LETTERS

Re: Liz Pulliam Weston’s Money Talk column “Seeking a student loan cut,” May 17:

Weston’s response to a borrower seeking her advice regarding a possible payoff discount was immoral. The borrower is expecting to receive a substantial amount of money soon and desires to repay the entire student loan in a lump sum but seeks a 35% discount.

Weston suggests that because the U.S. Department of Education has “extraordinary powers” to force repayment, it would probably not agree to a discount. Weston misses the point entirely.

Borrowers shouldn’t choose to repay loans because they are enforceable; they should repay loans because they made a promise to. The Education Department made a $50,000 loan to finance this borrower’s education 18 years ago. The balance has more than tripled because of unpaid interest. Now the borrower seeks a discount?

More appropriate advice on this borrower’s “good fortune” would be to repay the loan in full -- without expecting a bailout.

Randy L. Zuckerman

Los Angeles