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More than 172,000 Oakland County residents have student loan debt, totaling about $6 billion. Through a partnership with Savi, a social impact technology startup, the county aims to help provide guidance on loan repayment and loan forgiveness. The service is free for one year to any Oakland County resident or Oakland County Government employee seeking assistance to manage college debt and get on a path to loan forgiveness. Oakland County is the first government agency in America to work with Savi to offer this benefit to all its residents.

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Using the Savi portal is simple. It automatically creates digital forms and tailors' recommendations for debt consolidation by scanning more than 150 federal, state and private eligibility programs, showing borrowers what their payments should be. Savi users save on average $187 month, or $2,244 a year.

Oakland County itself is not relieving student debt. Rather, the Board of Commissioners is paying a flat fee of $500K to waive the Savi registration fee for any Oakland County resident or Oakland County government employee who signs up for debt help before the enrollment deadline. Online registration takes 10 minutes to complete. Participants would have to renew membership on their own in subsequent years. Savi works with more than 50 income-driven repayment plans, including some focused-on loan forgiveness.

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Student loan borrowers review iconHundreds of Oakland County residents and government employees have registered to receive free support in eliminating their student loan debt. If you are one of them—and were able to get your loans consolidated or your monthly payments lowered, we want to hear from you!

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  • “Savi helped me save hundreds of dollars on my monthly student loan payments! I'm thankful I found them and I have them in my corner as I navigate loan forgiveness programs.”

  • “Savi lowered my monthly payment by $187!”

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Oakland County Student Debt Relief Program with Savi Has Already Reduced Debt for 1,000 Residents

28 Apr, 02:08 PM
Collections on defaulted federal student loans are scheduled to resume on May 5, 2025. Oakland County residents in this situation are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Savi platform now, while free access is available.
  • More than 1,000 Oakland County residents have already reduced their student debt through the Savi partnership, with a projected $20 million in lifetime savings.
  • Collections on defaulted federal student loans are scheduled to resume on May 5, 2025. Oakland County residents in this situation are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Savi platform now, while free access is available.
  • Free access to Savi’s student debt relief services is available to all residents and county employees through Sept. 30, 2025 at OakGov.com/Savi.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County’s partnership with Savi is already delivering powerful results. More than 1,000 residents have had their student debt reduced, with a projected $20 million in lifetime savings on their college loans.

These early outcomes underscore the success of the Oakland County Student Debt Relief Initiative, the first county-wide program of its kind in the nation.

“These results are just the beginning,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “We’re proving that local government can make a real, measurable difference in people’s lives by reducing the financial burden of student loan debt.”

“This is exactly the incredible impact we envisioned when we launched this program,” said Board Chair David T. Woodward (D-Royal Oak). “We’re lowering costs, helping people reduce or eliminate student debt, and together making our local economy stronger.”

After a five-year hiatus during the COVID pandemic, collections on defaulted federal student loans are scheduled to resume on May 5, 2025. Oakland County residents in this situation are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Savi platform now, while free access is available, to get the help they need before collections begin.

Oakland County’s student debt relief initiative was launched in July 2024 through a collaboration of County Executive Dave Coulter’s administration and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. The goal is to help residents navigate student loan repayment options and access federal forgiveness programs, all with the support of Savi’s expert tools and personal assistance.

“Savi ended up being a godsend for me,” said Jackie Vermilya, an immunization program specialist in Oakland County Health Division who is a Savi user. “The Savi program helped me so much with the paperwork to take advantage of the Public Loan Forgiveness Program and I was able to get $174,000 forgiven. A huge weight was taken off my shoulders and I will forever be grateful for the help I received from Savi.”

Residents and Oakland County employees can still register for free one-year access to Savi’s services through Sept. 30, 2025 by visiting OakGov.com/Savi.

Through its platform, Savi helps users discover the most effective loan repayment plans, apply for forgiveness programs and navigate the complexities of federal student loan policy. To date, Savi has identified more than $3 billion in potential loan forgiveness nationwide, with average savings exceeding $25,000 per borrower.

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