Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for nonprofit and government workers is a federal program offering borrower repayment for those who are eligible. A temporary and time-sensitive opportunity is available for potential PSLF debt relief. Workers may be able to get new relief through a payment count adjustment that the U.S. Dept. of Education is conducting. To benefit, those who are eligible may need to consolidate federal loans by Dec 31, 2023.
Please register for a webinar with the Attorney General’s Office to learn more about your options for consolidation and forgiveness. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has recommended the following steps to benefit:
Step 1: Consolidate any non-Direct Loans (e.g., FFELs or Perkins Loans) into the Direct Loan Program by Dec. 31, 2023.
If you fail to do so, you will lose your opportunity to get PSLF credit for the payments you made on those loans. Consolidate on the U.S. Dept. of Education’s website. Not sure of your loan types? Review instructions or call the U.S. Dept. of Education at 1-800-433-3243.
Step 2: Even if some or all your loans are Direct Loans, consider whether consolidating your loans together will speed up forgiveness on your more recent loans.
Step 3: File PSLF Forms to Certify your Employment.
If you don’t have approved employment certifications on file with MOHELA, the PSLF servicer, for all your past qualifying employment periods since Oct. 1, 2007, file a PSLF Form to certify each uncertified period. Not sure if you’ve successfully certified your employment? To be on the safe side, work with your HR Department to fill out a new PSLF Form and submit it to MOHELA.
Step 4: Enroll in a Qualifying Repayment Plan—usually an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan.
To keep earning credit toward PSLF after receiving the Adjustment, you’ll need to pay under a repayment plan that qualifies for PSLF. Only IDR plans and the 10-year plan qualify. For most borrowers, the new IDR plan, SAVE, will offer the most affordable payments. Enroll at StudentAid.gov/idr.