09/24/2026
PUBLIC SERVICE STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
FULL DETAILS:
You May Qualify to Have Your Remaining Federal Student Loans FORGIVEN!
Are you currently working, or have you previously worked, in public service?
You may qualify for the federal government's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
This program allows eligible borrowers to have their entire remaining federal Direct Loan balance forgiven after making 120 qualifying monthly payments while working for an eligible public service employer.
The 120 payments do not have to be consecutive.
1. WHO MAY QUALIFY?
Individuals who work for qualifying government agencies and nonprofit organizations may be eligible.
Examples include:
Teachers and other public school employees.
Nurses and other healthcare professionals employed by qualifying organizations.
Police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel.
Federal, state, county, and city government employees.
Military personnel.
Employees of qualifying nonprofit organizations, including eligible charitable organizations.
IMPORTANT: Eligibility is generally based on your employer, not your specific job title.
For example, an accountant, administrative assistant, or maintenance employee working for an eligible public school system may qualify just as a teacher could.
Employees generally must work an average of at least 30 hours per week for qualifying employers.
2. WHAT STUDENT LOANS QUALIFY?
The program generally applies to federal Direct Loans.
Borrowers with certain other federal student loans, such as FFEL or Perkins Loans, may need to consolidate their loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify.
Private student loans do not qualify for PSLF.
Important: Borrowers should review their existing loans and payment history before consolidating because consolidation can affect their qualifying payment counts and other benefits.
3. HOW MUCH OF YOUR STUDENT LOANS CAN BE FORGIVEN?
There is no dollar limit on the remaining eligible Direct Loan balance that may be forgiven through PSLF.
Once a borrower meets the program's requirements, the remaining eligible balance can be forgiven.
For example, if an eligible borrower has a remaining qualifying loan balance of $40,000 after completing the required 120 qualifying payments, that entire $40,000 balance could be forgiven.
Even better: PSLF forgiveness is not subject to federal income tax.
4. WHAT IF YOU WORKED IN PUBLIC SERVICE YEARS AGO?
Lisa, this is something I would definitely highlight in your flyer!
Individuals who previously worked for qualifying employers may be able to receive credit for qualifying payments made during those periods of employment.
The borrower does not have to remain with the same employer for the entire 120-payment period.
For example, someone who worked for a qualifying public school system for five years and subsequently worked for a qualifying government agency for another five years may be able to combine those periods of qualifying employment and payments.
However, public service employment alone does not automatically qualify someone for forgiveness. The borrower must also satisfy the applicable loan and payment requirements.
5. HOW DO YOU APPLY?
The application process is FREE through the U.S. Department of Education.
STEP 1: Visit StudentAid.gov and sign in to your federal student aid account.
STEP 2: Review your federal student loan information and confirm your loan types.
STEP 3: Use the PSLF Employer Search to determine whether your current or previous employers qualify.
STEP 4: Complete the PSLF form using the online PSLF Help Tool. Your employer will need to certify your qualifying employment.
STEP 5: Review your qualifying payment count and monitor your progress toward forgiveness.
The Department of Education encourages borrowers to submit employment certification annually to keep their qualifying payment counts updated.
OFFICIAL APPLICATION WEBSITE:
StudentAid.gov/PSLF
6. IMPORTANT 2026 UPDATE
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program remains available, but federal student loan repayment rules have changed during 2026.
The Department of Education introduced new repayment options effective July 1, 2026, including the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP).
Payments made under RAP can count toward PSLF when the borrower meets the program's other eligibility requirements.
Borrowers should verify that their repayment plan qualifies before making payments they expect to count toward forgiveness.
