Did anyone receive debt forgiveness?
“The data released today once again make clear that the Biden-Harris Administration's relentless efforts to fix the broken student loan system are paying off in a big way, with more than 3.6 million borrowers now approved for nearly $132 billion in loan forgiveness.
The Biden-Harris Administration has fought tirelessly to provide borrowers the relief they have earned. In total, the Administration has now approved debt cancellation for nearly 3.9 million hard-working Americans totaling almost $138 billion in relief.
Your student loan servicer(s) will notify you directly after your forgiveness is processed. Make sure to keep your contact information up to date on StudentAid.gov and with your servicer(s). If you haven't yet qualified for forgiveness, you'll be able to see your exact payment counts in the future.
Debt forgiveness, also known as debt relief or debt cancellation, is when a creditor pardons a debtor from part or all of their outstanding debt. Essentially, it can be a way to get out of debt without paying.
Many student loan borrowers have an opportunity to have their entire student loans cancelled or receive more credit towards cancellation, but they must act before April 30, 2024.
Incomplete Loan Data Could Result In Some Periods Not Counting Toward Student Debt Forgiveness. Another possible issue for some borrowers could be defective loan data. The Education Department relies on data submitted by loan servicers to a system called the National Student Loan Data System.
Private education loans aren't eligible for PSLF and can't be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Are Direct Loans that are in default eligible for PSLF? No. Defaulted Direct Loans are not eligible for PSLF and payments made while the loan was in default cannot count toward the 120 required payments.
Borrowers with undergraduate debt would qualify for forgiveness if they entered repayment 20 years ago or more, and borrowers with graduate school debt would qualify for forgiveness if they entered repayment 25 years ago or more. Cancel student debt for borrowers previously enrolled in low-financial-value programs.
At least 2 weeks before any loan transfer, your current loan servicer will send you an email or letter notifying you that your loans are being transferred to another loan servicer. This initial notice will include your new servicer's name and contact information.
According to the IRS, student loan amounts forgiven under PSLF are not considered income for tax purposes. Learn more about the PSLF process. You won't be taxed by the federal government, but your state may tax you. Any debt forgiven as a result of PSLF won't create a federal tax liability for you.
Does debt forgiveness ruin your credit?
Credit card debt forgiveness could hurt your credit
You stop making payments to your creditors as you save for your settlement. Creditors typically report the debt as "settled" rather than "paid as agreed" on your credit report once it's paid off. This shows that the creditor wasn't able to collect on the full debt.
Credit card debt can be overwhelming — but it can also be forgiven in some cases. If you have a significant amount of debt compared to your income, you may qualify for credit card debt forgiveness, so consider reaching out to a debt settlement company for help.
In general, if your debt is canceled, forgiven, or discharged for less than the amount owed, the amount of the canceled debt is taxable. If taxable, you must report the canceled debt on your tax return for the year in which the cancellation occurred.
Today, President Biden announced that 277,000 more Americans will get their student debt canceled, bringing the total debt relief approved by the Biden-Harris Administration to $153 billion for 4.3 million Americans through various actions.
For most people, this adjustment will be completed automatically. However, borrowers with privately held FFEL Loans, Perkins Loans, or Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL) must consolidate their debt by April 30, 2024 to qualify for an adjustment. Learn more on the Federal Student Aid site.
Impacted borrowers got an email addressed from President Joe Biden that read, “Congratulations — all or a portion of your federal student loans will be forgiven because you qualify for early loan forgiveness under my Administration's SAVE Plan.”
The department is implementing the adjustment every two months, and the latest wave of nearly 30,000 borrowers received emails this month notifying them that their loans have been discharged. “The Biden-Harris Administration's income-driven repayment fixes are granting you forgiveness,” reads the text of the email.
On-ramp period — September 2024
While interest will continue to accrue on student loans, the Department of Education will not garnish wages or report a borrower as delinquent to their loan servicer during the on-ramp period, but they do not control how credit scoring companies factor in missed or delayed payments.
Borrowers with only undergraduate debt would qualify for forgiveness if they first entered repayment 20 years ago (on or before July 1, 2005), and borrowers with any graduate school debt would qualify if they first entered repayment 25 or more years ago (on or before July 1, 2000).
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives the remaining balance on your federal student loans after 120 payments working full time for federal, state, Tribal, or local government; the military; or a qualifying non-profit. Learn more about PSLF and apply.
Who to talk to about loan forgiveness?
Please visit the U.S. Department of Education's PSLF site for more information or call 1‑800‑433‑3243 and speak to a PSLF support representative.
Having a student loan will affect your credit score. Your student loan amount and payment history are a part of your credit report. Your credit reports—which impact your credit score—will contain information about your student loans, including: Amount that you owe on your loans.
Nelnet handles a variety of federal loans, and the eligibility for loan forgiveness programs such as President Biden's student debt relief plan, income-based repayment plan forgiveness, and the Income-Driven Repayment Waiver depends on the type of loan. Ahead, learn how to get your Nelnet student loans forgiven.
National Debt Relief is a legitimate company providing debt relief services. The company was founded in 2009 and is a member of the American Association for Debt Resolution (AADR). It's certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA), and is accredited by the BBB.
In a pair of recent cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness program. In Biden v. Nebraska, which was decided 6-3, the court struck down the administration's student loan forgiveness program and agreed with the six challenging states that they had standing to sue.
