Lindsey Burke researches and writes on federal and state education issues. Forgiveness proposals would unfairly foist a borrower’s debt onto strangers, including those who made a conscious decision not to attend college to avoid debt. Andy Sacks / Getty Images Key Takeaways Canceling student debt requires individuals at the lower end of the income spectrum to pay off the debt of college graduates who are likely to out-earn them. Increases in federal student aid enable colleges to raise tuition prices since students have more access to financing. If Congress and the Biden administration want to help, they should pursue policies that actually drive down the cost of tuition.