Since the pandemic, federal student loan borrowers have been mostly protected from the harshest consequences of defaulting. That's about to change.

“Borrowers will now be expected to repay their loans, and those who don’t will face involuntary collections,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. “The government can and will collect federal student loan debt by withholding money from borrowers, tax refunds, federal pensions and even their wages.”

The U.S. Department of Education said on Monday it will resume collecting federal student repayments from borrowers in default from May 5 after a pause of more than five years.