The Brunner Test in the 21st Century and The Consumer’s Hunger for Change by Christina T. Parrish The Future of Student Loans: The mention of the term “student loan” is rarely met with smiles or happy thoughts. Instead, it will likely elicit anger and disdain. According to the Pew Research Center, student loans accounted for more than $1.3 trillion in debt in the United States at the end of June 2017. 1 Moreover, this debt burdens about four-in-ten adults under the age of 30, and roughly one-in-fi ve adults between the ages of 30 and 40. 2 The Pew Research Center also reports that 73 percent of young college graduates with student loan debt are not living comfortably or, in other words, they are struggling fi nancially. 3 As of June 30, 2017, 8.5 million federal student loan borrowers were in default, including 500,000 consumers who defaulted in the fi rst six months of 2017. 4 36 VIRGINIA LAWYER | December 2017 | Vol. 66 | YOUNG LAWYERS CONFERENCE www.vsb.org