60-day FRN Comment Response

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Annual Performance Report

Summary of Public Comments with Responses

Introduction

The 60-day notice comment period for collection 1840-0793, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Annual Performance Report, ended on August 12, 2016. Two comments from the public were received since June 13, 2016. One comment was identified as uncivil behavior and inflammatory. Therefore, the comment will not be addressed in the response summary.

The response summary below includes the public comment and the Department’s response to the comment, including whether any subsequent changes have been made to the Annual Performance Report.

Public Comment

Could it please be taken into consideration to include Parent Plus loans for Income Based Repayment. Parents are having just as much difficulty in repaying student loans that they have incurred from their children. In my case, I was going to school at the same time as my son. I have my own student loans, and also helped my son with a parent plus loan. AES encouraged me to consolidate these together, which was a mistake. So now I cannot qualify for Income Based Repayment on my own loans, because the Parent Plus is tied in. I am 67 and can now only work part-time. My income is very low, and I will soon not be able to manage this loan. My son cannot help, as he has his own loans as well.

Including Parent Plus loans in the Income Base Repayment only makes sense in helping families to cope with the rising cost of education. Thank you for your help.

Department Response

The Department acknowledges receipt of this comment. Since the comment is not relevant to the information collection activity for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Annual Performance Report, no action will be taken at this time regarding changes to the Annual Performance Report.