Big changes are coming to the student loan world (yet again), and they’re not the kind you can just skim past. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has reshaped how much students will be able to borrow, how they’ll repay it, and which programs will qualify for federal aid going forward. For financial and tax professionals, these shifts aren’t just policy updates. They’ll set the stage for how you’ll advise clients for years to come… and could even change the way you manage your own student loans. In Part 1 of our OBBBA student loan series, we break down the nuts and bolts of these new rules to help advisors (and borrowers) get some clarity on the collective question: “Seriously, what’s going on with student loans?”

2026 Changes to Form 2441 and Dependent Care Benefits
The credit for dependent-care expenses (such as daycare costs) has long been stuck at 20% for “average” taxpayers. It finally gets a permanent boost in 2026 (for returns filed in 2027). Also, the amount of money a taxpayer can put into a dependent care assistance program is increasing by $2,500 for 2026. This change presents a chance for taxpayers and tax pros to reevaluate which is better – claiming the credit or using a flex plan.


