How to Find Your Qualifying PSLF Payment Count
Learn to access and verify your PSLF payment count. Ensure accurate tracking of your progress towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program offers a pathway to federal student loan forgiveness for individuals dedicated to public service. After making 120 qualifying monthly payments, borrowers may have the remaining balance of their Direct Loans forgiven. This process requires careful tracking of payments and employment, making it important for borrowers to understand the specific criteria and how to monitor their progress.
Defining PSLF Qualifying Payments
A qualifying payment must meet specific criteria. Only loans received under the Direct Loan Program are eligible for PSLF. Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans and Federal Perkins Loans do not directly qualify but can become eligible if they are consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan.
Payments must be made under a qualifying repayment plan, which primarily includes all Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans such as Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The 10-year Standard Repayment Plan also qualifies, but borrowers often have little or no balance left to forgive after 120 payments under this plan. Payments must be for the full amount due and made on time.
Payments must be made while the borrower is employed full-time by a qualifying employer. Full-time employment for PSLF is defined as working at least 30 hours per week, either for one qualifying employer or a combined average across multiple qualifying part-time jobs. Qualifying employers include:
U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government organizations, including the U.S. military.
Not-for-profit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Other not-for-profit organizations that provide specific public services.
Payments do not count if the loans are in deferment, forbearance, or in-school status. However, some recent improvements to the PSLF program, including the IDR Account Adjustment, have allowed certain periods of deferment or forbearance to count towards qualifying payments. Payments do not need to be consecutive; borrowers retain credit for previous qualifying payments even with periods of non-qualifying employment.
Accessing Your Payment Count Information
Borrowers can access their payment count information through several official channels. The primary resource for tracking PSLF progress is the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website. Borrowers can log into their FSA account at StudentAid.gov and navigate to their loan details, where PSLF progress is displayed.
The loan servicer, MOHELA, is another primary source for the most up-to-date payment count. Borrowers can log into their MOHELA account to locate their PSLF payment tracker. This tracker is updated after the servicer processes certified employment periods.
The PSLF Help Tool, available on the StudentAid.gov website, assists borrowers with eligibility and form generation. This tool helps users determine if their employer qualifies, identifies necessary actions for eligibility, and creates the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) & Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification & Application Form (PSLF Form). Borrowers can use the tool to digitally complete the form, send it to their employer for digital signature, and electronically submit it for processing.
Ensuring Payment Count Accuracy
Maintaining accurate payment counts requires proactive engagement from borrowers. Regularly submitting the PSLF Certification & Application Form is important. It is recommended to submit this form annually or whenever there is a change in employment. This ensures that employment periods are certified and that qualifying payments are accurately updated in the borrower’s record.
Consolidating federal loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan can impact PSLF eligibility and payment counts. Under the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Account Adjustment, if loans are consolidated, the new Direct Consolidation Loan may receive credit for past payments based on the highest payment count of the loans included in the consolidation. However, consolidating loans on or after September 1, 2024, will apply a weighted average of qualifying payments, making it beneficial to certify employment for all applicable loans before consolidation.
If the payment count displayed by the loan servicer or Federal Student Aid (FSA) is incorrect, borrowers can dispute these inaccuracies. This often involves contacting the loan servicer directly and providing documentation, such as payment histories or tax forms, to support the claim. If direct resolution with the servicer is unsuccessful, borrowers can submit a PSLF reconsideration request through the FSA website. This formal process allows for a review of prior decisions regarding payment counts or employer eligibility.
Understanding how different loan statuses affect the count is also important. Payments made while loans are in deferment or forbearance do not count, though recent program changes may provide exceptions for certain periods. Borrowers should regularly check their payment tracker and ensure their employment is certified to accurately reflect their progress toward forgiveness.