Australians to Receive HECS Debt Relief as Government Reforms Indexation
Millions of Australians with student loans will receive significant relief as the government introduces new legislation to reform the indexation of HECS debts. The changes, which will come into effect next year, aim to prevent Australians from being burdened with excessive indexation fees due to inflation spikes. Under the new laws, HECS loans will be indexed in line with either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index (WPI), whichever is lower. This ensures that indexation rates remain aligned with wage growth, preventing student debt from outpacing income increases. The reforms will also retroactively adjust the indexation rates for 2023 and 2024, reducing them to 3.2% and 4% respectively. This adjustment will result in refunds for over three million borrowers, with the average refund estimated to be around $1,200. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will automatically process these […]