As of this week, after a five-year pause instituted during the pandemic, the federal government is back to collecting on student loans that are in default. Of the 42 million people who have student loan debt, there are about 5 million in default on these loans, collectively accounting for roughly $400 billion in debt.

In contrast, the IRS has experienced cuts that impede its ability to carry out audits and collect on tax revenue lost from fraud and evasion, which is a not insignificant amount; the gap between taxes collected and the estimated amount of taxes owed is about $600 billion annually.

For Kathryn Anne Edwards, a labor economist, this raises a question: Why is it that the federal government is cracking down on student loan repayment more harshly than those who cheat on their taxes?

Edwards joined Marketplace’s Amy Scott to talk about the disparity and what it means long-term for borrowers and taxpayers. Listen in the player above to hear the full story.