JV Family 2023

Inside

Back to school season is a great time to start thinking about issues that involve families. Between shopping for school, keeping youngsters organized and balancing a busy life, it is important to take a minute for yourself to regroup, too.

In this year’s issue of Juniata Valley Family, our summer intern, and recent graduate of Miffin County High School, Rainie Miner, refects on how she stays centered while keeping the plates spinning in her daily life.

Sierra Bolger provides an emotional and inspiring message about her journey that led up to rejoining the workforce, amid caring for her young children and balancing anxiety and depression.

This issue of Juniata Valley Magazine also provides information about resources available for parents and children who are struggling with the stress surrounding divorce.

If you have any ideas for stories you would like to see in Juniata Valley Family, contact us by calling (717) 248-6741, ext. 117 or emailing ethompson@lewistownsentinel.com.

Sincerely,

Erin Thompson, Editor

Ruth Eddy

Bolich

Erin Thompson

Program offers support to struggling families

By RAINIE MINER Special to Juniata Valley Family news@lewistownsentinel.com

BELLEVILLE — There is help for youth having diffculty coping with the diffculties surrounding separation and divorce.

Divorce Care 4 Kids is available for youth ages 5 to 12-years-old whose families are experiencing these diffcult times.

“Our biggest goal is to create a safe place during a diffcult time,” shared director of the program, Ann Kanagy.

At DC4K, children are involved in activities, crafts, DVD dramas, music and games, all designed to help children deal with the emotions related to their family situations.

The program is 13 weeks long, and each week focuses on a different topic, Kanagy said.

The program began in Miffin Coun-

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ty in 2014, after Kanagy attended a Kid’s Conference and found the resource. She believed the program would provide much needed support within the area.

Divorce Care 4 Kids helps children relieve their toxic stress. It also helps them to understand their feelings while not feeling so alone.

“While many of them go to therapy or counseling, a group setting is important for the kids,” said Kanagy.

A main goal of the program is to ensure children are not blaming themselves for their parents’ separation.

“Kids blame themselves when this happens which causes anxiety and guilt,” Kanagy said. “This leads to them acting out.”

Many times, parents overlook their children’s actions as acting out for attention, when in reality they are simply looking for attention while dealing with intense emotions.

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A student perspective: Balancing a busy life

By RAINIE MINER Special to Juniata Valley Family news@lewistownsentinel.com

REEDSVILLE —

Throughout high school, students are offered many opportunities to get involved not only within school, but also in the community. There are many clubs, sports, activities and events sure to reach many students with various interests.

For some, it is seemingly impossible to pick just one, and people find themselves filling their plate with numerous commitments.

During high school, I took Honors and Advanced Placement courses, I was the editor of the school newspaper, I held officer positions in numerous clubs, I played varsity and travel softball, and I worked a part time job. I also had household and social responsibilities to fulfill. I was the walking depiction of a “busy life.”

The most important part is prioritizing your mental and physical well-being over the activities. It is OK to miss a meeting every now and

then. It is OK to take a mental health day. It is even OK to go to bed instead of putting the finishing touches on a project. While it is important to fulfill your responsibilities and commitments, putting yourself first should still be at the top

First Area Federal Credit Union

Submitted photo

Above, recent Miffin County High School graduate Rainie Miner poses during her school’s THON. Right, Miner enjoys a game of softball.

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of your list. You should also make sure to determine what activities you feel are most important, and put those before your other commitments. For me, the newspaper and MiniTHON were at the top of my list, so those received the majority of my attention. Having them prioritized made it easier for me to step back when I was maxed out, knowing my top goals were taken care of.

“The most important part is prioritizing your mental and physical well-being over activities. It is OK to miss a meeting every now and then. It is OK to take a mental health day.

It is even OK to go to bed instead of putting the finishing touches on a project.”

In order to maintain this chaotic lifestyle in a low-stress way, I needed to find methods to ease my schedule and make sure I wasn’t overworking myself. To do this, I made sure to find something at least weekly to prioritize myself over my commitments and take a break from the heavy schedule. I found simple, mindless activities such as painting my nails, going on a walk, watching a movie with my family, or going on a drive with my friends, which helped me to take care of myself while stepping away from

Submitted photo

Rainie Miner poses with her Nittany Lions hoodie and graduation cap and gown.

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the stressors.

Another key factor in maintaining a busy schedule was setting time frames for specifc activities. For example, I had specific meeting times before school on certain days for all of my clubs, and any extra work was completed during study halls or any extra time I had throughout the school day so it didn’t eat into the time I planned out for other things. I found that I enjoyed things more if I focused on them without distractions.

In maintaining a packed lifestyle, it’s also important to spend time with friends and family, recognizing those who support you through all of your activities. Carving out time in your routine for these people is crucial. This

won’t only make them feel important, but it also gives you more time to create memories while taking a break from your chaos.

Getting involved has lots of benefits including finding interests, building skills, and connecting with others. Whether you start off small or load your plate quickly, it’s important to make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew.

Any amount of involvement is healthy, whether it’s big or small, and it can have a lasting impact on your life. Look into activities in the area and find what would suit your interests, or just be like me and join everything that stands out.

•••

Rainie Miner was a summer intern with Juniata Valley Family/the Lewistown Sentinel and a resident of Reedsville.

Dispelling Common Misconceptions About Hospice Care

(StatePoint) Hospice is intended to provide comfort and support to patients at the end of their life so that they can experience their remaining time in the best ways possible. Experts say that unfortunately, misconceptions about hospice often lead people to make uninformed decisions at a critical, complex juncture in their lives.

“There is often an idea that hospice equates to giving up. But hospice is actually about taking control,” says Paul Mastrapa, president and chief executive offcer of Interim HealthCare Inc. “It’s the job of the hospice team to understand what a patient’s goals for end-of-life care are, and help them live that last trajectory of their life the way they want to.”

To help patients, their caregivers and family members, and those in the healthcare industry better understand the services and benefts hospice provides, Interim HealthCare is dispelling some of the most common misconceptions:

Myth: Hospice means giving up.

Fact: The primary goal of hospice is delivering comfort, support and specialized medical care to those ready to forgo curative treatment. Research has shown that a person who spends time on hospice has a greater quality of life at the end of their life. And while the goal is not to prolong life, there are statistics that show that hospice gives patients more time compared to patients who had the same disease trajectory and didn’t receive hospice.

Myth: Hospice is only appropriate for the last few days of life.

Fact: Hospice can actually last for months, and entering hospice sooner rather than later translates to fewer hospitalizations, better symptom relief and greater comfort.

Myth: You must give up all your medications.

Fact: While the hospice care team will make recommendations about which medications are still

benefcial to a patient at their stage of illness, patients and families get the fnal say.

Myth: Hospice is a place.

Fact: Hospice can entail in-patient care, but more typically, services are delivered wherever a patient calls home. The nurse, social worker, spiritual care provider, aide and other members of the hospice care team meet the patient where they are, be that in a residential home, an assisted living community or in another institutional setting.

Myth: Hospice is only for patients with specifc diseases. Fact: Anyone with a life-limiting chronic disease, from congestive heart failure to pulmonary disease to Alzheimer’s, can choose hospice. Myth: Hospice ends when the patient dies.

Fact: Hospice providers often offer support to those who have lost a loved one. In the case of Interim HealthCare, bereavement services are offered for 13 months.

Balancing depression, anxiety and kids

Amid challenges, returning to workforce proves rewarding for area mom

By SIERRA BOLGER

Juniata Valley Family reporter

sbolger@lewistownsentinel.com

I was asked to write a story about what it’s like to get back to work after becoming a mom but I’ve been putting it off because I don’t have the answers and truth be told in a perfect world I wouldn’t want to leave my children for 8-plus hours a day and it’s not because I’m not passionate about what I’m doing.

When I was in high school fguring out what I wanted to do after, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in writing. I wasn’t sure exactly what that looked like, but that’s the point of college. Unfortunately, college wasn’t in the cards for me and not because I became a mom. I couldn’t do it fnancially so I took on odd jobs — waitressing, home care, housekeeping. I had my frst child when I was young.

My childhood was chaotic and traumatic. I knew the moment I turned 18 that I was leaving it behind. Since going to college wasn’t an option, I looked into other possibilities. I’m not sure how I stumbled across them, but I began the process of enrolling into the Navy. I read that they pay for schooling and I would get to travel. What better choice did I have? After all, being a travel journalist was my dream.

But as fate would have it, I fell in love and stopped the process of joining the Navy. I turned 18 and began searching for a place to live because my current living situation was; for lack of a better word, not good. My now-husband offered to get a place with me when I discovered I couldn’t afford one on my own. Probably not the advice I would give someone in the same situation.

I also wouldn’t advise anyone to do what I did next. My husband and I have both been in bad relationships and all we wanted was to settle down and have kids, so since I wasn’t on my original path, I decided trying to have a baby would be my next step. Un-

es before the doctors realized I had Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, or under active thyroid, happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones to meet your body’s needs. This disease resulted in the thinning of my uterus lining so I was able to get pregnant but your uterus needs a thick lining for a baby to attach and grow. Prescribing thyroid medication and being on prenatal vitamins before trying to conceive was all the doctors could do to help. Luckily, it did. My son was born in May of 2014 weighing over nine pounds, happy, healthy and beautiful. Being a mom flled that hole because I fnally felt like I fulflled my life’s purpose. Sure, there were speed bumps. Being a new mom was terrifying and even with nine years and two boys under my belt, every day came with new challenges.

When my oldest was born, I had trouble producing milk for him. I was pumping every two hours just enough to feed him and stressing if I would have enough for his next feeding. I started feeling down, worthless even. I shared these feelings with my Ob nurse, who explained that I was experiencing postpartum depression and how she too went through it.

I remember being confused because all my life, I was led to believe postpartum means you despise your kids, maybe that’s a little exaggerated but that was my impression and the nurse I spoke with didn’t seem like the type to have something like that and by that I mean she was the complete opposite of me in every way.

She seemed like someone who had their life together, probably has an amazing husband and kids, nice vehicle since she had a good job, probably a nice house with a big backyard and golden retriever.

she felt when her husband, who was in the Army, was not apart of any of the four births of their children and he was not around much in their lives at all and my heart sunk for her and in that moment I realized I was not alone. It also was the frst time in my life where I discovered not everyone is who they seem to be. Sometimes the happiest people are holding onto the hardest emotions.

That is where my journey with depression and anxiety began. I started going to therapy but it was a bumpy road as well. At times I thought I had my emotions fgured out and I would quit for weeks to months at a time. But inevitably, I did fnd my way back, multiple times, but I am pleased to say I’ve been in active therapy for 5 years.

When I got pregnant with my second son I was not seeking mental help, but I knew with a new baby coming I was likely to feel the same way I felt before, so I contacted my therapist. This is when things changed for me. I took my mental health very seriously with weekly appointments and eventually after a few years I agreed to go on medication.

I was hesitant about medication in the past. I couldn’t wrap my mind around how a pill could just make me happy and if it did, would it even be me? My therapist explained that someone with depression and anxiety is missing a chromosome and this medication is replacing that. It won’t just make me happy immediately either, I still needed to do the work. Continuing with therapy but also in my everyday life.

She taught me ways to cope with my diagnosis. The number one thing is training your mind to think differently. I’m not worthless because I couldn’t produce milk. I tried my best for my babies and that’s all that matters.

fortunately, my body had other plans. I suffered two miscarriag-

I never did fnd out if that was true, but she expressed to me how

So, for the last 5 years, I have been a stay-at-home mom, only working for a few months when

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Sierra Bolger poses with her kids, Daxson, 4, and Deagon, 9, during a trip to DelGrosso’s Amusement Park.

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my youngest was one, but it wasn’t for me. I’m sure most women would tell me I was lucky, but with all the positives there were still many negatives.

As a stay at home mom, you tend to feel like you don’t do enough even though I am in fact doing it all. I am a nurse, a teacher, a chef, a therapist, a maid, dog walker, and probably the hardest job of all being a referee to two small soldiers that insist on battling for their territory every single day. Don’t let their ages foul you, they could be on WWE.

I love my kids and if you also knew the struggles I faced trying to have them both you would know just how grateful I am for them but over the years I’ve lost myself, I just didn’t know it yet.

I would get breaks from time to time to do things with my friends but those rare occasions would usually leave me feeling worse, wishing I got more time to myself which in return would leave me feeling guilty considering both of my sons were planned. How dare I want alone time when I tried so hard to bring them into the world?

As the years went on, my husband began to grow resentful of me. He never said those words, but his actions and other statements led me to believe this.

The plan was to wait until my youngest started school, then I would fnd something during the day. However due to low staffing, my son was unable to start his frst year of headstart. I’m sure you’re thinking well, what about daycares and sitters? Daycares are either full or the price of them doesn’t make sense to

even work when your check would be going mostly to paying for childcare.

I still began my search for work, knowing I needed to fnd something that could work with our schedule and the pay would be worth paying for childcare. But again, fnding this perfect job proved to be diffcult. I didn’t want to take on any job because I know myself and I would stay somewhere I’m not happy just because. For instance, I stayed at a nursing home working in housekeeping for two years while being bullied by other co-workers. Because nowadays, it takes two incomes to pay the bills.

I applied to dozens of places and although I did get some replies, the jobs just didn’t work. One day, I decided to apply for college online to try and fgure out what I wanted to do as far as writing, assuming I needed some type of degree. I was accepted but at that time, my marriage was really on the rocks and even with help fnancially, it wouldn’t cover everything and I still needed support from my spouse and family and without it I felt like I just couldn’t do it with everything else on my plate so back to the job search I went.

there is no motivation, you feel worthless. Like maybe your husband and kids would be better off without you, but you know no one can care for your kids the way you can and that’s what keeps me going.

One day while searching, I noticed a reporter position became available at my local paper, no experience necessary. I honestly didn’t believe it and I kept rereading every part of the ad looking for the catch. I applied and heard back immediately. They conducted a phone interview and a video chat interview

ones that are not reliable. I currently don’t have a driver’s license, for no reason other than my anxiety and being terrifed of driving. Is the pay enough to be worth paying for childcare, gas and other expenses that come with it? Barely, but I took the job anyway.

You’re probably asking why — but why not? I never thought in a million years that I would get paid to write and if I didn’t take a chance to follow a dream I would regret it. Sure, it’s been diffcult. I miss my boys and them complaining about mom going to

“All I can hope for as a mother is that I did enough. I hope they turn out to be good men, good fathers and good husbands and I often fear working means I’ll miss out on that or what if they don’t turn out good, will I blame myself for working? What if they blame me? I can only hope when they’re old enough they’ll understand why mommy has to work. To better not just herself but the life she wants for them all to have.

the housework that needed done. I wouldn’t have many conversations with adults through the week so I became very clingy and dependent on my husband which I’m sure didn’t help his resentment toward me.

I also became very impatient and over-stimulated with my sons by the end of the day and since becoming a working mom I can tell I am a better mom. I’m a better wife and I’m defnitely a better Sierra.

My frst day was the best frst day I have had working anywhere and I’m not just saying that because my superiors will be reading this. Now, by the third day I was secretly crying at my desk. The job itself and my coworkers are truly amazing, so far. But realizing I don’t get to cuddle on the couch with a sleepy 4-yearold who insists on telling me I’m pretty every fve minutes or talking with my 9-year-old about everything under the sun, like why the sky is blue and why don’t animals talk is the hardest part about working.

frst day of school until they graduate from college. I want to hold their hand through every milestone. After all, if anyone is deserving of that, it’s me.

Maybe I’m just bitter and resentful but missing out on the little humans I created, the little humans I went through hell and back to bring into this world sucks. All the sacrifces; two c-sections, postpartum depression, medications, hospital visits, countless hours of homework and teaching them every little thing about this world from tying their shoes to learning how to treat people with respect.

Most days, I felt so overwhelmed that I couldn’t leave my bed. I felt like I was being pulled in different directions. Struggling to be Sierra again, struggling to be a good wife, good mother, and good friend, but no matter what I did I didn’t feel good.

Anxiety and depression doesn’t just go away because I’m in therapy or taking medication. Some days

before having me take on some stories which were put in the paper the following days. Shortly after that I assumed I would be a freelance reporter just by the conversations we were having but I was met with a surprising phone call asking if I’d like a full time position. Of course I quickly accepted but she told me to take the weekend to think about it.

Coincidentally I had a therapy session that day and was able to vent to my therapist about it, which surprisingly made me feel worse because I realized my potential dream job might not be possible and here’s why…

It’s currently the middle of summer, meaning both my kids are home full time. My husband also works full time. We both have living parents, but not all are involved in our lives and the

work or saying how much they miss me has had me second guessing myself but I also can feel myself changing. As if I fnally found myself again.

Most days, as a stay at home mom I wouldn’t even go outside because of all

I think going from a stay-athome mom for several years to working mom is so hard on me because I am an “everything” momma. I want to be at every school event, practice, game, every time they get a haircut or lose a tooth. I want to be there for every

All I can hope for as a mother is that I did enough. I hope they turn out to be good men, good fathers and good husbands and I often fear working means I’ll miss out on that or what if they don’t turn out good, will I blame myself for working? What if they blame me? I can only hope when they’re old enough they’ll understand why mommy has to work. To better not just herself but the life she wants for them all to have.

•••

Sierra Bolger is a reporter with the Lewistown Sentinel. She resides in the Juniata Terrace with her husband and two children.

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Through DC4K, two new programs were created.

“We realized that parents need support as well,” Kanagy stated. After communicating with parents who were bringing their children to DC4K, Kanagy decided to start a support group for single mothers.

In January of 2017, this idea came to life with the support of New Life Church and Locust Grove Church.

Kanagy was frequently asked “why isn’t there a group for dads?” So this year, the support group, “Dads Matter” was launched, providing support for single fathers. This group is held at New Life Church.

These groups are led by teams of moms and dads who have gone through divorce or separation who understand what these parents are going through.

Divorce Care 4 Kids is meant to provide somewhere with no blame or shame for children struggling with parental separation. The goal is to provide a more fun outlet for them to cope with the stress.

DC4K is scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., each Monday from Sept. 10 through Dec. 10, at Locust Grove Church, except for the Monday after Thanksgiving.

The same program will also run from Sept. 10 to Dec. 10, at the Juniata Valley YMCA, and from Sept. 17 to Dec. 17, at the Lumina Center, Third Street, Lewistown. Groups are limited to 10 children per group. For more information or to register your child, call or text Ann Kanagy at (717) 437-4946 or Locust Grove Church at (717) 935-2164.

•••

Rainie Miner was a summer intern with Juniata Valley Family/the Lewistown Sentinel.

How small businesses can thrive by better managing cashfow in 2023

(StatePoint) Intelligent cashfow management is the essential fuel of startups and digital businesses, particularly in a challenging economy. According to experts, it can mean the difference between surviving, thriving and failure.

“Poor cashfow management will kill your business. In fact, it’s killed some of the biggest businesses in the world. No matter how fast you’re growing, you could be destined for the startup graveyard if your outgoings exceed your revenues,” says Dominic Wells, serial entrepreneur and CEO and founder of Onfolio Holdings, a leading online conglomerate that acquires and manages a diversifed portfolio of online business holdings.

To help startups and digital businesses not only survive a downturn, but remain proftable while accelerating growth, Wells is sharing some top actionable insights for the current moment:

1. Know that capital is harder to secure. While during periods of low interest rates, it was possible to burn through capital, that’s no longer the case. “Don’t assume you can just raise more money. Investors are avoiding businesses that aren’t already cashfow positive,” says Wells.

2. Change your priorities. Founders must review spending line items and identify the areas generating the greatest returns. Double down on those. Cut or reduce your spending elsewhere.

3. Focus on short-term growth. Certainty beats speculation right now and investors are choosing businesses that will generate near-term certainty with monthly recurring revenue over those with potential long-term growth.

4. Make proftability your number one goal. Aim to be proftable enough to pay yourself a decent salary, cover business overheads and keep cash in reserve. If you’re looking for a buyer or investor, have solid numbers to show them. In Onfolio’s case, the investment criteria are established businesses generating annual profits over $500,000 in sectors and niches with high-growth potential. Without the metrics to support why you deserve funding, investors and buyers aren’t lurking around the next corner, ready to leap out with a check.

“It’s not easy to execute, but your goal is simple. Keep asking yourself, ‘are we proftable?’ If the answer is no, do everything you can to get there quickly,” says Wells.

5. Become more fnancially secure. At

a time when many operations are cutting costs, making your service indispensable to customers so that they stay with you, or even spend more money, can help make you more fnancially secure. It’s time to deploy strategies and technology that generate more revenue from your current customers. For example, if you’re a website owner without a subscription upsell, now is the time to implement one.

For more tips and insights and to learn more about digital company acquisition, visit onfolio.com.

“New challenges arise for small business owners and digital companies during downturns,” says Wells. “Being savvy about the current climate can mean not just your survival, but your continued success.”

Quick indoor organizing projects to tackle now

(StatePoint) From leaving on vacations and weekend getaways to heading out for a hike or to a sporting event, frequent in-and-out traffic in summer can leave our spaces a mess. While a deep clean can be reserved for fall, home organizing expert Abby Lawson of the popular Abby Organizes blog says there are quick ways to tidy up the home now.

Easy Entrance and Exit: A new survey by Duck brand finds 76% of people feel “overwhelmed” by their family members’ mess. To help control clutter near the entryway, install Duck brand EasyMounts Interior Drywall J Hooks to give items like beach bags, hats and umbrellas a designated spot. Lawson says she also likes to put a basket by the door, so her kids have a place to toss their shoes.

“Helping everyone adopt a routine when they come into the door encourages tidiness,” Lawson explains. “If you have little kids, move the hooks to their level, so hanging their bag becomes part of their routine.”

Medicine Cabinet

Makeover : The outdoor season brings its fair share of challenges like

sunburn, bug bites, bee stings and rashes. Stock a cabinet with must-have emergency supplies. Lay Solid Grip Shelf Liner with Clorox on the shelf, so surfaces stay clean and dry from leaking bottles and sticky spills. Lawson keeps these essentials on a shelf near her entryway, so it’s easy for her family to apply sunscreen or bug repellent quickly on their way to the park or pool.

Order for Overfow : More than half of the people surveyed say clutter in the living room is the “most annoying” mess their family members make on a regular basis.

Lawson says she uses hooks on the inside wall of her hall closet to hold an organizer. This creates extra storage for small toys as well as hand soap and toilet paper. She also recommends that households establish a consistent cleanup time to “reset” the room.

“No matter how much we try to clean up, staying organized will come down to the habits that we have,” Lawson says. “Institute a daily or weekly reset where everyone in the family works together to get everything back to where it goes. That will

keep the clutter from piling up.”

Gather Your Gadgets : From tongs to skewers, we often use the same tools to cook in the summer. Lawson suggests storing go-to grilling gadgets in a caddy, so they can easily be taken from inside to out. She also says to divide drawers with small trays and use shelf liner with fun prints and patterns under the trays to add a pop of color to the area. Additionally, put bulky items like egg, pineapple and watermelon slicers in a basket on a higher shelf, so they don’t take up drawer space.

Car Clean-Out : Whether you’re heading on a day trip or a road trip, the car can easily get chaotic. Lawson recommends putting an organizer on each of the back seats, so kids’ snacks, electronics and car games are easily accessible. These pockets can also be a handy place for hand sanitizer, trash bags and water. Setting up these simple organizing systems with the help of useful products and organizing tools will encourage tidy habits for a neat home all season long.

Here’s what you need to know about resuming student loan payments

By CORA LEWIS AND ADRIANA MORGA Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — After three years, the pandemic-era freeze on student loan payments will end soon. Student loan interest will start accruing on Sept. 1.

It might seem tempting to just keep not making payments, but the consequences can be severe, including a hit to your credit score and exclusion from future aid and benefits.

More than 40 million Americans will have to start making federal student loan payments again at the end of the summer under the terms of a debt ceiling deal approved by Congress.

ough decisions for many borrowers must be made, especially those in already-difficult financial situations.

Experts say that delinquency and bankruptcy should be options of last resort, and that deferment and forbearance — which pause payments, though interest may continue to accrue — are often better in the short term.

MAKE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS?

Once the moratorium ends, borrowers who can't or don't pay risk delinquency and eventually default. That can badly hurt your credit rating and make you ineligible for additional aid and government benefits.

If you're struggling to pay, advisers first encourage you to check if you qualify for an income-driven repayment plan, which determines your payments by looking at your expenses. You can determine this by visiting the Federal Student Aid website. If you've worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives student debt after 10 years.

Carolina Rodriguez, Director of the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program at the Community Service Society of New York, emphasizes that anyone temporarily unemployed should be able to qualify for a $0 payment plan. And many others qualify based on income and family size.

"The repercussions of falling into delinquency can be pretty severe," Ro -

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driguez said. "The federal government can administratively intercept tax refunds and garnish wages. And it can affect Social Security, retirement, and disability benefits. Does it make financial sense at that point? Probably not."

Rodriguez says her organization always advises against deferment or forbearance except once a borrower has exhausted all other options. In the long term, those financial choices offer little benefit, as some loans will continue to accrue interest while deferred.

Abby Shafroth, senior attorney and director of the Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project at the National Consumer Law Center, said that, of the two, deferment is generally a better option.

That's because interest generally does not accrue on Direct Subsidized Loans, the subsidized portion of Direct Consolidation Loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, the subsidized portion of FFEL Consolidation Loans, and Federal Perkins Loans. All other federal student loans that are deferred will continue to accrue interest.

"Forbearance allows you to postpone payments without it being held against you, but interest does accrue. So you're going to see your balance increase every month."

cy. Borrowers must prove a very hard standard of financial circumstances, called "undue hardship."

"That doesn't mean people shouldn't look into it," Rodriguez said. "But they may not be successful at discharging their loans."

For borrowers who show that level of financial strain, chances are they have other options, Rodriguez said.

She advises that borrowers make sure they are speaking to a bankruptcy attorney who understands student loan bankruptcy, which requires a different proceeding than other types of bankruptcy.

Shafroth, of the NCLC, says that new guidance on student loan bankruptcy has been coming out in recent years.

"Though it is difficult to get your loans discharged through the bankruptcy process, an increasing number of borrowers are eligible to get their loans discharged that way," she said. "A lot of people write that off as 'there's no way,' it's impossible.' But it's increasingly possible."

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LOAN GOES INTO DEFAULT?

When you fall behind on a loan by 270 days — roughly 9 months — the loan appears on your credit report as being in default.

collection processes mentioned above. That means the government can garnish wages (without a court order) to go towards paying back the loan, intercept tax refunds, and seize portions of Social Security checks and other benefit payments.

WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS IF I CAN'T MAKE PAYMENTS?

Shafroth said that many borrowers may still be eligible to have loans canceled via a patchwork of programs outside of the Biden administration's proposed debt relief program.

"If your school closed before you could complete your program, you're eligible for relief. If your school lied to you or misrepresented the outcome of what your enrolling would be, you can file a borrower defense application, and request your loan be canceled on that basis," she said. "If you have a disability, you can sometimes have your loans canceled on that basis."

Shafroth encourages borrowers to look at the Student Aid website to see what their options might be before missing payments.

WHAT IF MY LOANS WERE IN DEFAULT BEFORE MARCH 2020?

granted permission to apply for federal student loans again, to complete degrees. Lastly, these defaulted loans are now being reported to credit bureaus as current.

That said, borrowers must take action if they want to stay out of default after this year-long leniency period ends.

To eliminate your record of default, you should contact the Education Department's Default Resolution Group online, by phone, or by mail, and

ask the group to take the loans out of default via the Fresh Start policy. In four to six weeks, any record of default will be removed from your credit report, and the loans will be placed with a loan servicer. This will also give you access to income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, if applicable.

WHAT IF I WAS BEHIND ON PAYMENTS OR DELINQUENT BE-

FORE MARCH 2020?

The Fresh Start program also applies to borrowers who were delinquent prior to the payment pause. Those accounts will be considered current, and borrowers will have the option to enroll in income-driven repayment plans that can lower bills to as little as $0, or to apply for deferment, forbearance or bankruptcy.

WHAT ABOUT DECLARING BANKRUPTCY?

For most student loan borrowers, it's still very difficult to have your loans discharged, or canceled, through bankrupt-

"At that point, it's not just behind, it's in collections," Shafroth said. "That's when you become ineligible to take out new federal student aid. A lot of people go into default because they weren't able to complete their degree the first time. This prevents them from going back to school."

Once a loan is in default, it's subject to the

Under the Biden administration's Fresh Start program, borrowers with federal student loans who were in default before the pause have a chance to become current.

Borrowers who were in default will not be subject to collection processes or have wages garnished through about August 2024, or roughly one year after the payment freeze ends. These borrowers have also been