Earning a college, graduate, or professional degree is an accomplishment to celebrate, but once school ends, the reality of paying back student loans begins. Most direct student loans offer a six month grace period, with interest subsidized by the federal government, intended to provide the borrower with sufficient time to find employment. But for the millions of students who graduated in the spring of 2019, that grace period is ending. Fortunately, the federal government has many options to ease the burden of student loan payments.  

If you work for the government or a nonprofit organization, you might be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). This is a federal program designed to provide an incentive to attract job seekers to employment in much needed, but often lower paying, service work. Those who qualify for PSLF can have their student debt balance paid in full by the federal government, however, there are many rules to follow.   

Qualify!

If you want to be eligible for PSLF, keep in mind that you must do qualifying work, for a qualified employer, make qualified payments, for a qualified amount of time, under a qualified plan.  

The key word is qualified.  

• Qualifying work –  Full-time employment, defined as 30 hours or more per week, or work that your employer considers full time. Part time hours at different qualified employers (see below) can be combined to reach the 30 hour minimum. There is a notable exception for religious work. Time spent on religious teaching, worship, or proselytizing does not apply toward the 30 hours.   
• Qualified employer – Any government organization or a nonprofit organization recognized under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or federal tax code.  Any level of government is acceptable. It could be a local, state, federal or tribal agency. However, if you work for a for-profit government contractor, a labor union, or a partisan political organization, your loan payments will not count toward PSLF.  
• Qualified payments – A minimum of 120 payments are required before your debt can be considered for PSLF, and are only counted if they are on time (no more than 15 days after the due date), and paid in full. Payments are only considered qualified if they are made while you are working for a qualified employer. 
• Qualified repayment plans – Borrower payment plans include all income driven repayment plans. There are several income driven repayment plan choices that a borrower can select. As the name implies, these repayment plans are based on the borrower’s income, as well as on other considerations, such as family size. 

Where can I learn more?  

Is Public Service Loan Forgiveness a good option? The best source for more detailed information is the Federal Student Loan Website.  Many rules must be followed to qualify for PSLF and it is important to follow the rules carefully to reap the benefits of this program.