Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>United Airlines announced 13 new routes across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.</li><li>The expansion includes unique destinations like Nuuk, Greenland, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-to-offer-free-wifi-spacex-starlink-elon-musk-2024-9">United Airlines</a> is making bold route decisions as it continues to expand its giant international presence.The Chicago-based carrier on Thursday announced 13 new routes across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America starting in the summer of 2025.Eight are to niche destinations new to United, including Nuuk, Greenland; Dakar, Senegal; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The expansion will further cement United's place as the US' largest international carrier across the Atlantic and Pacific.Mongolia adds to United's growing list of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/international-travel-made-possible-by-the-freedoms-of-the-air-2024-4">"fifth-freedom" routes</a> from of Tokyo's Narita International Airport. Other new fifth-freedom routes include Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and the western Pacific country of Palau from Tokyo. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-new-nonstop-international-routes-colombia-morocco-philippines-fifth-freedom-2024-3">airline previously announced Cebu, Philippines</a> from the Japanese capital, to launch later in October. The so-called fifth freedom of the sky allows airlines to fly between two countries outside their own, so long as their home nation is the start or end point. They stem from a UN body's 1944 "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-on-fifth-freedom-routing-from-new-york-to-singapore-2023-1">Freedoms of the Air</a>" agreement.For example, UAE-based Emirates stops in Milan between New York and Dubai, while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-on-fifth-freedom-routing-from-new-york-to-singapore-2023-1">Singapore Airlines stops in Frankfurt</a>, Germany, between New York and Singapore.Patrick Quayle, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-united-isnt-buying-boeing-new-777x-widebody-plane-2024-8">United Airlines</a>' SVP of global network planning and alliances, told reporters that the Tokyo routes could use crews based at United's Guam hub, helping the airline gain an edge in Asia.The airline's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-cities-united-plans-to-fly-new-airbus-a321xlr-2024-8">Europe expansion</a> goes beyond Greenland. It will also begin new flights to off-the-beaten-path destinations in Portugal, Italy, France, and Spain, from its hubs at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Washington Dulles International Airport.Quayle said these far-flung cities will attract new customers and help United differentiate itself from competitors. They add to a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-reveals-5-new-international-destinations-3-new-routes-2021-10">growing list of unique places for United, </a>which has flown nonstop to cities like Dubrovnik, Croatia; Tenerife, Spain; and Ponta Delgada, Portugal, for years.Here's the full list of United's 11 new overseas routes, and two additional to Mexico and Costa Rica: <ul><li>Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Tokyo: Seasonal beginning May 1, 2025</li><li>Kaohsiung, Taiwan to Tokyo: Year-round beginning July 11, 2025</li><li>Koror, Palau to Tokyo: Year-round beginning April 2, 2025.</li><li>Nuuk, Greenland to Newark: Seasonal beginning June 14, 2025.</li><li>Palermo, Italy to Newark: Seasonal beginning May 21, 2025.</li><li>Bilbao, Spain to Newark: Seasonal beginning May 31, 2025.</li><li>Faro, Portugal to Newark: Seasonal beginning May 16, 2025.</li><li>Madeira, Portugal to Newark: Seasonal beginning June 7, 2025.</li><li>Dakar, Senegal to Dulles: Year-round beginning May 23, 2025.</li><li>Nice, France to Dulles: Seasonal beginning May 24, 2025.</li><li>Venice to Dulles: Seasonal beginning May 22, 2025.</li><li>San Francisco to San Jose: Daily beginning May 22, 2025.</li><li>Puerto Escondido, Mexico to Houston: Year-round beginning April 5, 2025. (Operated by United regional partner Mesa Airlines).</li></ul>

United announced 13 new international routes and 3 'fifth freedoms' flights to far-flung destinations

Gulab Kaur to Potti Sriramalu: Unsung heroes of the Indian freedom struggle

<ul><li><keyword id="2118630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HMD" source="Orion">HMD</keyword> has launched the Crest and Crest Max smartphones in India.</li><li>The devices are at ₹14,499 and ₹16,499 respectively.</li><li>Here’s everything you need to know about the <keyword id="22526107" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HMD-Crest" source="Orion">HMD Crest</keyword> and Crest Max smartphones.</li></ul> HMD today launched the Crest and Crest Max smartphones in India. The company has made its debut in the Indian smartphone market with the launch of the Crest lineup. The two new smartphones launched by the company support 4G and do not offer 5G support. The devices come with Repairability 1.0, allowing users to easily replace the battery, display, back panel and charging port. <h2>HMD Crest and Crest Max price in India</h2>The HMD Crest is priced at ₹14,499 for the single 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant and comes in Midnight Blue, Royal Pink and Lush Lilac colour options. On the other hand, the <keyword id="22543532" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="HMD-Crest-Max" source="Orion">HMD Crest Max</keyword> is priced at ₹16,499 for the single 8GB RAM + 256GB internal storage variant. The device comes in Aqua Green, Deep Purple and Royal Pink colour options. Both smartphone will go on sale during the <keyword id="22545950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Great-Freedom-Festival-sale" source="keywords">Amazon Great Freedom Festival sale</keyword> in August. <h2>HMD Crest and Crest Max specifications</h2> The HMD Crest and Crest Max run on Android 14 out of the box and will offer two years of Android updates. The devices feature a 6.67-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Both smartphones are powered by the Unisoc T760 chipset. While the Crest smartphone comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage, the Crest Max features 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Coming to the camera department, the Crest smartphone features a dual camera setup at the back consisting of a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP secondary camera. On the front, the device sports a 50MP selfie camera. The HMD Crest Max features a triple camera setup consisting of a 64MP primary camera, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. On the front, the device sports a 50MP selfie camera. Both smartphones are powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging support. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-4-vs-motorola-edge-50-pro-best-mid-range-phone-under-rs-35000/slidelist/111981979.cms">OnePlus Nord 4 vs Motorola Edge 50 Pro – Best mid-range phone under Rs 35,000</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-to-launch-in-india-on-august-14-alongside-the-pixel-9-series/articleshow/111855704.cms">Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold to launch in India on August 14 alongside the Pixel 9 series</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/samsung-galaxy-m35-5g-with-6000mah-battery-launched-in-india-starting-at-16999/slidelist/111806447.cms">Samsung Galaxy M35 5G with 6,000mAh battery launched in India starting at ₹19,999</a>

HMD Crest and Crest Max smartphones launched in India starting at ₹14,499

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG vs popular electric scooters: Which one should you pick?

Booker Prize-winning author <keyword id="20555217" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arundhati-Roy" source="keywords">Arundhati Roy</keyword>, currently facing the threat of prosecution over historic comments on Kashmir 14 years ago, was on Thursday honoured with the prestigious <keyword id="22202137" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pen-Pinter-Prize" source="keywords">Pen Pinter Prize</keyword> 2024 for her "unflinching and unswerving" writings. The prize, established in 2009 by the charity <keyword id="22202138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="English-PEN" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="English PEN" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="English PEN">English PEN</keyword>, defends <keyword id="20100163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="freedom-of-expression" source="keywords">freedom of expression</keyword> and celebrates <keyword id="19987262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="literature" source="keywords">literature</keyword> in memory of Nobel-Laureate playwright <keyword id="22202139" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harold-Pinter" source="keywords">Harold Pinter</keyword>. Roy expressed her delight at being named this year's winner amid an "incomprehensible turn" the world is taking. "I am delighted to accept the PEN Pinter prize. I wish Harold Pinter were with us today to write about the almost incomprehensible turn the world is taking. Since he isn't, some of us must do our utmost to try to fill his shoes," said 62-year-old Roy. The renowned author, who won the <keyword id="20316916" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Booker-Prize" source="keywords">Booker Prize</keyword> for her debut novel 'The God of Small Things', was chosen by this year's judges - Chair of English PEN Ruth Borthwick; actor and activist Khalid Abdalla; and writer and musician Roger Robinson. She will receive the award at a ceremony co-hosted by the British Library on October 10, where she will also deliver an address. "Roy tells urgent stories of injustice with wit and beauty. While India remains an important focus, she is truly an internationalist thinker, and her powerful voice is not to be silenced," said Borthwick. "Arundhati Roy is a luminous voice of freedom and justice whose words have come with fierce clarity and determination for almost 30 years now," said Abdalla. "This year, as the world faces the deep histories that have created this moment in Gaza, our need for writers who are 'unflinching and unswerving' has been immense. In honoring Arundhati Roy this year, we are celebrating both the dignity of her body of work and the timeliness of her words, that arrive with the depth of her craft exactly when we need them most," he said. "Arundhati Roy was the unanimous choice for this prestigious award, a testament to her unparalleled contribution to literature. Her vast body of work, encompassing both fiction and non-fiction, has not only captivated readers worldwide but also consistently focused on themes of <keyword id="19934927" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-justice" source="keywords">social justice</keyword>, " added Robinson. The judges noted Roy's incisive commentary on issues ranging from environmental degradation to human rights abuses demonstrates her commitment to advocating for the marginalized and challenging the status quo. "Her unique voice and unwavering dedication to these causes make her a deserving recipient of this honour," they said. The prize will be shared with a "Writer of Courage" - one who is active in defence of freedom of expression, often at great risk to their own safety and liberty. The co-winner will be selected and announced by Arundhati Roy from a shortlist of cases supported by English PEN. The prize is awarded annually to a writer of outstanding literary merit resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth who, in the words of Harold Pinter's Nobel Prize in Literature speech, casts an "unflinching, unswerving" gaze upon the world and shows a "fierce intellectual determination... to define the real truth of our lives and our societies".

Arundhati Roy awarded Pen Pinter Prize for her 'unflinching' writing

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine is finally operating F-16s, but President Zelenskyy said Kyiv lacks trained pilots.</li><li>With this in mind, a US lawmaker is urging retired F-16 pilots from the West to go to Ukraine.</li></ul>A US senator who recently visited Ukraine has issued a call for retired F-16 pilots to join Kyiv's air force, where they can fly the American-made aircraft in a "fight for freedom" against Russia.Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal met on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who told the lawmakers that he wants to establish a program to enlist retired F-16 pilots from NATO countries to help strengthen his country's air force."We support this effort," the senators said in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-graham-on-visit-to-ukraine">joint statement</a> on their trip published on Monday. "Ukraine is already fielding units of freedom fighters on the ground, and this volunteer force should be replicated in the air."After a long wait, Ukraine <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/missiles-on-ukraines-f-16s-hint-at-missions-against-russia-2024-8">finally received its first F-16s</a> a few weeks ago. Zelenskyy unveiled the fighter jets at a public event at the start of August, calling the much-celebrated arrival of the aircraft a "new phase of development" for Kyiv's air force.<div type="image" title="A fighter jet on the ground, its wings covered in camo netting." height="3775" width="5663" msid="112503920" hostid="261" sizebytes="1117486"></div>But Ukraine didn't receive many F-16s in the initial delivery, and Zelenskyy has cautioned that the country <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-zelenskyy-says-f-16-combat-jets-already-in-use/a-69853906">lacks enough trained</a> pilots to fly the aircraft. With this in mind, Graham, who served for years in the US Air Force, put out a call to Western pilots who have already received training on the fighter jet."If you're a retired F-16 pilot and you're looking to fight for freedom, they will hire you here," the South Carolina senator <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukraine-seeks-retired-f-16-pilots-to-fly-its-jets/">said at a press conference</a> during his visit to Ukraine. "They're going to look throughout NATO nations for willing fighter pilots who retired to come help them until they can get their pilots trained.""We're going to get these jets in the air sooner rather than later, and we are looking for pilots who are willing fight for freedom as the Ukrainians train their own pilots," he said.Western fighters, including veterans, have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/western-fighters-die-in-ukraine-assume-be-easy-us-veteran-2024-5">traveled to Ukraine</a> to help support its efforts against Russia throughout the war, helping in training roles and front-line combat operations. Graham and Blumenthal are seeking to expand this aspect of the war into the skies now that Kyiv is finally operating Western aircraft.<div type="image" title="A view from ground level of a fighter jet taking off from a grassy field with flowers." height="2001" width="3000" msid="112503923" hostid="261" sizebytes="154574"></div>Meanwhile, the two senators also called on the Biden administration to lift restrictions on Kyiv using US-provided weapons to strike inside Russian territory, especially long-range missiles.Ukrainian officials have long pressed Washington to drop these restrictions, which Kyiv argues have prevented its military from effectively battling back Moscow's forces.During his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1823052780115775566">nightly address</a> to the nation on Monday, Zelenskyy shared that he had discussed these efforts with the US senators."I expressed my gratitude to America for its support in our defense," Zelenskyy said of his meeting with Graham and Blumenthal. "It is crucial that both Ukrainians and Americans emerge truly victorious in this shared defense of a normal life and people's freedom.""We discussed what is specifically needed to bring this war to a just end," he added, saying he "thoroughly explained our need for long-range capabilities."

US senator calls on retired F-16 pilots to come 'fight for freedom' in Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy

Internet Censorship and Freedom

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some Gen Zers appear to be gravitating toward customer service roles for a better work-life balance.</li><li>These roles can often be remote, flexible, and relatively well-paid. </li></ul>For Gen Z, it's all about working smarter, not harder.And there seems to be an unlikely role that is getting a boost from this trend: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lazy-girl-job-trend-tiktok-explained-defending-low-stress-work-2023-7">customer services.</a>"The pay is usually decent, most companies are looking for work-from-home type of employees, and there is often schedule flexibility," said Dave Hoekstra, who has spent his entire career in customer service.According to an analysis <a target="_blank" href="https://www.livedatatechnologies.com/">of a dataset of over 75 million white-color professionals</a> by Jason Saltzman, the director of growth at Live Data Technologies, which is a provider of real-time employment data, Zoomers in customer success roles have increased in the past few years."Since 2021, Gen Z professionals make up a 22% greater share of the white-collar workforce," Saltzman told Business Insider — an increase from 5.1% in 2021 to 6.2% in 2024."In the same period, Gen Z employees now make up an 82% greater share of customer success roles," he said, increasing to 12.2% in 2024 from 6.7% in 2021.<h2 id="d145975c-505a-4df1-b0c9-5097b35d59c2">The ultimate remote job?</h2>Zoomers are playing a big role in transforming work culture. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-might-kill-middle-management-2023-11">They say no to climbing the corporate ladder</a> when they see limited rewards for doing so and place <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-envy-gen-z-ability-to-say-no-in-workplace-2024-6">more value on time off</a> than overachieving and staying late at the office.Part of this is embracing "lazy girl jobs," a term coined by the TikTok content creator and "anti-work girlboss" Gabrielle Judge. Judge <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-anti-work-girl-boss-lazy-girl-jobs-2023-6">previously told BI</a> that a lazy girl job is any well-paying role that is low-effort enough so people still have the energy to invest in the things they care about.These jobs often offer hybrid or working-from-home options and are increasingly being considered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lazy-girl-job-trend-tiktok-explained-defending-low-stress-work-2023-7">as a low-stress option</a> due to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/women-more-burnt-out-men-lazy-girl-jobs-survey-2023-11">high levels of burnout</a> felt by millennial and Zoomer workers.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@gabrielle_judge/video/7236129804066524459">In one video</a>, Judge listed customer success manager as one example of a lazy girl job. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for this position is between $66,000 and $118,000 a year.With a flexible schedule, a livable salary, and the ability to gain significant social media followers on the side, customer support roles may be an obvious choice for Gen Zers entering the workforce.<h2 id="dd2312d6-9aca-4660-8b37-e6962270f1aa">A focus on empathy</h2>Hoekstra, who works at the workforce management platform Calabrio, told BI that the customer service industry "looks very different" now than in the late 1990s.The average annual salary for a customer service rep in the US is $34,000 - $46,000, according to Glassdoor."If the employee doesn't mind being tethered to a headset all day and doesn't mind focusing on their job, then it can be a pretty rewarding experience as they look to the future," Hoekstra said.Brittany Betts, who is on the cusp of millennial and Gen Z and handles customer service at a small travel company, told BI that "it allows you the opportunity to embrace your inner emotions and empathy with other people while simultaneously helping them find what they need."Gen Z has been known for many things and I know 'hardworking' hasn't generally been one, but we are definitely understanding if not anything else."<h2 id="3b1bf97a-196e-436d-9d76-9f9a3cce8880">Social media side hustle</h2>Customer service positions can give workers the freedom to be creative with a social media side hustle. On TikTok, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=%23customerservice&amp;t=1719312966073">videos under the hashtag #customerservice</a>, where creators either show one side of a customer support call or reenact difficult interactions, can rack up millions of views.Daineshe Sutton, for example, has gone viral with some of her videos, in which she shows how she handles escalations and steps in if customers are rude and cussing at other agents.Sutton believes the influx of Gen Z and millennial workers is mostly due to remote work becoming the norm. She said these roles also don't come with the pressure to dress up every day or the fear of being judged on one's appearance."Remote work is focused solely on skills, knowledge, and the ability to effectively assist customers and not what you look like while doing it," she said.Another creator, who posts anonymously under the name Disney Mom, has amassed 138,000 followers for her no-nonsense calls with what she describes as "entitled" customers."The fact I can work in my PJs without a bra on is my biggest flex," she said. "I hate driving in traffic, especially morning rush hour, because people are beyond nuts trying to rush to work." <h2 id="1a97fdfe-9ccc-4bed-bc16-cd52929f2ec1">The mental health toll</h2>But while such remote jobs are often portrayed as relatively stress-free, the reality is much more complex.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.zendesk.co.uk/blog/millennials-vs-gen-z-customer-service-expectations-compare/">A 2024 Zendesk survey</a> of 2,500 global consumers and 4,500 business respondents found that 21% of Zoomers had higher customer service expectations since the pandemic. Almost 50% also said an "unfriendly support agent" was what they found frustrating about a negative customer service experience.The industry generally has a bad reputation. Customers feel exasperated when they can't speak to real reps and get enraged when their problems are not immediately solved, or they feel they are being passed from agent to agent with no answers.One of the biggest downsides of the career is dealing with angry people, Sutton said. She can take anywhere between 45 and 100 calls per day, and it can be physically draining to maintain empathy and professionalism, which can take a toll on her mental health.The job "requires a lot of patience and resilience," she said."Managing the diverse range of emotions and attitudes from callers is mentally and emotionally taxing," she said.The creator known as Disney Mom agreed, saying she has had to deal with a lot of "dumb situations" and a significant number of calls where customers can be "rude, racist, and sexist." Sutton started posting on TikTok because she saw "an opportunity to shed light on the realities of customer service." She wanted to provide a behind-the-scenes view of what happens when you call up a company to complain and challenge the mantra that "the customer is always right" — particularly when they are difficult.More generally, remote jobs can often lead to a feeling of isolation."The lack of face-to-face interaction makes it harder to build rapport and convey empathy," Sutton said. "Requiring extra effort to ensure that the caller feels heard and understood."Sutton hopes to be part of the industry changing for the better.She never thought she'd gain traction, but when one of her videos amassed more than three million views, she realized how much it struck a chord with people."Ultimately, it's refreshing for viewers to see the work we do and the interactions we handle daily," she said.

Gen Zers are embracing remote and flexible customer service jobs — but the freedom comes at a cost 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Biden has implemented targeted student-loan forgiveness efforts over the past few years.</li><li>BI spoke to some millennials who received relief through different programs.</li></ul>Scott M. Smith, 40, wasn't expecting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-student-loan-forgiveness-borrowers-save-plan-pslf-debt-cancellation-2024-4">student-loan forgiveness</a>.After receiving his master's in education administration in 2015 — preceded by his undergraduate education degree in 2008 — Smith held a student-loan balance of about $30,000 from both degrees. Since his work has been in public service, currently as a teacher, Smith decided to apply for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-who-qualifies-for-latest-debt-relief-idr-2023-12">Public Service Loan Forgiveness program</a>, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after 10 years of qualifying payments.But despite working full time for a qualifying employer, Smith said, he wasn't hopeful for forgiveness because his student-loan servicer told him in 2022 he hadn't met his qualifying payments.That all changed with a letter from his servicer — reviewed by Business Insider — on February 15, 2023, stating: "We determined you have successfully met the requirements of the PSLF Progam and your loans listed below have been forgiven. Thank you for your public service!"With that letter, Smith's remaining $23,086 student-debt balance was officially gone."I was shouting it from the rooftops and walking around my school like, 'Hey, everybody who's been out of school for 10 years or so,' advertising that," Smith told BI. "So then I was helping a lot of my colleagues to get that information, as well."<div type="image" title="Scott M. Smith" height="315" width="420" msid="112523207" hostid="261" sizebytes="11892"></div>Since the Supreme Court <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-supreme-court-strikes-down-debt-cancellation-2023-5">blocked President Joe Biden's broad student-loan forgiveness plan</a> last summer, the Education Department has erased debt piecemeal by focusing on existing programs like PSLF. Many of these previously did not work as intended due to administrative hurdles and paperwork errors that left borrowers paying off more than they might've owed.Such <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-debt-cancellation-payment-pause-borrowers-disabilities-defrauded-2021-6">programs have provided relief to millions of borrowers over the past few years, including </a>borrowers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-education-department-cancels-student-debt-borrowers-disabilities-paperwork-cardona-2021-3">with a total and permanent disability</a>, those <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-wiped-out-student-debt-education-department-corinthian-college-2022-6">defrauded by the schools they attended</a>, and those who had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-debt-cancellation-save-income-driven-payment-plan-2024-2">made at least 20 years of qualifying payments</a> on income-driven repayment plans but had yet to receive the relief they were eligible for.The relief is a particular bright spot for people of Smith's age.Millennials who've gotten their loans wiped out told BI that they're now able to celebrate by investing in their futures and pursuing other life goals, such as buying a home, that their generation has famously lagged in pursuing.In the $1.7 trillion student-debt crisis, which affects over 40 million Americans, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-student-loan-borrower-balance-millennial-woman-debt-relief-biden-2023-11">millennials, who are roughly 28 to 43, today </a>hold a significant portion of the load. According to recent Federal Student Aid <a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/data-center/student/portfolio">data</a> for the third quarter of 2023, 14.8 million student-loan borrowers ages 25 to 34 — older Gen Zers and younger millennials — hold $483 billion outstanding in student debt. That same data shows that 12.2 million borrowers ages 35 to 49 — older millennials and younger Gen Xers — hold $534 billion outstanding in student debt.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/2023-report-economic-well-being-us-households-202405.pdf">According</a> to the Federal Reserve, the median amount of student debt borrowers held in 2023 was between $20,000 and $24,999, and borrowers with higher levels of education were more likely to carry larger student debt loads.This relief could not have come at a better time for Smith. He said that he and his wife were hoping to grow their family with a second child but that his nearly $600 student-loan payments being deducted from his bank account each month strained their budget, making it difficult to plan for baby No. 2. The loan forgiveness has freed up their budgets to buy a larger car for their family — and he and his wife are now expecting."We have another thousand dollars every two months that we could put into something else," Smith said.Knowing how many borrowers have student debt, Smith said he's grateful for this relief, which allows him to move forward in life and grow his family without that financial burden weighing him down."It was huge. It really started things to be as great as they are right now," Smith said. "I'm the happiest that I've ever been, and that was a definitive point. February of 2023 was when things started to get better again."<h2 id="10129122-48c9-4ef3-a0e4-36323175654d">The freedom to go back to school</h2>For Paul Smylie, 39, student-loan forgiveness means something else.After graduating with an undergraduate degree in geography in 2007, Smylie had a student-debt balance of just over $36,000. He began repaying those loans on an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-idr-student-debt-relief-account-adjustment-biden-2023-7">income-driven repayment plan</a>, which promises debt relief after at least 20 years of qualifying payments. As of 2024, Smylie was able to get his balance down to $9,811 — but that was after paying about $46,000 because of interest.Given that Smylie had not yet completed his 20 years of payments, he didn't qualify for relief through his income-driven repayment plan. However, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-student-loan-borrowers-new-debt-relief-save-income-driven-plan-2024-2">Biden's new SAVE income-driven repayment plan</a> offered a glimpse of hope — a provision within the plan allowed for student-loan forgiveness on loans with an original balance of $12,000 or less after as few as 10 years of payments.After SAVE was implemented in July 2023, Smylie enrolled in the plan and had four loans remaining to pay off — each of which was under $12,000. On February 21, the Education Department announced it would be implementing the new forgiveness provision ahead of schedule, announcing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-debt-cancellation-save-income-driven-payment-plan-2024-2">$1.2 billion in relief for 153,000 borrowers</a>. To Smylie's surprise, he was one of them.As of August 9, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-blocked-cheaper-student-loan-payments-relief-new-ruling-2024-8">blocked SAVE</a>. Students with loans enrolled in the program have been placed into forbearance pending the results of continued legal battles over whether the lower payments and forgiveness measures in the payment plan can continue.While some experts have suggested a complete reversal of the SAVE plan could result in forgiveness being rolled back and loans being reinstated, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-debt-college-forgiveness-c3ec59d4c1d89e77bc1afc6c8ded1615">Associated Press</a> reported that reinstating loans on such a large scale would be unreasonably costly and politically fraught, making such an outcome unlikely. However, it will be up to the courts to determine what to do with previously forgiven loans if the SAVE plan is ended entirely.For Smylie, the forgiveness granted by SAVE has been a godsend."It was a total shock," Smylie told BI."I teach yoga, and so it was 20 minutes before I was supposed to start to teach a class and I see this email, and I'm like, 'Wait a minute, is this serious?' And I just couldn't process it," he said. "I remember having a hard time teaching. I was just in this fun little cloud of joy. But it's one of those moments you just never think would ever come true, and then it did."<div type="image" title="Paul Smylie" height="2069" width="2758" msid="112523208" hostid="261" sizebytes="330684"></div>This relief is allowing Smylie the freedom to "have real true financial goals" with his retirement — and it's even opening the door for him to consider furthering his education. The idea of returning to school or seeking higher education in the first place has brought diverging views across generations.As BI has previously reported, many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-value-of-college-higher-education-student-debt-tuition-2023-12">Gen Zers have chosen to forego college</a> due to high student debt loads and the availability of jobs that don't require college degrees. But for some millennials, Gen Xers, and even boomers, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-xer-why-going-back-school-50s-was-worth-it-2024-5">going back to school</a> is an opportunity to advance their careers, earn more money, and give themselves a chance at trying something new — an opportunity they might not have had when they were younger. For example, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gallup.com/analytics/644939/state-of-higher-education.aspx">report</a> from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation found that "adults' interest in pursuing some form of higher education is at the highest level" the organizations ever recorded.Smylie's student-loan forgiveness is giving him the financial freedom to consider doing just that."It's taken a weight off of me, but it also inspired me to go back to a master's program that I had my eye on for a bit," he said.BI spoke with five financial advisors who primarily work with millennials. Each indicated that student debt remains among the top financial concerns their clients report having."There's not a lot of wiggle room in some cases as they're paying off student loans, to prioritize other short-term things or really save aggressively outside that debt," Chloe Moore, a certified financial planner who founded Financial Staples, told BI. "So having those student loans paid off really makes a difference."The advisors said most of their clients who have student loans carry between $20,000 to $100,000 in student debt, with those who pursued master's degrees and other advanced education tending to hold more than $50,000. Regardless of the degree, the advisors said their clients with student loans tend to put off other major investments — like buying a house, saving for retirement, or starting a family — until their education debt feels more manageable, which they described as a subjective measure that varies by person."The hardest thing, I think, for millennials that have any range of debt is making those tough choices between saving, paying down debt, and investing because the loans can be pretty burdening on cash flow," said Keenan Casey, a certified financial planner for Facet Wealth. "It can mean that you're making some really, really tough choices with the other aspects of your life."CiCora Leigh, 34, is all too familiar with the tough choices her student debt presented her. Leigh's educational path was unconventional — after graduating from high school in 2008, she fully funded her community-college education in Mississippi through scholarships and federal grants. However, after the death of a family member, she took a break from her education and decided to enlist in the Army with the hope that it would pay for her to eventually earn her law degree. Things didn't work out as she intended, though, and she ended up taking out about $70,000 in student loans to complete her degree at the University of Mississippi in business administration.As a single mom, Leigh felt significantly weighed down by the debt. "It was really making things tight for me and my son," she said, adding that the debt was sinking her credit score.<div type="image" title="Cicora Leigh" height="867" width="694" msid="112523206" hostid="261" sizebytes="31614"></div>All of that changed when she received a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-disabilities-qualify-for-student-loan-forgiveness-from-department-education-2021-3">total and permanent disability determination</a> from Veterans Affairs. In a rule first established under President Barack Obama, any student-loan borrower who can prove they are totally and permanently disabled is eligible for student-loan forgiveness. This determination can be made by the VA or a physician and includes any physical or mental impairment that inhibits employment.The VA informed Leigh of her disability status in February 2023, and just five months later, the Education Department had wiped out her $72,000 student-loan balance."It was truly a relief," Leigh said. "I was able to use those funds to start putting toward my son's college fund, and then I was able to publish my second book. That was such a relief to receive the letter. I was so happy."<h2 id="c131ac21-94ee-48b1-b9f0-49d058417940">Saving for retirement</h2>The monthly student-loan payments of nearly $500 that Beverley, 38, has been making since 2014 took a heavy toll on her finances.Beverley — who requested her last name be withheld for privacy — told BI that when she first started her career in the nonprofit sector, she was paid a very low wage and struggled to afford her monthly student-loan payments from both her undergraduate and graduate degrees on top of her other basic expenses. This led her to go into forbearance for a year to allow her to afford her everyday needs."It was really hard," Beverley said. "Paying rent, paying for monthly bills and food and everything, that basically left $100 in my bank account for anything else. It was impossible to save money."Beverley now works in the government and has been in the public sector her whole career, making her eligible for PSLF. But since she didn't start making payments until 2014, she thought she wouldn't see any student-loan forgiveness until 2024 at the earliest, assuming everything went perfectly with her paperwork.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program-major-overhaul-student-debt-biden-2021-10">A limited-time</a> change implemented by the Education Department in October 2021 changed that. Using a waiver that expired in October 2022, the department allowed borrowers to count payments that were previously deemed ineligible for PSLF toward forgiveness progress, including some periods in which borrowers' loans were in deferment or forbearance. That was great news for Beverley — her loans were on forbearance for a year after she graduated while she was working at the nonprofit, meaning the waiver brought her to the payment threshold for forgiveness a year ahead of schedule.On December 13 of last year, she finally received confirmation that her nearly $54,000 student-loan balance was wiped out. "Congratulations!" the letter from her servicer, reviewed by BI, said. "You have successfully met the requirements of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program and all or a portion of your loans listed below have been forgiven. Thank you for your public service."This relief not only opened up hundreds more dollars each month to make payments toward her mortgage — it finally allowed her the freedom <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loans-retirement-savings-employers-match-debt-payment-contributions-401k-2024-1">to put money toward retirement</a> for the first time."The thing that I'm most excited about is saving for retirement," Beverley said. "I have a lot of money that I was putting towards loans that can now go towards my future. I feel like I'm starting really late for retirement stuff, but it's better than having to pay for however many more years if I didn't get the forgiveness."Grayson Hofferber, a financial advisor and president of Millennial Wealth Management, says the cash-flow burden created by student-loan debt means many of the clients he counsels have to play catch-up for years to get on track for retirement or set up an education fund for their own children."I would say the vast amount of folks will focus on maximizing their retirement savings, whether through their 401(k) or their IRA, after paying off their student debt," Hofferber said. "For the majority of our clients, they generally will take that same kind of repayment dollar amount that they're putting toward student loans, and they'll reinvest that for their future. So they'll put that into an investment account, whether that's to buy a home or to pursue an early retirement."Though some financial advisors noted that once borrowers unlock the money earmarked to pay down debt, they also often want to celebrate."Whether it be student loans, credit-card debt, auto-loan debt, any form of debt that someone's paid off that has felt like a burden for a prolonged period of time, there is the propensity to feel like they have been sacrificing and that they want and deserve to spend the money after that point," Casey said.The financial advisors who talked to BI said that while their clients tended to be financially savvy and prone to prioritizing long-term investments, the post-student-loan splurge is a common phenomenon they see among millennials. And the splurge can take many forms — whether music festival tickets, or buying a Tesla, or taking an international vacation.While retirement is still a ways away for Beverley, she said she's grateful for Biden's changes to PSLF — and the freedom it opened up for her to make larger investments down the road."The limited waiver opportunity basically saved me a year of payments that I would still be making now," Beverley said. "So, for me, it's like keeping a promise that was made a long time ago that if we work in public service, we can have this opportunity."

Meet the millennials who got student-loan forgiveness and now have the freedom to save for retirement, grow their families, and consider going back to school

You Searched For "freedom" and got 9 results

United announced 13 new international routes and 3 'fifth freedoms' flights to far-flung destinations

Taylor Rains

Gulab Kaur to Potti Sriramalu: Unsung heroes of the Indian freedom struggle

Prerna Tyagi

HMD Crest and Crest Max smartphones launched in India starting at ₹14,499

Sourabh Jain

Bajaj Freedom 125 CNG vs popular electric scooters: Which one should you pick?

Ankush Banerjee

Arundhati Roy awarded Pen Pinter Prize for her 'unflinching' writing

PTI

US senator calls on retired F-16 pilots to come 'fight for freedom' in Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy

Jake Epstein

Internet Censorship and Freedom

Gen Zers are embracing remote and flexible customer service jobs — but the freedom comes at a cost

Lindsay Dodgson

Meet the millennials who got student-loan forgiveness and now have the freedom to save for retirement, grow their families, and consider going back to school

Ayelet Sheffey,Katherine Tang…

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides