security can a student loan default take? We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Angelica Leicht Angelica Leicht Senior Editor, Managing Your Money Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications. Read Full Bio Angelica Leicht June 10, 2026 / 10:53 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The rules surrounding federal student loan collections and Social Security protections can be confusing for borrowers. Karen Roach/Getty Images After years of payment pauses, changing repayment programs and shifting federal student loan policies, many borrowers are once again paying close attention to their educational debt. But while student loans are often viewed as a concern that's limited to younger workers, the reality is that this type of debt is increasingly affecting older Americans, too. Millions of borrowers age 50 and older still carry federal student loan balances, after all, and many are approaching or already living in retirement with that debt intact.At the same time, the monthly Social Security benefits that retirees receive have become more important for those on a fixed income, as high and now rising inflation has drastically increased living costs over the last few years. For many retirees, those monthly benefits represent a significant portion of their retirement income. That makes any potential threat to those payments particularly concerning, and that's especially true for retirees who are struggling to keep up with rising costs and debt obligations on a fixed income.Among the questions...