Grateful for Roskam bipartisan work

Students today face a growing pressure to attend college in order to boost their chances to get ahead. Most depend on borrowing to make this dream a reality.

In December of 2005, I made the final payment on more than $60,000 of student loans for my MBA, 15 years after beginning the program. I worked hard to earn this degree while managing a business, raising a young family, and caring for elderly and sick parents. Under these circumstances, it was comforting to know that under federal law if I were to die or become permanently disabled, my federal student loan debt would not pass to my family.

I learned recently however that the IRS views this loan forgiveness as a taxable event that survives death and disability, saddling families with an often substantial income tax bill. Families may be left to manage this unexpected tax burden in addition to mounting medical or funeral bills.

I am very pleased that congressman Peter Roskam (R-6th) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act (HR 5204), with Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) designed to remove this tax burden.

The bill has received significant support from advocacy groups representing both students and families, including the American Legion, Student Veterans of America, and the National Disability Rights Network.

We should be very grateful for the work of Congressman Roskam. He always is willing to work across the political aisle to address real life problems of his district and all Americans.

Nina Cunningham

Wheaton