"I just feel like this country has failed us."
A nurse who earns a six-figure salary has revealed she cannot afford to buy a home.
Shirin Tajani moved to the US from Pakistan at age 10.
After obtaining a business degree in 2002, Shirin worked a corporate job until being laid off in 2009. This setback led her to pursue a career in nursing.
She now works at Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City.
Despite earning a six-figure salary, Shirin finds herself struggling financially, burdened by student loan and credit card debt totalling over $315,000.
The nurse said: “I just feel like this country has failed us.
“Having to come here, not even being born here, going to school, and then you get tied down to these loans.
“I was in a situation that I had to pivot and change my career so that I can stay grounded.”
She is unable to make significant progress on her debt while covering basic living expenses like rent.
Shirin has even taken on a second job outside her full-time nursing career which means she now works six days a week.
She explained: “I have to have my second job to pay my loans because without that, I wouldn’t be able to make payments.
“So I just feel like seeing all these lawsuits blocking these programs for us is just not fair.
“And it’s sad just to see a lot of us suffer believing that our country would help us out, and they’re not doing anything for that.”
Her student loans are on hold due to legal issues with President Joe Biden’s new SAVE income-driven repayment plan.
The plan has brought her monthly payments down to around $250 from nearly $600. Shirin is now waiting for the final court ruling on the plan.
However, she admitted feeling worn down and defeated by the financial burden.
Shirin said:
“I’m trying to get on a budget, trying to cut back on expenses, and it’s been hard. It’s been really hard.”
“We basically retooled ourselves, but then we get punished at the end.”
Despite the setbacks, Shirin is still hopeful.
She added: “Right now, we just wait and see what happens. I’m hopeful they’ll do something because I’m sure the government doesn’t want people to default, and that could affect a lot of people’s livelihoods.
“So I’m hopeful something will come about, but I just don’t know when that’s going to happen.”
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