Is the federal student loan forgiveness program for you?
If you’re having trouble paying off your federal student debt, you may want to take a look at the federal student loan forgiveness program, known as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).
Under this federal student loan forgiveness program, borrowers who are employed in certain public service jobs and who have made 10 years of qualifying payments may be eligible to have the balance of their Direct Loan forgiven. To take advantage of this student loan forgiveness program, you must be employed by one of the following:
- A federal, state, local or tribal government organization.
- A not-for-profit organization that is tax exempt under the Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- AmeriCorps or Peace Corps.
- Certain other types of not-for-profit organizations.
Determining your eligibility for the federal student loan forgiveness program can be confusing. For help understanding your options for student loan forgiveness and for paying down your debt in other ways, consult the professional credit counselors at American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC).
Get advice about the federal student loan forgiveness program at ACCC.
ACCC is a nonprofit organization that provides free credit counseling, free educational materials and a low-cost debt management program for individuals and families who are struggling with debt. Our certified and highly trained credit counselors can help you take control of your financial situation, lay out all the options for paying down your debt, and help you create a budget you can stick to.
Our counselors can also answer your questions about federal student loan forgiveness and direct you to resources you will need to apply for forgiveness. We can also help you explore other options for student debt forgiveness as well as ways to consolidate student loans or restructure your repayment plans to better match your budget.
Alternatives to the federal student loan forgiveness program.
If you determine you are ineligible to participate in the federal student loan forgiveness program, there are still plenty of other options for getting help with your student loans.
- Other student loan forgiveness programs are available to people who have entered certain fields including teaching, military service, health services and community service.
- Student loan consolidation combines several debts into a new single loan payment.
- Deferment and forbearance arrangements enable you to suspend payments for a period of time until you are in a better financial position.
- Alternative repayment plans enable you to restructure your payments in a way that works with your budget.
Learn more about federal student loan forgiveness program, and how to consolidate student loans or student loan payments with help from ACCC.
