Question:
Dear Steve,
I want to know if I qualify for student loan forgiveness. I am currently in the military, but it has not been ten years yet, and I believe that I have made 120 on-time payments.
My current student loan company is in the process of selling my loan to another company.
How do I know if I qualify?
LaToya
Answer:
Dear LaToya,
Several data points must be checked and confirmed before any determination can be made.
Most importantly, your student loans must be federal loans to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Only certain types of loans and repayment programs qualified for PSLF. However, there is a temporary program open until October 21, 2022, that will give credit for some repayment programs that did not previously qualify.
You should look at this page from the Department of Education for more information on determining if you qualify for forgiveness and if the loans are in the correct repayment program.
Getting the loans in the correct programs can be technical and tricky for some people. If you get overwhelmed and need someone to guide you through this, you can always talk to my debt coach friend Damon Day. You can also talk to your loan servicer but they don’t have the best track record of providing correct information.
Based on what you have shared with me so far, I would guestimate it is possible to get your loans in the proper condition for forgiveness if you meet the requirements for PSLF, which it sounds as if you might. It is unclear if your loans are transferred to another federal student loan servicer.
If these are private student loans, they will not qualify.
You are not alone. I’m here to help. There is no need to suffer in silence. We can get through this. Tomorrow can be better than today. Don’t give up.
