By: Reyna Gobel MBA, MJ
The Department of Education sent out notifications to everyone with federal student loans about the Temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver. It’s basically a sale on public service loan forgiveness. Instead of just offering student loan forgiveness to choose only certain repayment plans, now it doesn’t matter which plan you chose for repayment.
We already wrote about the Temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness option in the last few months. So what’s changed to make it worthy of a new article: Urgency!!!!!! While previous information said you must file by October, now the Department of Education is saying this offer is only available until the funding for the program runs out.
Thus, now you have to act fast.
Here’s how to qualify for the Temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver:
Accumulate10 years of employment with a public service employer since 2007.
TEPSLF forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans. It’s offered for those who may have been confused about repayment requirements. Thus, until October or the money out, it doesn’t matter which payment plan you chose. You just have to request TEPSLF instead of PSLF and complete the current paperwork.
You must fill out the TEPSLF form and MAIL it.
It is very rare that mail is required anymore for anything. However, student loans are serious business, and the Department of Education wants to see your handwritten signature on this form. You can find the form here. Start the form online to fill in some basic information before finishing the form. If you have Mohela as a federal student loan servicer, you can download the printed form to submit it. Mohela is the servicer for public service loan forgiveness. If they aren’t your servicer yet, you’ll mail the form in.
The on-time payment definition is different than usual.
On time-payments normal means the full payment amount each month under specific payment plans. Pandemic forbearance and any other forbearances or deferments count, and the repayment plan doesn’t matter. Don’t count payments to see if you have accumulated 10 years of payment or excused payment break with a public service employer. Just apply incase.
You still have to have direct student loans.
If you have pre-2010 loans that were never consolidated, consolidate them to direct loans. It’s an easy process that can be done at studentaid.gov. Do it quickly, because it will take a few weeks and time is running out to apply for the temporary forgiveness program.
Act Fast!
Since this basically a student loan forgiveness sale, don’t delay. Act like it’s Christmas Eve and you have to apply before Christmas. If you don’t qualify or don’t qualify yet, at least you will know where you are at for the regular program and future sales. If you need more help, don’t hesitate to call 800-4FEDAID.
