The U.S. Department of Education has restarted administrative wage garnishment for federal student loans in default, sending notices to borrowers and warning employers to expect orders. Federal rules allow up to 15% of after-tax wages to be withheld for borrowers at least 270 days delinquent. Education Department officials say the move follows the end of the pandemic collections pause and will scale as more accounts roll into default. Analysts estimate roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default and at risk of garnishment; initial waves may affect about 2 million. Consumer advocates and bankruptcy attorneys warned the policy will hit low-income graduates and noncompleters hardest and urged expanded counseling and repayment options to avoid widespread hardship. Colleges and financial-aid offices should expect heightened calls from former students and must be ready to coordinate documentation for loan rehabilitation and income-driven plans. The restart marks a major shift in the post‑pandemic student‑debt landscape that will influence enrollment decisions, alumni relations, and institutional default-management strategies.