Can You Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy? (2026 Update)

Can student loans actually be discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy? For most of the last twenty years the honest answer was basically never. That changed in November 2022, when the Department of Justice built a new standardized process for these cases, and it changed again with an updated form in 2025. In this video, Massachusetts bankruptcy attorney Michael Goldstein breaks down: 0:00 Why everyone still believes the old rule 0:50 The quick answer: what "undue hardship" actually requires 1:40 What changed in November 2022 3:30 Does it actually work? The government's own numbers 4:15 The Massachusetts twist that sinks strong cases 6:00 Why your spouse's income still counts, even if only you file 6:45 Who tends to have a stronger case 7:15 What happens if you lose This is not a video telling you student loans are now easy to discharge. They're not. The legal standard is still demanding. But there's a real difference between hard and impossible, and this video walks through where that line actually sits, especially for Massachusetts borrowers, whose cases are decided under different rules than most of the country. Full written breakdown with case citations and sources: https://attorneymichaelgoldstein.com/... Call: (781) 745-3792 We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code. This video is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every bankruptcy case is different, and no outcome described in this video is a guarantee of any result in your case. Attorney advertising.