Do you get money back from the forgiveness loan?

Asked by: Ms. Isobel Towne  |  Last update: October 19, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (6 votes)

For certain types of loan discharge, you may also receive a refund of some or all of the payments you made on the loan, and any adverse information related to your delinquency or default on the loan may be deleted from your credit record. If the loan was in default, the discharge may erase the default status.

Do you get any money back from student loan forgiveness?

The refund you're entitled to from PSLF is whatever you actually paid after the date of your 120th qualifying payment on the loan to be forgiven. If you consolidated your loans after you made the 120th payment, then only your post-consolidation payments will be refunded.

What will happen to my credit when my student loans are forgiven?

Your discharged loan will be reported to the credit bureaus and that will be the end of it. Your score should recalculate to reflect the closed account.

Do you get leftover money from student loans?

Then your school applies the loan funds to any outstanding balance you owe them (tuition, fees, meal plan, on-campus housing, and the like) and refunds whatever remains to you.

What happens to the money if student loans are forgiven?

If this happens, you must report any canceled debt as income on your tax return. Not all states are following suit with temporary tax-free loan forgiveness. So while you may not owe taxes on a federal level, you may still have to pay state income tax depending on where you live.

I Already Paid My Student Loans -- Can I Get My Money Back?

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Do you get a check from student loans?

Most student loan borrowers receive a student loan refund check just before the beginning of every semester. The check represents the amount left over after the school has taken out what is owed for tuition, fees and room and board (if applicable).

Why did I get a refund on my student loan?

If you are being handed money from your school, you need to know where it is coming from, because in almost all cases, a refund on a student account is because of an over payment on a loan.

How do I check the status of my student loan forgiveness?

If you've been making payments toward PSLF, you can view your progress in your My Aid page by following these steps:
  1. Log in to your StudentAid.gov account.
  2. From your Dashboard, navigate to “My Aid.”
  3. Select “View Details” to open your My Aid page, then scroll down to PSLF/TEPSLF Payment Progress.

Will my refund be taken for student loans?

The government may take your federal income tax refund if you are in default. Computer records of all borrowers in default are sent to the I.R.S. If you are in default on your federal student loans, all or a portion of your tax refund may be taken and applied automatically to your federal student loan debt.

Will I get the remaining balance from student loan forgiveness?

Under all four plans, any remaining loan balance is forgiven if your federal student loans aren't fully repaid at the end of the repayment period. There is no limit on how much forgiveness you receive as long as you meet the requirements.

What happens to taxes when 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.

Why did my student loans get removed 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.

Will I automatically get student loan forgiveness?

If you have loans that have been in repayment for more than 20 or 25 years, those loans may immediately qualify for forgiveness. Borrowers who have reached 20 or 25 years (240 or 300 months) worth of eligible payments for IDR forgiveness will see their loans forgiven as they reach these milestones.

Why does my student loan say paid in full?

You may notice your former servicer has cleared your loan account. For example, your loan balance may come up as “paid in full” on your former servicer's website or on your credit report. This does not mean you've received loan forgiveness. This is part of the loan transfer process.

How do you know if you're getting a refund check from school?

Most schools have an online portal telling you if you get a refund. It may tell you outright, or it might just show your total aid vs. the amount your school billed you.

How will I receive my student loan forgiveness?

After you make your 120th qualifying monthly payment, submit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) form to receive loan forgiveness. You must be working for a qualifying employer at the time you submit the form. Use the PSLF Help Tool to complete your form (preferred).

Why is my student loan showing a zero balance?

If your student loan balance is suddenly showing zero, some of the many reasons could be: Your federal student aid or private student loans were forgiven. You've completed one of the student loan forgiveness programs. You qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), or.

How quickly will student loan forgiveness be processed?

The Federal Student Aid website says, however, that relief can be expected within four to six weeks of completing the application; the website also advises to apply before Nov. 15, 2022, in order to see your loans forgiven by the end of this year. Some qualified borrowers, however, may see their forgiveness sooner.

Will I get a refund if my student loan is forgiven?

If you qualify for student loan forgiveness or discharge in full, and have applied if necessary, you will get a notification that you no longer need to make payments. In some cases, you may even get a refund, depending on the program you applied under.

How do I know if I'm due a student loan refund?

You earned below the threshold

Get a refund if your annual income for a previous tax year was below the repayment threshold.

Why did I get a student loan refund check in 2024?

Why did my college send me a check? A refund check is money that is directly deposited to you by your college. It is the excess money left over from your financial aid award after your tuition and additional fees have been paid. Your college may send you a check or the money may be deposited into your checking account.

How do I know if I m getting a student loan forgiveness check?

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.

Why am I getting a refund from student loans?

In most cases, you'll get a refund for any overpayments beyond 20 or 25 years. The extra payments made on forgiven loans will be refunded back to the most recent of these three dates: The date you reached the required number of payments for IDR forgiveness – 20 or 25 years of monthly bills.

Do you get the money from a student loan?

Typically, your college applies grant or loan money toward your tuition, fees, and, if you live on campus, room and board. Any money left over is paid to you for other expenses.