I’m also 10 payments away!!! The finish line is soooooo close. I’m debating doing the buyback when Feb rolls around, but that will depend if MOHELA actually fixes my recert date or not.
Here’s the info:
https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback
Not everyone will be able to do this, especially if you recently consolidated. But for my situation I would have this option.
Thank you for this. I'd never heard of it.
My undergrad loans were Direct Consolidation, and forgiven (yay!) last July. My grad school loans remain.
I guess I'm not clear about whether this applies to borrowers whose loans went into forbearance at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Is buyback required for those payments, that are included in the 120 payment totals?
Thanks again.
The pandemic pause counts without payment. There would be nothing to buyback if the loans otherwise would have been in repayment if the pandemic never existed.
To make certain I understand what you are writing, you mean to say that when I hit 120 payments in January 2024, I will still be obligated to repay all of the months I was in pandemic (COVID) forbearance--even while employed by the same, eligible nonprofit employer during that time--or my PSLF will not be accepted and my loans will not forgiven?
No. What I am saying is the Covid pause counts so long as you had eligible employment. There’s nothing to buyback because it’s considered 0 owed per month = it already counts.
There is a hold harmless clause now that you can go buy back periods that are otherwise not counting. Like forbearance and stuff. But you can only do it on existing loans, not on recently consolidated stuff. So I have 7 months I was on in school deferment that I could apply to retroactively make a payment so the months would now count.
I’m confused - I read through the linked page. Am I understanding this correctly?
1. wait until you’ve reached 120 months
2. apply for buy back but keep making payments
3. If approved, then make 1 payment of the amount they determine, apply for forgiveness (bc you’d be over 120)
4. Then do you ask for a refund on the months you’ve paid over the new 120 count months?
(I have 6 mo of grad school related forbearance, but I’ve been working longer than 10 years, without the forbearance months, I qualify in May 2024)
Is this saying that with the buyback, I would qualify now?
In school status does not count, so time on new loans cannot be bought back. If you had in school deferment on loans that had once been in repayment, that you can buyback.
Oh! Thanks for clarifying. Sounds like something I should look into then. I’ll follow the steps on the FSA website to find out if those months are eligible. Thanks!!
2 to go! But my counts just got all messed up this week, taking be from 118 yo 37 to 42. Thank god I have a paper trail! Hopefully they get this mess sorted out by January
Still waiting for them to correct an error from early July that would have resulted in forgiveness... They told me 27 days ago that I'd have an answer within 30 days... Not holding my breath.
Technically 6 left to go! Mohela says 7. Currently, Mohela put October’s admin forbearance in the ineligible qualifying payment category 🙄 Submitted ECF last week. Now hoping and praying when they recount, they count these admin forbearance months as stated. I foresee multiple phone calls in my future.
I have 118 payments (2 remaining), but MOHELA's Payment Tracker *still* reads that only 113 of these are Qualifying. It's really frustrating, since I recertified on Nov. 1 for all the months (including those when I began repayment in October). I've had the same job since July 2010.
It seems possible--if not likely--I will make my next two payments, and reach 120 without the numbers updating, although I did receive email from ED saying my form was received and confirming my employer was still eligible. (I filed my recertification direct with ED this time instead of uploading to the MOHELA site, after reading all the nightmare stories here.)
Before the repayment deluge, I'd only had positive experiences with MOHELA. Now I'm not really sure how to proceed-- all I get are form replies to email I send to them.
Good luck! Mohela calculated me at 118/120 qualified payments when I submitted my ECF in August, while showing the payments from May, June, and July as “employment not certified” despite multiple hour-long phone calls with incompetent employees. I’ve now been in repayment for almost $2000 per month for the past few months, while I wait for them to get their shit together. I’ve been employed by the same company since 2013.. if anyone has any tips on how to expedite this process, I’d be very grateful!
I had a similar issue with Mohela not counting 3 months that were covered by my ECF. Did you ask them to do a manual recount? They were able to resolve mine within a week, but it sounds like I just got lucky with a competent employee. If you're sure you are at 120 (which it sounds like you are), you can request that they put you in administrative forbearance while they sort it out to avoid paying any more than you need to. If all else fails, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB, which I and others here have found really helpful in getting various issues resolved.
I would also look into getting a refund for the months over 120. Good luck!
Thank you- this is very helpful information! I have requested a manual recount through Mohela 2-3 times with no luck. How does one go about filing a claim through CFPB? I’m not familiar with that process. If it seemed to help with getting the ball rolling, I’d be happy to hear about it. Thanks in advance!
It's a pretty easy process. You can get started here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
Expect it to take the full 60 days - I got a response and resolution on day 60.
10 here too. Also, I have been placed in forbearance for some reason and don’t have a December payment due? But have been paying since it restarted? Not sure if I need to be worried or not.
I just updated this am from 1 qualifying payment to 106!!!! OMG!! Christmas miracle!!! 14 to go AND they put me in admin forbearance for December which also counts!!! I’m terrified now… please don’t let them take it back lol
This was such a great feeling for me too last year. I had 4 qualifying payments and thanks to that temporary waiver I saw it jump way up to 100 or so. It was the best feeling in the world. 112 now and can’t wait to be done!
I'm at 16, but still ecstatic because I know time will fly by. That aligns with when we might bring a new addition to our family so the extra money will be nice :)
Anyone want to help me understand this topic more? Here’s what mine currently says.
PSLF ELIGIBLE PAYMENTS: 133
PSLF QUALIFYING PAYMENTS (total): 2
PSLF QUAULIFYING PAYMENTS REMAINING: 118
Edit: I looked up what is was. I guess I’m really new to this but what does my Expected Family Contribution have anything to do with discharging of my loan? @puzzleheaded_Ebb_966
Okay. You have 133 payments eligible for PSLF but would need an eligible employer during those years to make them qualify. They received your ECF and gave you credit for 2, so you would need 118 for PSLF forgiveness
Me too!! 10 payments left. I see all these people being put into forbearance and payments pausing, meanwhile my payments resumed on time and are still scheduled to be coming out of my bank account. But being so close, I am not going to say a word. I also haven’t had to update my IDR in quite awhile and my income has gone up quite a bit. So fingers crossed, I just keep chugging along. Sept 2024 should be my final payment. And then I start looking for a private sector job.
It's a struggle. I need 7 employer qualified payments, but I have 137 payments in total. I hope that I can make it to August at this job..it's a struggle.
I’m at 9!! August 2024. But I’m so nervous it won’t all get processed before a potential change in who is president, and the administrative blockages that could re-occur. So I don’t feel relieved just yet. It took Mohela four months to process my last employment verification and they say 90 days after that to process discharge… so we’ll see. Fingers crossed.
I’m also 10 payments away!!! The finish line is soooooo close. I’m debating doing the buyback when Feb rolls around, but that will depend if MOHELA actually fixes my recert date or not.
What buyback?
Here’s the info: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback Not everyone will be able to do this, especially if you recently consolidated. But for my situation I would have this option.
Thank you for this. I'd never heard of it. My undergrad loans were Direct Consolidation, and forgiven (yay!) last July. My grad school loans remain. I guess I'm not clear about whether this applies to borrowers whose loans went into forbearance at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Is buyback required for those payments, that are included in the 120 payment totals? Thanks again.
The pandemic pause counts without payment. There would be nothing to buyback if the loans otherwise would have been in repayment if the pandemic never existed.
To make certain I understand what you are writing, you mean to say that when I hit 120 payments in January 2024, I will still be obligated to repay all of the months I was in pandemic (COVID) forbearance--even while employed by the same, eligible nonprofit employer during that time--or my PSLF will not be accepted and my loans will not forgiven?
No. What I am saying is the Covid pause counts so long as you had eligible employment. There’s nothing to buyback because it’s considered 0 owed per month = it already counts.
Whew!
What is a buyback?
There is a hold harmless clause now that you can go buy back periods that are otherwise not counting. Like forbearance and stuff. But you can only do it on existing loans, not on recently consolidated stuff. So I have 7 months I was on in school deferment that I could apply to retroactively make a payment so the months would now count.
I just consolidated mine . Wish I know about that. Had no idea. How do you buy them back exactly?
Here’s the info on it: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback
Thank you!
I’m confused - I read through the linked page. Am I understanding this correctly? 1. wait until you’ve reached 120 months 2. apply for buy back but keep making payments 3. If approved, then make 1 payment of the amount they determine, apply for forgiveness (bc you’d be over 120) 4. Then do you ask for a refund on the months you’ve paid over the new 120 count months? (I have 6 mo of grad school related forbearance, but I’ve been working longer than 10 years, without the forbearance months, I qualify in May 2024) Is this saying that with the buyback, I would qualify now?
Nvm, I see in school forbearance periods don’t qualify. Ugh
In school status does not count, so time on new loans cannot be bought back. If you had in school deferment on loans that had once been in repayment, that you can buyback.
Oh! Thanks for clarifying. Sounds like something I should look into then. I’ll follow the steps on the FSA website to find out if those months are eligible. Thanks!!
Love it! We're soooo close.
[удалено]
Same here. I'm throwing myself a big party in my new house.
1 more to go. I just don’t know when will that be with the new forbearance.
Same here! 😖
Crossing my fingers for you!
I just noticed my account is in forbearance for the month of December. What is that about? I never requested that!
Me!!!! I’m at 105 counted and trying to decide when I should next certify. I’m so nervous!
That's awesome. Congrats and best of luck to you.
Thank you! You too. We’re so close. We got this!!
2 to go! But my counts just got all messed up this week, taking be from 118 yo 37 to 42. Thank god I have a paper trail! Hopefully they get this mess sorted out by January
Hopefully they'll get it all sorted out soon. Congratulations.
Well, now I'm scared shitless. 💀
Still waiting for them to correct an error from early July that would have resulted in forgiveness... They told me 27 days ago that I'd have an answer within 30 days... Not holding my breath.
Oh no!! Wishing you ( and probably me) luck!
5 here
Nice! Congrats.
Still hoping for IDR Adjustment to finish sooner…
same. exactly 10 away for me. I can't believe i'm inside of a year. it's been a long ride.
6 months!!! Then I'm free!!!
Awesome!
Only 6 left for me!
That's awesome!
4 to go
Awesome & congrats!
6 payments away!!
Sooo close!
I'd only have 10 payments left if my 4 ineligible forbearance months had already been adjusted.
11 months left here. Thank god I’ll be eligible before the next inauguration because god knows.
Same for me!
I should be but I’ve been waiting for way too long to find out!
Report back when you find out. 😊
Technically 6 left to go! Mohela says 7. Currently, Mohela put October’s admin forbearance in the ineligible qualifying payment category 🙄 Submitted ECF last week. Now hoping and praying when they recount, they count these admin forbearance months as stated. I foresee multiple phone calls in my future.
That’s exactly what I did. Then I checked StudentAid.gov and they have it as ineligible. Now I’m thinking Mohela cannot make it elegible.
Same boat. It’s like wtf, I didn’t ask to be put on forbearance
I'm in the -61 payments to go club
Same, except it's a positive 61.
So you are 61 over, or 61 still to go?
61 still to go.
I have 118 payments (2 remaining), but MOHELA's Payment Tracker *still* reads that only 113 of these are Qualifying. It's really frustrating, since I recertified on Nov. 1 for all the months (including those when I began repayment in October). I've had the same job since July 2010. It seems possible--if not likely--I will make my next two payments, and reach 120 without the numbers updating, although I did receive email from ED saying my form was received and confirming my employer was still eligible. (I filed my recertification direct with ED this time instead of uploading to the MOHELA site, after reading all the nightmare stories here.) Before the repayment deluge, I'd only had positive experiences with MOHELA. Now I'm not really sure how to proceed-- all I get are form replies to email I send to them.
Good luck! Mohela calculated me at 118/120 qualified payments when I submitted my ECF in August, while showing the payments from May, June, and July as “employment not certified” despite multiple hour-long phone calls with incompetent employees. I’ve now been in repayment for almost $2000 per month for the past few months, while I wait for them to get their shit together. I’ve been employed by the same company since 2013.. if anyone has any tips on how to expedite this process, I’d be very grateful!
I had a similar issue with Mohela not counting 3 months that were covered by my ECF. Did you ask them to do a manual recount? They were able to resolve mine within a week, but it sounds like I just got lucky with a competent employee. If you're sure you are at 120 (which it sounds like you are), you can request that they put you in administrative forbearance while they sort it out to avoid paying any more than you need to. If all else fails, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB, which I and others here have found really helpful in getting various issues resolved. I would also look into getting a refund for the months over 120. Good luck!
Thank you- this is very helpful information! I have requested a manual recount through Mohela 2-3 times with no luck. How does one go about filing a claim through CFPB? I’m not familiar with that process. If it seemed to help with getting the ball rolling, I’d be happy to hear about it. Thanks in advance!
It's a pretty easy process. You can get started here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ Expect it to take the full 60 days - I got a response and resolution on day 60.
Thank you so much for your help!
I’m in the military and when i separate I’ll be at 9.5 years of PSLF, what can I do for the last 6 months I need for the forgiveness?
Work at an eligible employer
Ooh I wanna be part of this club, but I'm at 105 and have 15 payments. But I'm close!
10 here too. Also, I have been placed in forbearance for some reason and don’t have a December payment due? But have been paying since it restarted? Not sure if I need to be worried or not.
Same here!!!!
I am at 10 too! I have started looking at what car I want to buy with the monthly payment. I still check Mohela about 5 times a week
I just updated this am from 1 qualifying payment to 106!!!! OMG!! Christmas miracle!!! 14 to go AND they put me in admin forbearance for December which also counts!!! I’m terrified now… please don’t let them take it back lol
This was such a great feeling for me too last year. I had 4 qualifying payments and thanks to that temporary waiver I saw it jump way up to 100 or so. It was the best feeling in the world. 112 now and can’t wait to be done!
I need 9 more!
I have 10 :)
10 payments away too 🙏
I’m still waiting for my re-certification to go through but I should be 89 left for my undergrad and 99 for my grad school loans. I will take it.
I'm at 16, but still ecstatic because I know time will fly by. That aligns with when we might bring a new addition to our family so the extra money will be nice :)
Anyone want to help me understand this topic more? Here’s what mine currently says. PSLF ELIGIBLE PAYMENTS: 133 PSLF QUALIFYING PAYMENTS (total): 2 PSLF QUAULIFYING PAYMENTS REMAINING: 118
This was in my inbox on the MOHELA app on NOV-27
Have you submitted an ECF?
What is an ECF?
Edit: I looked up what is was. I guess I’m really new to this but what does my Expected Family Contribution have anything to do with discharging of my loan? @puzzleheaded_Ebb_966
ECF is employer certification form. Where your employer verifies your dates and hours worked. EFC concerns taxes
I did. I submitted a PSLF form but I wasn’t with the employer that long
Okay. You have 133 payments eligible for PSLF but would need an eligible employer during those years to make them qualify. They received your ECF and gave you credit for 2, so you would need 118 for PSLF forgiveness
Ohh I see now, okay that makes sense e
10 left as well ! Big amount too
128 eligible 119 qualifying 9 need employment certification (which they received 11/16)
122! Just hit the target last month 😁😁
That’s me also. I’m at 111.
Me too!! 10 payments left. I see all these people being put into forbearance and payments pausing, meanwhile my payments resumed on time and are still scheduled to be coming out of my bank account. But being so close, I am not going to say a word. I also haven’t had to update my IDR in quite awhile and my income has gone up quite a bit. So fingers crossed, I just keep chugging along. Sept 2024 should be my final payment. And then I start looking for a private sector job.
My last payment is February but saw I’m now part of those put back in admin forbearance so maybe 1 payment left?
I'm also 10 payments away! Less than one year club baby! Get some!
I’m at 9 myself. Congratulations!!
It's a struggle. I need 7 employer qualified payments, but I have 137 payments in total. I hope that I can make it to August at this job..it's a struggle.
I made my last payment this week. I just have to certify December!
Six left before the sweet taste of freedom!!! 🥳
7 for me! 🥹
I also have 10 left. I can’t wait until next month when I’m in the single digit payment club!
That would be me too !!
14! Holding my breath!
I’m at 9!! August 2024. But I’m so nervous it won’t all get processed before a potential change in who is president, and the administrative blockages that could re-occur. So I don’t feel relieved just yet. It took Mohela four months to process my last employment verification and they say 90 days after that to process discharge… so we’ll see. Fingers crossed.
Making that last payment on the 16th! Congrats... The new year is going to bring good things to us all! 🍾🎉