Which student loans are forgiven?

Asked by: Lamont Mills  |  Last update: June 18, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (66 votes)

Any borrower with ED-held loans that have accumulated time in repayment of at least 20 or 25 years will see automatic forgiveness, even if the loans are not currently on an IDR plan. Borrowers with FFELP loans held by commercial lenders or Perkins loans not held by ED can benefit if they consolidate into Direct Loans.

What student loans are being forgiven?

The Biden-Harris Administration announced today several additional actions to forgive federal student loans for public servants and borrowers with disabilities, as well as the loans of borrowers who attended colleges that engaged in wrongdoing.

How do you know if your student loans are forgiven?

Comments Section You'll receive a letter confirming forgiveness. Before that you'd receive notice you'd hit 120, you'd get a letter telling you you've been identified for forgiveness and to expect X days, then your account would zero on the servicer, then on studentaid.gov.

Who is not included in student loan forgiveness?

You must be a direct employee of a qualifying employer for your employment to qualify. This means that employees of contracted organizations, that are not themselves a qualifying employer, won't qualify for PSLF including government contractors and for-profit organizations.

Will subsidized and unsubsidized loans be forgiven?

Subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans may be eligible for forgiveness under certain conditions. Key forgiveness programs include Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Teacher Loan Forgiveness.

Student loan forgiveness: what you need to know

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What happens if I accept unsubsidized loan?

Unlike a subsidized loan, you are responsible for the interest from the time the unsubsidized loan is disbursed until it's paid in full. You can choose to pay the interest or allow it to accrue (accumulate) and be capitalized (that is, added to the principal amount of your loan).

Does my student loan with Nelnet qualify for forgiveness?

Also known as the Perkins Loan Cancellation and Discharge program, this forgiveness option provides full or partial loan forgiveness to eligible teachers with Nelnet-serviced student loans. Depending on the subject taught, they may be eligible for up to $17,500 or $5,000 in loan forgiveness.

What loans are excluded from forgiveness?

What student loans are not eligible for forgiveness? Private student loans, by definition, are private and are not eligible to be forgiven.

Who actually gets student loan forgiveness?

The PSLF program supports public servants—including teachers, nurses, social workers, first responders, service members, and other public servants—by forgiving the remaining student loan balance for those who make the required 120 qualifying monthly payments.

What student loans are not federal?

Generally, there are two types of student loans—federal and private. Federal student loans and federal parent loans: These loans are funded by the federal government. Private student loans: These loans are nonfederal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school.

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.

What is the deadline for student loan forgiveness?

Many student loan borrowers have an opportunity to receive full student loan cancellation or more credit towards cancellation. The U.S. Department of Education will conduct a one-time adjustment this summer , but you may need to take steps to qualify. The deadline to act is June 30, 2024. Here's what you need to know.

How will I know if my student loans are forgiven?

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.

What would happen if all student loans were forgiven?

Student loan debt slows new business growth and limits consumer spending. Broad student loan debt forgiveness may help boost the national economy by making it more affordable for borrowers to participate in it.

Can I still put in for student loan forgiveness?

You can still apply for Student Loan Forgiveness in 2024. Despite the Supreme Court striking down Biden's initial plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loans, the president has introduced other programs that have provided $167.3 billion in student loan forgiveness to over 4 million borrowers.

Who qualifies for the new student loan forgiveness?

You may be eligible for income-driven repayment (IDR) loan forgiveness if you've have been in repayment for 20 or 25 years. An IDR plan bases your monthly payment on your income and family size.

Can private student loans be forgiven?

Private student loans are usually only forgiven when the borrower becomes permanently disabled or dies—sometimes not even then. While there are several options for federal student loan cancellation and forgiveness, private programs for cancellation are less common.

Is there a form I need to fill out for student loan forgiveness?

After you make your 120th qualifying monthly payment for PSLF, you'll need to submit the PSLF form to receive loan forgiveness. You must be working for a qualifying employer at the time you submit the PSLF form.

Which loans count for student loan forgiveness?

What loans qualify for forgiveness? Only loans you received under the Direct Loan Program are eligible for PSLF.

Who is ineligible for loan forgiveness?

You must be a direct employee of a qualifying employer for your employment to qualify. This means that employees of contracted organizations, that are not themselves a qualifying employer, won't qualify for PSLF including government contractors and for-profit organizations.

Why is my student loan not eligible for forgiveness?

Only borrowers who have entered repayment on at least one of their loans when the debt relief is applied would be eligible for forgiveness on the loan(s) in repayment.

Is Nelnet considered a federal student loan?

Is Nelnet Federal or Private? Nelnet is primarily known as a federal loan servicer. However, Nelnet is a large company with several segments. Parts of its business offer private education loans and consumer loans.

Who is excluded from student loan forgiveness?

What kinds of student loans aren't covered by Biden's student debt forgiveness plan? Broadly speaking, private student loans aren't included in the program -- including federal loans owned by private banks, unless they've already been consolidated through the government's direct lending program.

Why was my student loan transferred to Nelnet?

Why are my student loans being transferred to a new servicer? A student loan transfer may happen for several reasons: Private loans may be bought out by another company. Federal loans may be transferred by the U.S. Department of Education from one member of its servicing team to another.