Don't forget to submit the PSLF form with your employment certification annually. If you're on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, you can make it a habit to submit your form at the same time of year as you renew your IDR plan.
Each year you must “recertify” your income and family size. This means that you update us with your income and family size information so that your servicer can recalculate your payment. You must do this even if there has been no change in your income or family size.
You will need to recertify your income-driven repayment plan each year. We also recommend that you recertify your employer each year —the PSLF Help Tool will guide you to the form you'll need to complete and submit.
Whether you have made 120 qualifying payments, or not, you should fill out and submit the PSLF form annually or whenever you change employers. Otherwise, you'll have to submit PSLF forms for each employer you worked for all at once.
If you miss the recertification deadline, your monthly bill may suddenly increase to an amount that isn't affordable. In some plans, missing the deadline may also lead to being removed from the plan entirely or having unpaid interest added to your balance (called capitalization).
Don't forget to submit the PSLF form with your employment certification annually. If you're on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, you can make it a habit to submit your form at the same time of year as you renew your IDR plan.
If you don't recertify, your payment will switch to the 10-Year Standard Repayment Plan, causing your payment to more than likely go up. Your unpaid interest may be capitalized, meaning it will be added to the principal balance of your loans.
Mistake #1 - Want PSLF but then pay more
They work for a public service qualifying employer, want to get loan forgiveness but keep paying more than their minimum payment each month. Listen...if you know you are on track to get your loans forgiven, do NOT pay more than the minimum.
The Trump administration doesn't have the authority to stop PSLF – but it has worked to change the rules. Effective July 1, 2026, the department says it will deny loan forgiveness to workers whose government or nonprofit employers engage in activities with a "substantial illegal purpose."
Sticking with the example of a $70,000 gross salary, without salary packaging, you're expected to repay 15c for each $1 over $67,000 toward your HECS/HELP debt. That works out to an annual repayment figure of $450.
You must recertify your income-driven repayment (IDR) plan every year. Your loan servicer will send you a reminder notice when it's time to recertify.
First available to borrowers in 2012, PAYE is a federal income-driven repayment plan available to certain U.S. student loan borrowers. Payments are based on your income and are made for a maximum of 240 monthly payments (20 years). Any amounts remaining after 240 monthly payments are forgiven.
Only after you pay your federal student loans can the default be removed, but it will still take seven years from the time of repayment for those accounts to be removed. Keep in mind: Federal law limits how long most types of negative information can remain on your credit report.
On March 7, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14235, Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness, directing the Secretary of Education to propose revisions to the PSLF program and ensure the definition of “public service” excludes organizations that engage in activities that have a substantial illegal purpose.
Any month when your scheduled minimum payment on an income-driven plan is $0 will count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) as long as are employed full-time by a qualifying employer during that month.
There are no income limits for the PSLF program. However, if your income is high relative to the balance of your student loans, you might not qualify for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan.
Payment Plan Limitations
With fewer repayment plan options available, some borrowers may face higher monthly payments than they would have under the suspended SAVE plan, affecting the overall financial benefit of pursuing PSLF.
The timeline for repaying $100,000 depends on your repayment plan, interest rate and monthly contribution. The average time to pay off 100k student loans ranges from 10 to 25 years.
According to recent research from the Education Data Initiative, it costs the average student $38,270 per year to attend a four-year university in the United States. Right now, the average student loan debt in the U.S. is nearly $40,000 but many students borrow much more.
USED reported the following reasons for TEPSLF application denials: 1) borrower has not been in repayment for 10 years (39%), 2) the borrower does not meet the TEPSLF payment requirements for payments during the last 12 months (21%), 3) and the borrower has no loans eligible to be discharged under the TEPSLF (12%).
5.48% of applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are approved. The average balance forgiven is $19,777 per borrower. Just 18.4% of eligible student borrowers apply for loan forgiveness.
IF YOU HAVE ONE JOB You have to meet your employer's definition of “full-time” OR work at least 30 hours per week, whichever is greater. IF YOU HAVE PART-TIME JOBS You have to work a combined average of 30 hours per week, and all your part-time jobs must meet the eligibility requirements.
The registration process: Every three years from when you join (or re-join) the register you will need to renew your registration by revalidating. Every year you will also need to retain your registration by paying an annual registration fee. If you don't complete these processes on time your registration will expire.
If you did not submit your recertification request on or before Feb. 20, 2025, then your servicer has temporarily recalculated your payment. This new payment amount is not based on your income and family size. You are still enrolled in an IDR plan.
If you're using Federal student loans, then you will automatically be covered for the entire academic year. The FAFSA form applies to a single academic year, and Federal Student Loans are not renewed automatically. That means you must submit a FAFSA form each year if you're applying for federal aid.