You may qualify for the federal employee student loan forgiveness if you’re highly qualified and want to work for the government.
This article will go over all you need to know about this forgiveness program and how long to be a federal employee for student loan forgiveness.
Let’s begin.
How Does The Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness Work?
The federal employee student loan forgiveness is intended to attract and retain outstanding employees in the public sector. In addition, highly qualified individuals may be eligible for federal subsidies and aid with student loan repayment.
Employees who qualify for the federal employee loan forgiveness are eligible for up to $60,000 over six years. In other words, you could earn up to $10,000 annually. Private student loan borrowers should be aware that only federal student loans qualify for repayment by federal employees.
On the other hand, Parent PLUS borrowers can benefit from this program if they work for the federal government and take out federal loans on their child’s behalf.
The Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness Isn’t Available To Everyone.
The crucial thing to remember is that the agency determines whether or not funds are available and for whom they are accessible. As a result, unlike Public Service Loan Forgiveness, it’s not available to every full-time employee in the public sector.
Your employer must offer a program, and you must meet and satisfy the eligibility standards listed below.
Though forgiveness for government employees might be a significant benefit, with a total reward of up to $60,000, one potential issue could be a larger tax burden. Unfortunately, student loan repayment aid is not tax-exempt and must be reported on your tax return as part of your gross income.
Eligibility Requirement For Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness
Unlike some other forgiveness programs, you don’t need to complete your degree to qualify. However, some agencies demand a degree to participate in the program, so check with your employer to see if you meet the program’s specific requirements.
Unless your position is classified or includes policymaking, any government employee is qualified. In addition, you must maintain a strong working relationship with your company and consistently deliver acceptable results.
Lobbyists and other Schedule C employees aren’t eligible. Members of Congress are also ineligible, though their staff may be.
Furthermore, the money you receive from your employer is taxed as part of your gross income. So, for example, you could get a $10,000 benefit, but the agency will only pay your servicer $7,000 since you owe $3,000 in taxes.
How To Apply For Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness
This federal forgiveness program can seem like a lifesaver if you have significant student loan debt and want to work in the public sector. It’s a fantastic perk, but it’s not as widely available as other forms of student debt help.
Unlike the PSLF or income-driven repayment program, there is no federal employee student loan forgiveness application.
Instead, you may investigate the numerous federal agencies. You can see whether they have any information on the federal student loan payback program on their websites. You can also contact the agency directly to find out what they’re looking for in a candidate for this benefit.
If you already work for a government agency, ask your boss for further information about the program. This program varies with each agency and may be available case-by-case for difficult-to-fill positions.
Federal Employee Loan Forgiveness Vs. PSLF: Which Offers The Best Path?
Depending on your profession, you may also be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
If you work for a government agency or nonprofit and make 10 years of qualified payments, your loans may be erased under this program. PSLF includes payments paid on an income-driven repayment plan.
While PSLF requires you to make 120 payments on your student debt before receiving forgiveness, you may be able to get money from a federal employee loan forgiveness much sooner.
You can utilize the money to pay off your debts ahead of schedule because you can receive up to $10,000 per year for six years. As a result, you may be debt-free in a few years, depending on the size of your loan, whereas with PSLF, you’d have to pay for a decade.
It’s worth noting that you don’t have to choose between the two. While inquiring about the federal employee forgiveness program, you could explore PSLF. Even if you obtain the money to repay your loans, your time working for a government agency may qualify you for PSLF.
Pursuing both can also safeguard you if your employer refuses to let you participate in the repayment scheme.
Alternatives To Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness
Consider the PSLF program if you don’t already qualify for this program but want some forgiveness for government employees.
You must work for ten years in the public sector for an approved company with a qualifying employer to be eligible for this program. For example, you could work for a government agency, public health, family service agency, law enforcement, public interest law services, or nonprofit groups.
Work in religious teaching, worship services, or proselytizing doesn’t qualify. Working in labor unions or for partisan political organizations will also disqualify you from the program.
You can have the remaining balance of your student loans canceled after making 120 qualifying payments and fulfilling your service commitment. To stay on track with your employment, fill out the Employer Certification Form each year.
Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Unlike the federal student loan repayment program, PSLF has no tax implications because of the existing Internal Revenue Code. If you applied for PSLF and were denied, you may be eligible for Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF).
You can also look into income-driven repayment plans for student loans. For example, IBR, ICR, REPAYE, and PAYE are types of qualified repayment plans. These plans are for high-balance borrowers who may struggle to make their payments.
These repayment choices reduce your monthly payment to a tiny fraction of your discretionary income, making them more reasonable than the typical 10-year repayment plan. In addition, you are eligible for loan forgiveness if you have a leftover balance after 20 to 25 years of payments.
This option allows government personnel to cancel student loans, but there are tax implications to consider. To discuss your choices, contact your student loan servicer.
Let’s talk more about the TEPSLF.
How Does The TEPSLF Work?
To make student loan forgiveness accessible to more people, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2018, making more people in government service eligible for TEPSLF loan cancellation.
TEPSLF is similar to PSLF in terms of eligibility; however, it allows several repayment options. If you make 120 qualifying PSLF payments but use the improper payment plan, you may be eligible for TEPSLF.
If you think you could be eligible for TEPSLF, fill out the PSLF & TEPSLF Application. Your remaining loan sum will be forgiven if you are approved for TEPSLF.
Eligibility Requirements For TEPSLF
You must qualify for PSLF in all ways except the qualifying repayment plan to be eligible for TEPSLF. The following are some considerations:
Loans made out to students are the only ones that qualify. TEPSLF will be unavailable to parents who have taken out Direct PLUS loans. You have to work for a qualifying organization full-time for at least 10 years.
You paid 12 months before applying for TEPSLF, and the last payment before applying must have been equal to the amount you would have paid under an income-driven repayment plan.
While working for a qualified employer, you must have made 120 on-time, in-full monthly payments. After October 1, 2007, these payments have to be made.
How To Apply For TEPSLF
Here’s how to get started if you fulfill the eligibility conditions and wish to apply for TEPSLF:
Fill out the PSLF application. Then, by using the PSLF Help tool or downloading the form to complete it entirely on your own, you may locate the PSLF & TEPSLF Application.
Submit your application. You will send the PSLF form to FedLoan Servicing once it is completed.
Provide more information. FedLoan Servicing will notify you if any more information is required. You have only 21 days from the time you get the notice to submit the required information before your TEPSLF request is canceled.
Wait for a response. FedLoan Servicing will tell you if you are eligible for forgiveness under TEPSLF, and your outstanding loan sum will be forgiven. After your 120th payment, any overpayments will be repaid. If you are not eligible, you will be notified as well. If that’s the situation, you must continue to make student loan installments.
Until you get your student loan forgiveness, you need to manage your student loans. The following section will show you practical student loan management tips.
Federal Employee Student Loan Forgiveness: How To Manage Your Student Loans
1. Consolidate Or Refinance Your Student Loans
Refinancing or consolidation may be an option if you have many loan servicers and want to simplify repayment. Both consolidation and refinancing allow you to change your loan servicer and may provide you with new repayment options. The two processes, however, are not identical.
Consolidation entails obtaining a direct DOE consolidation loan. You can also consolidate qualifying federal student loans and keep your current interest rate—your new debt will have a rate that’s a weighted average of your former loans.
When consolidating federal loans, you can change servicers but keep all borrower safeguards unique to federal loans. For example, you may now access previously unavailable payment choices, such as a payback term of up to 30 years or an income-contingent repayment option for parent PLUS loans.
However, refinancing requires the assistance of a private lender. Because you might use your new refinance loan to pay off your old debts, it can have the effect of consolidating multiple loans.
2. Develop A Budget
Students who don’t understand how to manage their money effectively may find it challenging to repay their debts fast. Unfortunately, this might lead to you missing out on more important financial goals. However, by planning and knowing your monthly cash flow, you may make some necessary adjustments and avoid sliding off the financial wagon.
Developing a budget is one of the best strategies to meet your objective of paying off your student loans faster. If you keep to a budget and reach a monthly savings target, you can use that funds to pay off your student loans.
Examine your purchasing patterns and your ability to stick to a budget. If you’re a college student who struggles to stick to a budget, a student budget calculator can help you get on track and remain on track.
3. Make Use Of The Tax Time
You begin paying interest on your student loans when you begin managing them. While interest rates are unpleasant, they may help you qualify for federal tax savings during tax season.
You can deduct up to $2,500 in interest payments from your taxes. The interest tax deduction can help you keep more money in your bank account by reducing your tax payment by $625.
If you get a large tax refund from your state or the IRS, applying it to your debt could reduce your payback period, giving less time for interest to build up. Again, we can perform the math for you with our lump sum extra payment calculator.
4. Find A Repayment Plan That Works For You
You might be able to choose a more reasonable payment plan if you have federal loans. In addition, some plans allow you to extend your loan beyond the regular 10-year period.
Some allow you to make lower monthly payments at first and larger monthly payments afterward, which might help you stay on track with your budget. If you’re starting in the workforce, this button will open a PDF document.
Find the plan that best suits your current and projected cash flow. If you’re thinking about forgiving your debt, choose one of the program’s income-driven repayment options.
5. Start With A Part-Time Job While In College
Getting part-time work while in college is one strategy to keep college debt under control since you may utilize the money to pay off your balance faster.
Assume you can work a part-time job and save $500 per month. That’s $6,000 you can use to pay down your debts in a year. You can also earn up to $7,040 per year without jeopardizing your need-based financial assistance status.
Look through your school’s resources or career center to see if any on-campus positions are available. On-campus jobs are usually more accommodating of odd or hectic class schedules.
6. Request Repayment Assistance From Your Employer.
Many companies have started to provide student loan repayment aid or tuition reimbursement.
Employers can contribute up to $5,250 in tax-free funds to an employee’s college tuition or student debt repayment help until 2025. This benefit is not taxable to the employee, which is a massive plus for workers who want to continue their education.
Employers can also deduct the cost, resulting in a substantial tax benefit for both parties. To find out what kind of tuition help or loan repayment options are available at your employer, consult your employee manual or speak with your HR department.
Evaluate Your Options Before You Begin
Consider the federal employee student loan forgiveness and student loan forgiveness choices side-by-side if you’re unsure which is the best option.
Take into consideration the benefits and drawbacks in light of your personal and financial objectives. Consider forbearance or deferral if you need to stop making payments. A Direct Consolidation of Debt and student loan refinancing are two options for making repayment more reasonable.
You can also schedule an appointment with us to receive a customized strategy tailored to your specific needs.
Final Thoughts
Federal employee student loan forgiveness may seem too good to be true if you’re having trouble repaying your student loans and working for the government. However, this loan repayment program is real, so check with your company immediately to see if you’re eligible. And if you want to know how long to be a federal employee for student loan forgiveness, you can contact your servicer to help you out. You might save money by speaking up. However, if it doesn’t work for you, you can try out other alternatives and speak with a student loan expert to assist you. Regardless of your decision, you can pay off your debt ultimately. So take your time, do your research, and tackle your debt head-on.
