[Svartalfiar]

If the IRS started deducting student loan payments from tax refunds, the loan would often get repaid. Heck, in many cases, the “Earned Income Tax Credit” - welfare money given to taxpayers making up to 45K - would “pay” the loan, so the government would simply pay the loan out of the receiver’s welfare money.

The IRS does do this. But, it's only if you've been in default for a while, they can match your SSNs, and you actually get a refund.

[Mr Rogers]

I’ve tried my hand at doing taxes for people. I had clients with offsets for alimony, child support, and a few other things. I think I had one person with an offset for student loans.

But if you simply made it a rule that no one got a refund while they had student loan debt, a lot more would be collected.

But the REAL problem is the uncontrolled cost of college, funded by uncontrolled lending and spending by the government. The people making the loans have no incentive to ask, “Is there any chance in hell of this loan being repaid?” Tax credits like the American Opportunity Credit - good for up to $4,000 back - are just another way to pour money into overpriced colleges providing worthless degrees.