Newsweek warns federal student loan borrowers to think carefully before consolidating, as Trump administration changes enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and new Education Department rules took effect July 1, limiting most consolidators to two repayment plans and requiring 30 years of payments for forgiveness under the Repayment Assistance Plan. New York Attorney General Letitia James cautions that consolidating could cost borrowers access to income-driven plans and forgiveness progress, while experts Alex Beene and Kevin Thompson flag challenges for graduate students and widespread borrower confusion, and James urges borrowers to research before consolidating and report fraud to her office.