IDR processing pause forbearance should be voluntary

The IDR processing pause forbearance should be elective, and we should be allowed to decline the administrative forbearance.

I understand that the IDR processing pause is related to the department of education trying to protect certain borrowers from going into the standard repayment plan.

However, for those of us who are close to 120 qualifying payments, the IDR processing pause, and the administrative forbearance has obstructed our path to loan discharge.

We need to get the department of education out of our way and take back control of our financial future

A government agency that acts against the best interest of its people is illegitimate

The Department of Education needs to get out of our way

Are people still waiting on March payment to show up on FSA? I made my March payment on 3/1, and I submitted my ECF after my due date. The form processed, but ny payment tracker didn't update. Anyone else have this happen? I submitted another on on 4/4, but my employer needs to process.

I'm on the PAYE plan and luckily have not been affected by any forbearance. I haven't had to recertify since 2023. My recertification is now extended to April 2026. Tax year 2024 we both had W2 jobs. For this year tax year 2025 only I will be working. Do I take the risk and file taxes jointly this year knowing I'll file them early in 2026 prior to recertification? Or play it safe and file single this year in case the recertification date would get pushed up?

I've received my 60 day processing forbearance for the IBR application I uploaded via the wet signature method back on 1/24. I've been placed back into general forbearance, which does not count towards PSLF. I'm debating if I should just continue to reapply, get another 60 day processing forbearance until I reach 120 and forget my buyback. Has anyone reapplied and received processing forbearance again?

On processing forbearance for an old income recertification application from Oct. I have been on PAYE making regular payments until last week when i was put on forbearance out of nowhere. I called mohela to cancel the forbearance and the application. An advanced agent told me both will happen in 5-7 days, but the request to remove the forbearance will basically erase that I was ever in it, and would reflect on my account to look like I was in payment the whole time. The agent told me I should make a payment as usual, because when the forbearance is removed it will look like I missed that payment. I’m wondering if that sounds right, and I should still pay today? I’m so confused and don’t know what to do.

I've been trying to update my payment count for pslf for 5 months now.

I'm on the studentaid.gov website, in the PSLF Help Tool. I've added my employer.

Every time I get to the "Personal Information" page, I put my info in, click continue, and it just scrolls back to the top of the page without advancing.

I've deleted all the information in the boxes and re-entered it, I've tried refreshing the page. There is no notification I missed something or a box highlighted red like I missed it.

I'm so frustrated! Anyone else have this issue? Or any advice on what the issue could be?

Hi all, first time Reddit poster here. I’ve read many of yours posts over the last few months and I really appreciate you sharing your stories and decision making process. Keep your heads up my friends.

Like many of you, I’m stuck in limbo on a SAVE plan with 117/120 payments and a buyback request in since November that would get me to 120. I’m debating whether to wait it out or request to switch to IBR using the wet signature method to try to be done with it sooner than later. Aside from higher payments switching back to IBR, what are the pros and cons to consider? Do you feel strongly one course of action is preferable to the other?

On Friday, I received a response to a reconsideration request seeking payment counts before reconsolidation in November 2021 to enter the Limited Waiver program telling me "your request is not permitted under the PSLF Program."

For background - consolidated to 2 direct loans November 2021 to become eligible for limited waiver. PSLF application approved 2/3/22. I've remained in public service since January 2002, my repayments started Summer 2002, and I made some early Covid payments so I had 18 years or so of repayments on 25-year sub/unsub Stafford loans/FFEL/etc.; graduated payments, and I was in principal-only mode when I consolidated to the direct loans.

I then fell through the cracks. I never received a single payment count for any payment made prior to November 2021. Dozens of contacts, BBB, Ombudsman, Senator Van Hollen - no help whatsoever. I have not benefited nor received any indication a one-time count adjustment was applied to my account either.

I've been trying to get FSA to apply my payments made between 2007 and November 2021. I easily pass 120 counts and qualify for forgiveness. I'm sitting at the 36 qualifying payments made between November 2021 and my last employer certification. I should have received forgiveness in 2023 or 2024 at latest yet here I sit.

My understanding is by qualifying for limited waiver before the program eligibility expired, I'm grandfathered in the program, and between that and the one-time payment adjustment, I should certainly have received updated counts for my payments prior to 2021.

If I can't get my counts from 2007-2021, I'm now finding myself instead of 7 years to full repayment all PSLF options aside, I'm stuck with 23 more years of a brand new 25-year pair of terms on 2 Direct Loans that, at absolute best, means another 7 years of PSLF payments at essentially interest-only/minimum payment, and at worse, more than 40 years of total loan repayment time.

I feel targeted. I did everything FSA required and they're completely screwing me by ignoring the fact I fell through their system cracks and not providing any redress to the situation.

What can I do here? I'm working on flooding them with what few documents I can still access (I can't get my payment records from Nelnet or Mohela from pre-consolidation for limited waiver) and a letter expressing my situation as part of yet another reconsideration request, but I'm not exactly optimistic.

Are there ANY legal actions I can take? FSA is simply not fulfilling its contractual obligations in my situation and nothing I can do through the typical approaches had any impact whatsoever. What's left?

Thanks.

EDIT: Minor typo correction

I am very confused about this current court ruling and my loans being placed in forbearance. After working 11 years in a non-profit and making all payments on time, I am still 3-5 payments away from the 120 payments due to the times I've been placed in forbearance without consent.

Has anyone in here successfully been able to use the PSLF buyout option? When I follow the steps online, the link for "Verify the months of deferments or forbearances you want to buy back and confirm you have approved qualifying employment for the same months (see how to verify these months)" just refreshes the page I'm on and takes me in a circle. I am only 3 payments away from forgiveness despite having worked in non-profit for 11 years (due to being placed on forbearance multiple times without my consent). Does anyone have experience with this buyout option? Would a lawyer be able to help me? I just want these loans forgiven before they try to discontinue the plan. I'm tired of being dragged through various hurdles and just want it to be over.

When I look at my nslds file it shows 3 different loans (even though my history I’ve had 11 loans total which are now consolidated into 1). Each of the 3 loans shows a different PSLF count… 94, 36, and 9. Would these get added together for a total count?

When I download my student loan data from FSA, it shows my most recent payment and an update date of 4/2.

When I check my NSLDS data via the API link, it shows it was updated on 2/24.

I’m currently sitting at 117 payments on FSA. I made my 120th payment on 3/28. My due date is 4/12. I was going to wait until after my due date to submit my final ECF; but if my data updated on the 2nd, I could try to do it now.

I’m trying to be patient but I am sooo anxious! I should have been done last year.

I submitted an IDR switch request to Mohela on 2/27 with a signature to Mohela. It disappeared and I received a 90 day processing delay letter.

Do I need to resubmit to Mohela for a switch? Has anyone been processed that submitted an IDR switch application after 2/26?

I also submitted a buyback request for SAVE months but I know that likely won't ever be processed or approved.

I'm 69/120 PSLF, forced on to SAVE last year and in forbearance, haven't had to recertify my income since before covid, income went up a lot. New due date is 8/30/25 with Mohela. Using the PSLF tool I'll need to file married filling separately to stay on an IDR or ICR.

I'm doing my taxes now for 2024, and I'm guessing when I recertify soon I'll need to use income from 2024 taxes.

Should I file MFS for 2024 so I can claim a qualifying PSFL or can I wait till next year?

I received a refund check for my loan earlier this month for about $465.75 dollars which I deposited in my account. Three weeks later I get another check for the same exact amount. I tried calling MOHELA but the wait time was 3 hours. I no longer have the option of sending a secure message on the MOHELA website like I used to. I tried calling the number listed on the page that was sent with the check, which was the Department of Treasury, but all I got was a busy signal. Not sure if I should cash the check. I just thought it was odd that I would get 2 separate checks for the same exact amount. Has this happen to anyone else?

Good morning,

If your ECF was processed between 3/22 - 4/5, have you had any Qualifying Payment updates for FEB and/or MARCH?

1). If there were updates, were any of these months already showing as "Employment Not Certified" on your FSA account?

2). If there were updates, were any of these months under Processing Forbearance?

3). If there were updates, and you were under Processing Forbearance (PF), were all PF months PSLF eligible or was just 1 month PLF eligible?

https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-of-postsecondary-education-announces-negotiated-rulemaking

https://www.highereddive.com/news/education-department-negotiated-rulemaking-public-service-loan-foriveness/744427/

April 3rd - The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education today announced its intention to commence negotiated rulemaking on various programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Department invites public feedback on ways to streamline higher education regulations and federal assistance programs to create efficiencies for students, institutions, and key stakeholders, as well as ideas to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment plan, and the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) plan. 

The U.S. Department of Education plans to propose changes to student aid regulations, including those governing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and two income-driven repayment plans, it announced Thursday. 

Under a process called negotiated rulemaking, the Education Department intends to bring together representatives from different factions of the higher education sector to hash out the details of new regulations. 

If the representatives reach consensus on new policies, the negotiated rulemaking process requires the Education Department to adopt their regulatory language in its proposal, except in limited circumstances. If negotiators don’t reach agreement, however, the agency is free to write its own rules. 

Before that process begins, the Education Department said it will seek public feedback on “deregulatory ideas” for Title IV student aid programs. 

generally speaking, with everything going on politically right now

EDIT: Thank you all for the helpful comments. I get it regarding the emotion, but it's - I assume - a common-thread/American Dream journey in some Venn-type way that I wanted to convey. I get the reality of who will read or open or give a **** - I often write/call my Reps lately - which is why it's a "Hail Mary" that likely won't do anything as I already admitted in the original post. I didn't accomplish what I've accomplished by letting emotion get in the way.

For those using my post as an opportunity to throw barbs, I feel genuine pity for you and others around you who likely suffer daily from your lack of basic empathy.

The following is a mass letter I just finished drafting and plan to send to multiple reps/govt officials. It likely won't do squat, but I figured why not? It likely speaks to many of your experiences as well...

"In late 1993 my then-girlfriend and I were expecting. We both had mall jobs. I had two actually. We lived in a slightly dilapidated Detroit duplex for $350/mo, and were barely making ends meet. My girlfriend had health issues precluding her from work very early into the pregnancy. In early 1994 I secured a job as an assistant footwear manager at KMart. The pay was ~$18k/year. I was 22 at the time.

My girlfriend and I decided we would marry, temporarily apply for Medicaid to ensure a safe pregnancy and delivery, and that I would first put her through school, then she would do the same for me so we could provide a stable life for our child.

We married in the spring of 1994 and our son was born shortly thereafter in the Summer.

Over the next 7 years I put my wife through undergrad and then law school. She began work as an attorney in 2002 and we bought a decent starter home in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2003 to ensure our son could have a solid public school education. I quit my job and began my own collegiate education as a stay-at-home dad, per our family plan.

Unfortunately, in 2005 I separated from my wife due to her infidelity, alcoholism, and emotional abuse. I had nothing to my name other than what I could secure from my divorce settlement. I had to represent myself against my wife who graduated 3rd in her class from a highly esteemed law school. Through tireless research, I managed to get what I wanted from the settlement: FotC bypass, fully paid undergrad for our son by my at-the-time very-well-off, now ex-wife, and a meager $10k one-time payment for myself. I just wanted to be done and have my son's future off on the correct footing.

Over the next 6 years I managed to work part-time and graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Michigan - Dearborn with a 3.97 GPA (4+ if A+'s had counted as 4.3 like they did at the Ann Arbor campus). However, I had accrued significant student loan debt and credit card debt by simply surviving: living in a small apartment and working odd jobs as the economy was in a recession and nobody was hiring. I was either overqualified from past work experience, or under-qualified for white collar positions. I filed for bankruptcy (again without representation, as I was drowning in debt) in 2009. A year later, I managed to recover my credit score to the high 600s/low 700s, but of course my life would be heavily restricted for the next 7-10 years. I accepted that.

Then, through a bit of luck and social networking, I was fortunate to secure a job at The UofM Ann Arbor in an internal customer experience position. I put in every ounce of effort and time I could to build my knowledge and relationships until I worked my way up to IT Project Manager. At one point I was poached by another university unit for the quality work I had provided through a partnership IT project.

In 2019, I decided to dip my toe into the private sector. The pay was better, but I was unfulfilled. I missed "giving back." After months of looking for another public sector job I finally landed a dream job with the The State of Michigan in December 2023. A 30-year journey finally culminating in the type of success I had worked so damned hard for.

Fast-forward to today. Since July 2024, I have been stagnant at 117 out of 120 PSLF payments due to political maneuvering. I applied for buyback. Cancelled due to more of said political clownery. I applied for another Income-dependent payment plan. Again cancelled by a group of folks supposedly set to represent my interests.

Now... well, we all know the huge and multiple - to quote one of the greatest orators of our time - "f*ckup(s)" that are wreaking havoc on our country. And I KNOW that the least folk that this administration wants to do right by are educated Americans of conscience.

But I AM an EDUCATED AMERICAN of conscience, damn it. I did EVERYTHING AND MORE that I was supposed to do to "pull myself up by my bootstraps, etc." I am cilivilly serving my country through my great state of Michigan. My father and both grandfathers served this country militarily - one interred at Arlington for his heroic service as a tank commander in The Battle of the Bulge.

And all I'm now asking in return is that the government - who my family has now served for multiple generations - follow the currently established LAW and accept three months of final payments on a ten-year promissory note to relieve the remaining $34k yoke around my proverbial neck.

As an (elected/appointed) lawmaker, this may not seem like a lot of money to you, but for the average working American, it can be EVERYTHING.

I follow our laws every day. I'm just asking you to follow ONE and REPRESENT me and help relieve my student loan burden per the established PSLF covenant.

Thank you."

(I've got my green ribbons but not my golden letter)
I've got over a dozen empty (zero dollar) loans listed on my studentaid.gov page.
I assume these are remnants of long gone loans that were consolidated.

Do i need to get someone at DoEd to address these or should I ignore them?

Anyone get an email about being put in forbearance for 60 days and if it will count towards PSLF or not?

Also, wondering if being put in forbearance would mean capitalization of interest to the principal.

I am currently or was on PAYE but on limbo with IDR recertification fiasco being on hold.

I got two different mails about forbearance fro aidvantage back to back and earlier said it will count towards PSLF while in forbearance while the following one said it wont.

First mail:

Your student loans are in a forbearance as of 04/03/25. We recently received your income-driven repayment (IDR) plan application, but since a federal court issued an injunction preventing the Department of Education (ED) from operating the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan and other IDR plans, IDR application processing is taking longer than normal. Due to these delays your IDR application is in a pending status and Aidvantage is putting your account into a forbearance for up to 60 days. You can find more information at studentaid.gov/saveaction. What does this mean for me? While you are in this forbearance no payment is required on your account, but interest will accrue on your outstanding principal balance. You will receive credit toward IDR forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for the time covered by this forbearance. If you made or make a payment during the time you are in the forbearance, the amounts paid will go toward satisfying any outstanding interest first and then your existing principal balance. The forbearance period will be up to 60 days from the date your IDR application was received. If you do not want to be in this forbearance, please contact us at 800-722-1300. When you call us, we will discuss the repayment plan options available to you if you no longer want to be in this forbearance.

Second mail next day:

Your student loans are in a forbearance. A federal court issued an injunction preventing the Department of Education (ED) from operating the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan and some other income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. As a result of this ruling, ED has directed Aidvantage to put your account into a forbearance because either: 1. You are currently a borrower on SAVE. 2. 60 days have passed since we received your IDR application, and it has not yet been processed. You can find more information at studentaid.gov/saveaction. What does this mean for me? While you are in this forbearance no payment is required on your account and your interest rate will be set to 0%. This means no interest will accrue while you are in the forbearance. You will not receive credit toward IDR forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for the month(s) covered by the forbearance. If you made or make a payment for the month(s) you are in the forbearance, the amounts paid will go toward satisfying your future payment(s). We will notify you before the forbearance comes to an end. We do not currently have a time estimate. We will then send you your next monthly billing statement at least 21 days before your next monthly payment is due.

Thank you!

I can’t make any sense out of anything when I call Mohela, but I have a really complicated case. Have made 181 payments, but only 104 qualifying ones towards PSLF, and I am not allowed to make qualifying payments at the moment due to the litigation…

I just want to pay an attorney to research my “case,” tell me where I stand, and advise me on what to do; after over a decade, countless hours on the phone, countless servicers…I am depleted and just want to throw money at a smart person who can help me solve the problem…

I am at the end of my rope and I hope someone can help me.

I had an IDR recertification processing for months and months. I was in PAYE making payments up until September 2024 because I started my MA program. They put me into forbearance.

After much thought, I realized, I should be making payments to try and get forgiven as soon as possible. Who knows what is going to happen now, right?

Two weeks ago, I call and EdFinancial takes me out of forbearance. My payment jumps triple what it had been. EdFinancial realizes their mistake and reinstates my former PAYE payment.

This week, I am put BACK into forbearance because of my precious IDR recertification application hanging in the balance. I do not have to recertify until December 2026.

I called EdFinancial and they were not any help and could not reinstate PAYE because of the most recent court decision. They tell me to call Federal Student Aid. They tell me that PAYE is no longer an option and to fill out a new IDR application if I want to make qualifying payments.

Here are my questions: 1. Can you still use PAYE for PSLF? 2. Should I cancel my application? 3. Do you think I can get my original payment back?

I just feel like I’m being told complete bullshit and I’m so beyond frustrated. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Hello all,

As many of you out there, I am stuck at 119 PSLF payment counts. My NSLDS data was last updated on 02/24/2025. My latest ECF was processed on 03/08/25, but I was only given PSLF credit until January 2025; I was not given credit for payments Feb 1st and March 1st. My due date is the 28th every month.

I read updates to NSLDS data appear to occur randomly and not everyone has the same update dates. I read others’ posts that filing a new ECF does not trigger any updates to the NDLDS data.

My question to all is:

Has anybody, whose NSLDS data was previously updated on 02/24/25, received any subsequent updates??

Thank you in advance! And Good Luck to us all!

Hi everyone, I am really struggling with making decisions about taxes this year. My husband has a mix of private and federal loans from undergrad and grad school. I have federal loans from undergrad and grad school, and I have 48 qualifying payments on half of my loans thanks to the consolidation. The other half I was unable to consolidate before the deadline as I was still in law school. I was on the SAVE plan, and then once I consolidated, reapplied to get on SAVE, but the injunction had already gone through.

I had applied to switch to IDR with the newer application during the pause on processing applications via wet signature on 3/08 to both Mohela and Aidvantage. Then, I applied to switch to IBR once the forms were back live on FSA, I submitted that electronic form to FSA on 3/30. Aidvantage and Mohela confirmed receipt of the plan on 4/1. I applied with my 2023 taxes where I filed married, filing separately.

Can I file jointly this year, and submit my taxes on the earlier side next year to sneak in one year of filing jointly? We get killed during tax season, and being able to claim the student loan interest would be a big help this year.

I'm apprehensive, because he makes more than me, and because of his plans not to pursue PSLF, he has private loans because he got a better interest rate as he was planning to actually pay off his loans (so despite having those loans, they are not factored into consideration when determining our discretionary income). I'm really stressed as this has been living rent free in my head and I am running out of days of my life lost to being on hold with Mohela every 60 days to not make a payment on the standard plan. I work in government and would like to start getting credit for all these months that I have been working, or at least start making payments and get credit moving forward.

Thank you all for your help during these times, I have learned so much more about my situation from reddit then I ever have listening to the soundtrack of the 9th circle of hell that is Mohela's hold music broken up by messages telling me about income-driven repayment plans.

Hi all, can someone please lend some advice or give me some information? I've done a ton of searching here and can't find an answer. My better half was in SAVE forbearance like many of us. Earlier this year, we used the Mohela wet signature trick to switch to IBR. Mohela approved via letter on 02/19 and included a payment plan that started with a March payment. Made the March payment on 02/20. Waited forever for NSLDS to update, which it just did on 04/03. Now, studentaid.gov is showing that payment in 03/25 toward IDR but not PSLF. We recertified employment on 03/08/25, which was approved. NSLDS still shows 119/120 payments toward PSLF, even though the March payment toward IDR is now there and employment was recertified after the March payment on 02/20.

On top of this, Mohela (of their own accord) now moved the loans back into Awaiting Form Administrative Forbearance, with $0 due on 04/17.

So, March was the 120th payment but it was made on 02/20. What next? Do we hurry up and wait? Submit another PSLF employer certification. At a complete loss, and no clue why Mohela put the loans back in forbearance on their own.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated? I searched this subreddit high and low for an answer but cannot for the life of me piece together what to do. You all rock and thanks again!