Do I have to pay taxes on discharged student loans?

Asked by: Melvina Schamberger  |  Last update: September 11, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (49 votes)

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.

Are discharged student loans taxable?

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.

How much tax do you pay on discharged debt?

Bankruptcy: Debts discharged through bankruptcy are not considered taxable income.

What happens when your student loans are discharged?

you no longer have further obligation to repay the loan, you will receive a reimbursement of payments made voluntarily or through forced collection, and. the discharge will be reported to credit bureaus to delete any adverse credit history associated with the loan.

Do I have to pay taxes on a student loan refund?

The IRS considers canceled debt, including most forms of student loan debt forgiveness or student loan discharge, to be taxable income. However, borrowers working toward loan forgiveness have been exempt from taxes thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Do You Have To Pay Taxes On Forgiven Student Loans? - CountyOffice.org

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Do you pay taxes on student loan disbursement?

You won't get taxed by the federal government, but your state might tax you. Any debt forgiven as a result of a payment count adjustment won't create a federal tax liability for you. The American Rescue Plan Act includes a provision temporarily modifying the tax treatment of forgiven or discharged student loan debt.

How are forgivable loans taxed?

The IRS considers forgiven debt to be taxable income because it is an economic benefit. This means that if your lender agrees to forgive a portion of your loan, the amount forgiven will be treated as income, and you must pay taxes on it.

Will I get a refund if my student loans are forgiven?

If your federal student loans are forgiven, you could get a refund, and you might see your credit score dip.

How do I remove a discharged student loan from my credit report?

One way to get a student loan off a credit report is to write a dispute letter to credit bureaus. In the letter, you should explain why the student loan should be removed from your credit report. For example, if the loan was discharged in bankruptcy or if it was paid off but is still being reported as unpaid.

Is forgiveness the same as discharge of loans?

In certain situations, you can have your federal student loans forgiven, canceled, or discharged. That means you won't have to pay back some or all of your loan(s). The terms “forgiveness,” “cancellation,” and “discharge” mean essentially the same thing.

How to avoid paying taxes on forgiven debt?

Bankruptcy and insolvency

Even if you receive a Form 1099-C from a lender, you still may be able to avoid taxation on the forgiveness of a debt. If your debt was discharged in a Title 11 bankruptcy proceeding, such as a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case, you're not responsible for taxes on that debt.

Will I get a 1099 for student loan forgiveness?

When you receive any type of debt forgiveness for more than $600, the creditor is supposed to send you a Form 1099-C. You'll find, in box 2, an amount of tax forgiven, and you need to enter that amount on your tax return marked “other income.” The IRS generally considers forgiven debt as income for tax purposes.

What is the tax form for discharged debt?

A lender or entity that cancels your debt files a 1099 C form with the IRS (Copy A). They'll send you a copy of the form (Copy B). You'll also get another copy (Copy C) to keep for your own records. (Taxpayers and the IRS receive informational returns like the 1099-C.

Is there a tax write off for paying off student loans?

You can take a tax deduction for the interest paid on student loans that you took out for yourself, your spouse, or your dependent. This benefit applies to all loans (not just federal student loans) used to pay for higher education expenses. The maximum deduction is $2,500 a year.

Do discharged student loans affect credit score?

If you receive full forgiveness, it'll close your loan accounts, which can affect your credit score slightly. You'll have one fewer account on your record and the average age of your accounts could decrease.

How do you calculate tax on student loan forgiveness?

Once you know your tax bracket, you'll need to consider the amount of student loan debt being forgiven. This is because the IRS generally considers forgiven debt as taxable income. For example, if $10,000 of your student loans are forgiven and you fall into the 12% tax bracket, you would owe an extra $1,200 in taxes.

What happens when a loan is discharged?

Loan forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge are the removal of a borrower's obligation to repay all or a portion of a loan. If you're no longer required to make payments on your loan(s) due to service in a certain type of job (in the nonprofit/public sector), this is generally called forgiveness or cancellation.

Why did my student loans disappear from my credit report?

What happened? Student loans disappear from credit reports 7.5 years from the date they are paid in full, charged-off, or entered default. However, education debt can reappear if you dig out of default with consolidation or loan rehabilitation. Student loans can have an outsized impact on your credit score.

Can discharged debt be removed from credit report?

In general, you can't get discharged debt removed from your credit report unless the information is inaccurate. In that case, you have the right to file a dispute with the credit reporting agencies.

Do I have to pay taxes if my student loans are forgiven?

Right now, anyone who receives student loan forgiveness between 2021 and 2025 will not have to pay taxes on any amount of student debt forgiveness. PSLF or IDR forgiveness is a potential result for any borrower. However, not all borrowers will reach forgiveness.

Are student loans forgiven at age 70?

Are student loans forgiven when you retire? No, the federal government doesn't forgive student loans at age 50, 65, or when borrowers retire and start drawing Social Security benefits. So, for example, you'll still owe Parent PLUS Loans, FFEL Loans, and Direct Loans after you retire.

How does discharged debt affect taxes?

Generally, if you borrow money from a commercial lender and the lender later cancels or forgives the debt, you may have to include the cancelled amount in income for tax purposes. The lender is usually required to report the amount of the canceled debt to you and the IRS on a Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt.

Does the IRS really forgive tax debt?

The IRS has a limited window to collect unpaid taxes — which is generally 10 years from the date the tax debt was assessed. If the IRS cannot collect the full amount within this period, the remaining balance is forgiven. This is known as the "collection statute expiration date" (CSED).

Do you have to pay back a forgivable loan?

The term of the Forgivable Loan matches the term of the CalHFA first mortgage not to exceed thirty (30) years. Payments on Forgivable Loan are deferred for the life of the first loan. The Forgivable Loan is due and payable when certain events occur.