Countless stories, one shared experience.
One story and one original cartoon at a time, we’re revealing truths about making finances work for you and creating more open conversation along the way.
Student loan debt is a heavy financial burden for many Americans. The total student loan debt in the United States is over $1.7 trillion, carried by about 45 million Americans (or nearly 1 in 5 adults). This debt can significantly impact borrowers' lives, making it difficult to buy a home, save for retirement, start a business, or even live with less stress.
To help illustrate just how much the challenges of student loan debt impact daily life, LoanFolk created a series of cartoons to share and lighten the burden.
These loan cartoons depict the real-life experiences of borrowers, from the stress of applying for loans to the struggle to make payments. The cartoons are a fresh and engaging way to raise awareness about student loan debt and its impact on borrowers' lives.
Student Loan Payments
Do Student Loans Die When You Do?
Price of Success
“My mother dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. Watching her at the kitchen table struggling to pay the bills, I used to swear I’d never be like her. I thought education was the way out. So I fought, worked hard, went to a prestigious college, then an Ivy League graduate school. I thought; finally this little girl, who was not supposed to succeed, did. Now here I am, first in the family to graduate from college, struggling to pay the bills.”
Keeping Up
“I am 41 years old. I feel like the majority of school loan debt stories and advice columns are targeted for recent graduates who are younger in their 20s. Don’t get me wrong, I feel for them. But I owe almost $200,000 (yes, you read that right) in school debt. I never admit this out loud to anyone. I read that you should admit it and tell people out loud to stand in your truth. This is not easy. I read that the average school loan debt is something like $30,000. I honestly laughed at this. I don’t say that to minimize how much that is to another, but just how embarrassed I am to have 6 times the amount that the average person has. How did this happen to me? How will I ever resolve this? I have impeccable credit (above 800), I pay all of my bills, I work multiple jobs, I own a house with a hefty mortgage (always paid) – my life looks normal, even perfect! But I cannot and probably won’t ever get ahead of my school debt. I am at a loss… ”
Petty Thieves
“The final bill for one of my student loans was for one cent. The loan company created a bill for once cent and paid postage to send it in the mail. I wrote a check for one cent and paid the postage to send it back to them.”
