Webinar Information
September 13 at 3pm – 4pm Eastern
Click here or click the button above to join the meeting. Or you can dial in using the following information:
Number: (415) 527-5035
Access Code: 2761 267 9033
Passcode: 68926534
Presenter:
Ashley Harrington
Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer
Department of Education’s
Office of Federal Student Aid
About the Webinar
Did you know that the White House has launched an initiative to get as many public servants to take advantage of a unique opportunity to get their federal student loans FORGIVEN?
Now through October 31, it is easier than ever for federal student loan borrowers to receive forgiveness, or get credit toward forgiveness, under temporary changes made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
But, borrowers must apply by the deadline to get the benefit. We want to ensure that public servants who have worked or currently work for the federal, state, local, or tribal government or a 501c3 organization are aware of the changes and are applying.
The White House is launching four PSLF Days of Action dedicated to borrowers in specific sectors. And we need your help to get the word out before the deadline.
Click here to download a copy of the PDF flyer for this webinar event.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness in the News
Lawmakers Asking Department of Education to Extend Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waivers
This article from Government Executive highlights efforts by more than 110 Democratic lawmakers to extend Public Service Loan Forgiveness waivers before the October deadline.
A group of 118 Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to extend a series of temporary waivers aimed at making the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program easier to access until permanent reforms can be implemented next year.
The popular, yet frustrating, program, which offers college graduates the chance to have their student loans forgiven, provided they work for government or a qualifying nonprofit organization and make 10 years worth of loan payments.
Last October, the Education Department issued several waivers and other temporary changes to the program to make it easier for borrowers to qualify, including giving participants a chance to consolidate their loans into the correct Direct Loan program, providing waivers for payments that were calculated incorrectly or were slightly late, as well as offering to review previously denied applications. And in July, the department proposed new regulations that would make many of those temporary fixes permanent.
The lawmakers noted that only an estimated 15% of the 9 million public servants with student debt have filed paperwork to track payments under the program, and one of the Education Department’s efforts to correct wrongful denials—a review of applications involving extended forbearances and deferrals—has yet to begin, despite the pending October deadline.
“Public service workers—particularly those in health care and education—continue to face challenges such as burnout and personal sacrifice to keep our nation safe during the pandemic and recovery,” they wrote. “For many borrowers, the department’s one-time review to fix forbearance and deferment failures, scheduled for later this year—potentially after October 31, 2022—may be the first time that they learn that certain periods of deferment and forbearance could count toward both income-driven repayment and PSLF programs. These borrowers may qualify for immediate forgiveness—especially given the PSLF waiver—or, at minimum, advance their progress towards PSLF relief.”
Click here to read the full article on Government Executive.
