reason, if youve made qualifying PSLF payments on your Direct Loans and youre thinking of consolidating those loans The PSLF Program takes ten years of payments and employment. To qualify, they needed to consolidate their Federal Family Education Loans and Perkins Loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Therefore, payments But no one should spend their student loan refund check just yet. But the problem is that none of the payments borrowers made before they consolidated counted as qualifying payments for PSLF. How long after your loans were forgiven did you get the refund ? Privacy Policy. What if the processing of my consolidation is not complete by Oct. 31, 2022? She submitted a PSLF Form and her servicer determined that, under the waiver, she had made 120 payments as of January 2018. Starting the process for getting a refund on payments is relatively simple if you have the right information handy. Get more information about the transfer. Michael is available forspeaking engagements and to respond topress inquiries. 4 Top Complaints About MOHELA Student Loan Servicing The end result: The employee gets her CPP overpayment back as a tax refund and the employer gets the corporate CPP overpayment back as a refund on his personal tax return. They were PLUS loans I took out for my children. Tweets. For more information, please see our What We Learned from the Supreme Court Hearing on Student - nytimes.com Jason Doresky received a $10,000 refund in September for payments he had made on his federal student loans . fill out this form If you do not periodically submit the PSLF form, then at the time you apply for forgiveness you will be required to I had 181 qualifying payments and called MOHELA this morning to check on the status of refunds on . Your current or former employee may ask for your assistance defining your organization type in Section 3 of the PSLF form. Cookie Notice Also, congrats on getting PSLF and your refund! To take full advantage of the Biden debt cancellation plan up to $10,000 per borrower, or $20,000 if they received a Pell Grant at any point in the past many are seeking a refund of payments that brought their balances below those thresholds. All payments must be made: For the full amount due as shown on your bill, No later than 15 days after your due date, While you are employed full-time at a qualifying employer. Some borrowers consolidated their FFEL or Perkins loans many years ago. on Nov. 22, possibly until as late as August 2023, depending on the outcome of pending lawsuits. My first question is could my loan in fact been forgiven under these circumstances or could it be a mistake? If your loans have already been transferred to MOHELA, you can log in to their borrower portal to track your PSLF status and payment counts. At the start of this Biden thing, my loans were already with Mohela bc I converted to Direct Loans 10 years ago; when that happened my loans went from Nelnet. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. A variety of repayment plans are available to meet your needs, including plans based on your income and family size. It was jointly from Mohela and FSA. Moving forward, all PSLF forms will be reviewed for eligibility under the PSLF and TEPSLF programs. Verify Employment IMPORTANT: The number of qualifying payments does not automatically increase with each monthly payment. And if youre one of the 40 million Americans eligible for cancellation under President Bidens plan, you may also qualify for a refund of $10 to $20 thousand. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). Even if you get a refund, that month still counts toward PSLF, as long as all other qualifications are met. An example is the best way to explain this exception. Qualifying monthly payments do not need to be consecutive. The White House says around 26 million people have applied for debt cancellation, and 16 million borrowers have already been approved. Those who were on the wrong repayment plan will also benefit. Too many phone calls. have paid under an IDR plan. Find the answers you're looking for in our FAQs. EIN and employer name), and your employers organizational structure. The representative will ask you which payments, specifically, you want refunded. If you qualify for $20,000 in loan forgiveness you might want to request a refund. We recommend you submit period when your payments are based on your income, Have qualifying employment that covers the due date for each month you prepay, Multiple prepayments made within the same year will not afford you more than 12 months of qualifying payments. I did not miss a single payment. Expanded PSLF Means Huge Refunds for Some Borrowers Those who made payments or paid off their federally held loans during the interest-free forbearance by individual payments or lump sum are entitled to seek refunds. The website was processed on 8/10/2022, but I have yet to receive any information. information for Section 3, or may have an authorized official from their place of employment fill out this section. I cant say for certain about state taxes, but on federal taxes, you should be in the clear. The recent changes mean that many borrowers will see a dramatic increase in their number of certified payments. MOHELA Is a Servicer to Federal Student Aid. Student debt relief lawsuit heads to Supreme Court. To receive loan forgiveness under PSLF, you must make 120 qualifying payments. Cookie Notice Private student loan payments aren't included. how Federal Student Aid partners with loan servicers, list of our trusted federal student loan servicers, Completing the TEACH Grant Certification Form. Repay overpaid Social Security benefits | SSA Likes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Answering questions helps me identify the issues borrowers face and makes this site a better resource. Loans forgiven under PSLF are not considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service. She consolidated her loans in February 2019. or submit a complaint directly to the FSA Ombudsman. Wow! The Education Department refunds the payments borrowers make on their existing Direct Loans beyond the 120 required for relief. Failure to act may result in the loss of benefits associated with Auto Debit. What if I submitted my PSLF form and Im waiting for a response? (888) 830-6277. The IRS does not know (unless you get unlucky enough to be audited) but the legal thing to do is (a) to put it back or (b) report it as taxable income or (c) use the money for a future medical expense (still in 2016) and then not request reimbursement for that expense. Typically, a variable-rate loan has a lower introductory rate than a fixed-loan rate loan. He will not get a refund and is not eligible for the waiver. I applied for PSLF forgiveness through Mohela at the beginning of Feb. due to it being my 120th month / payment working in public service. I had planned to keep working through June 2026 (120 months after my first payment). Every detail that you have mentioned so far sounds like this is a legitimate and final discharge. But, today, I received my overpayment, about $7000, via 30 separate direct deposits (one loan payment at a time) into my bank account. submitted online through Do I need to claim the credit/refund on my federal income tax? All Rights Reserved. Both Mohela and StudentAid.gov show I now have a $0 balance. He is based in Portland, Oregon, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Also, have you had a chance to review the articles about the various programs that could have helped you reach 120 payments? Did you call Mohela and request the refund or did they do it automatically? Post consolidation, you made a total of 80 payments. Repayment Plan for Direct Consolidation Loans. All other borrowers will see their accounts update in summer 2023. OK92033) Property & Casualty Licenses, NerdWallet | 55 Hawthorne St. - 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, Student Loan Refund Checks Are Arriving But Dont Spend Yet. to your accounts. She applied for the temporary waiver and got credit for making 143 qualifying payments on an existing Direct Loan. Am I eligible for a refund for overpayment as I paid every month up until April 2022 either by 1) oeverpayment or 2) Covid-19 refund for auto-debit payments made from mid March 2020 through April 2022? programs. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program promises tax-free debt relief after borrowers work for the government or a nonprofit organization for 10 years while repaying their Direct Loans on-time under an income-driven repayment plan. Each For this Student Loan Refund Checks Are Arriving But Don't Spend Yet In addition, youre not eligible for a refund under the waiver if you already paid off your loans or they were already forgiven. Another possible refund is for the payments you made during the payment pause toward loans covered by the forbearance. Because you have to make 120 qualifying monthly payments, it will take at least 10 years for you to become eligible for In addition, you can get a refund if you paid your loans during the pandemic and youre one of the 40 million student loan borrowers eligible for President Bidens cancellation plan. Im wondering if you have any updates or additional information about refunds based on the forbearance steering announcement from DoE on April 19, 2022. Are these checks due to overpayment from when they determined I had actually met 120 months through both deferment and payments? Borrowers eligible for student loan relief are. Borrowers pursuing PSLF will be transferred to MOHELA upon the approval of their submitted PSLF form. If I was in your shoes, Id be cautiously optimistic that the debt was actually forgiven. As your dedicated resource expert we will ensure you have an accurate understanding of your account so you can successfully repay your loans. Mine you, never a single missed or late payment. You have a network of support to help you succeed with your federal student loan repayment. In January 2023 I received a letter from Mohela saying that due to the limited PSLF waiver I had received credit for past payments (I made no payments prior to June 2016 but was in either deferment or forbearance, starting in 2008, Im not sure which) and that they determined I had met the requirements of PSLF Program and my loans had been forgiven. submit a PSLF form for each employer where you worked while making the required 120 qualifying monthly payments. WHERE WE STAND: Student debt relief lawsuit heads to Supreme Court. As long as you used the PSLF Help Tool on or before Oct. 31, 2022, and a review is pending, you will receive the benefits of the A payment period is tracked as eligible when your payment meets all of the following payment eligibility requirements: Your payment is made under a qualifying repayment plan, Received no later than 15 days after your due date. Your loan servicer representative could ask for your Social Security number to pull up your account. Been paying monthly student loan payments since 2008 onward. I called and they said they received it but I havent heard anything else. You will get an automatic refund after you apply for forgiveness if your payments during the pandemic brought your loan balance below the maximum debt relief amount: $10,000 for all borrowers,. If there is even a chance that you qualify for a refund, Id suggest the following steps: Student loan expert Michael Lux is a licensed attorney and the founder of The Student Loan Sherpa. payments count toward the 120 required for loan forgiveness. I'm Getting Money Back From My Student Loan Payments -- But It May My journey sounds a little different from yours. Biden is changing lives! In that case, PSLF may not be right for you. Most servicers will require that you call them to personally request a refund. Note:Your refund may be offset if you owe the federal government another debt, such as unpaid child support or taxes. What was your refund based on? Received the refund for my overpayment! : r/PSLF If you are struggling with your student loans, please 13, 2020, leaving you with a current balance of $5,000. Manage your account on-the-go with the MOHELA App. I cant believe that its there and that the whole process is done! Forgiveness and Discharge - Nelnet the employer, to certify: The time frame the employee worked for your organization, Whether the employee was employed full time or part time. Thanks for you thoughts and knowledge! Any amount you paid on your loan after you made your final 120th PSLF qualifying payment will be treated as an overpayment and $650. You have a network of support to help you succeed with your federal student loan repayment. Since being announced last October, the Limited PSLF Waiver has erased more than $10 billion in federal student loan debt for nearly 200 thousand public servants many of whom paid for much longer than they needed to had they had the right loans from the beginning. Submit your PSLF form annually to keep up to date on tracking your qualifying payments. How long does this take. Submitting online is faster . how Federal Student Aid partners with loan servicers, list of our trusted federal student loan servicers, Completing the TEACH Grant Certification Form. The first step is to see if your employment qualifies for the PSLF program. Do you mean the application for pslf? Official Servicer of Federal Student Aid. Although the 10-year Standard Repayment plan is eligible, if you were to stay on this plan, your loans would be paid That's not as improbable as it seems. the requirements. MOHELA offers you a variety of options to manage the repayment of your loans including repayment plans and ways to lower or postpone your payments. Im assuming Mohela is your servicer b/c you are a PSLF borrower. Once The remaining $7,000 falls below the minimum $10,000 debt forgiveness amount, so the $3,000 would be automatically refunded. There are . Did the letter you received say that the debt was paid in full or that the remaining balance was forgiven under PSLF? The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program allows you to receive forgiveness of the remaining balance of your Direct Loans after you MOHELA is currently working to process the applications in a timely manner and says the process could take up to 90 days. Our balance went from a little over $40k to about $5k, with the remaining balance reflecting my spouse's loans from consolidation--we consolidated our loans back in 2006. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. We recommend that you submit a PSLF form annually. Youre entitled to a refund if the PSLF Waiver credits you for more than 120 qualifying payments on an existing Direct Loan. All PSLF forms will be reviewed for eligibility under both the PSLF/TEPSLF According to the Federal Student Aid website, "You can get a refund for any payment (including auto-debit payments) you make during the payment pause (beginning March 13, 2020).Contact your loan servicer to request that your payment be refunded." So, if you made a student loan payment pre-pandemic or in the early stages, you're eligible for a . Affiliate Disclosure and Integrity Pledge. He draws on decades of experience in personal finance journalism exploring everything from car insurance to bankruptcy to couponing to side hustles and a lifetime's worth of lessons learned. Under the expanded eligibility, the original 60 payments now count towards PSLF. those monies will be refunded to you. Thanks for any information. I assume I had overpaid on my loans. Remember, make sure that your contact and banking information is up-to-date in order to speed up the refund process. Heres hoping its just around the corner. Media. Des Toups joined NerdWallet in 2015 and now supports the student loans and auto loans teams. Will they refund the 50 payments? Adrian has taught at a public school since 2000. For more information, visit the About 2 million federal student loan borrowers, many of whom are seeking debt relief from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, will get a new federal student loan servicer as soon as early . Essentially, you'd be given your $3,000 back and your balance would return to $15,000. The government will refund any student loan payments I've made since March 13, 2020?" Yes! A government organization, including volunteering with AmeriCorps or Peace Corps, A not-for-profit organization that is not a 501(c)(3) organization and which provides certain qualifying services. Did you find anything that you think explains why your remaining debt was forgiven? If you have FFEL, Perkins, or other loan types that are not Direct Loans, your consolidation application must have been Borrowers who have reached the required number of payments for IDR forgiveness will begin to see their loans forgiven in spring 2023. 6 Things to Know About Public Service Loan Forgiveness During COVID-19 Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. However, if the refunds work like the Covid-19 refund requests, the refunds will be issued via the original payment method. The student loan payment pause is extended until the U.S. Department of Education is permitted to implement the debt relief program or the litigation is resolved. plan is the only available IDR plan for a Direct Consolidation Loan that includes a PLUS Loan made to a parent borrower. You can get a refund for any payments you make during the payment pause. Connie has been a nurse at several public hospitals since 2005. If you think there is even a chance that you qualify for a refund, Id recommend calling your servicer to discuss your options for the refund. Committed to excellent student loan servicing and helping families successfully repay student loans. SEARCH TO SEE IF YOUR EMPLOYMENT QUALIFIES. Can someone please tell me approximately how long it takes these folks to process the form once the transfer to Mohela is complete? That forbearance was extended once again on Nov. 22, possibly until as late as August 2023, depending on the outcome of pending lawsuits. How to get a student loan refund if you paid during the pandemic It's important to understand how the program works to avoid pitfalls along the way that could delay For the latest information regarding the status of student debt relief, visit StudentAid.gov. Thank you Mr. Lux for your kind response. The average college grad has nearly $8,000 in credit card debt. Review the Employment Certification Documents section for an example of the PSLF form and completion Very nice surprise! While I think my overpayment is actually almost $2,000 higher (which I plan to follow up on), I consider this a huge step. on the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan. Accountants have been doing T4's like this for years and, given that the period is approved. I have worked in a not for profit hospital for about 15 years total. The only borrowers eligible for a refund are those who newly qualify for PSLF under the revised rules. How MOHELA Student Loan Forgiveness Works - Forbes Advisor Your annual recertification period is the 12 month time Thus, you have made a total of 140 PSLF payments. fill out this form Many factors impact processing times, . He will not get a refund for the 40 extra payments. To make this go quickly and smoothly, be prepared to provide them with the applicable payment confirmation numbers or transaction numbers. factors contribute to review times including the complexity associated with determining if an organization provides a qualifying Payments will restart 60 days later. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. In the end, the forgiveness is by far the bigger deal in all of this. Many employers designate the human resources or personnel office staff as authorized officials. Mary has worked full-time for the Veterans Administration since 2010. Check them out today. Student-Loan Company Involved in Lawsuit Against Biden's Debt Relief Folks might want to print everything so if they have any problems, they have a hard copy. There is also the potential for forgiveness under the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) opportunity. Direct PLUS Loans for parents are not eligible for IDR plans that allow borrowers to benefit from the PSLF program. COVID-19 Emergency Relief Measures and Information - Nelnet forgiveness or even make you ineligible. Suppose you made 60 payments towards an FFEL loan and then realized that it was not eligible for PSLF. If you are struggling with your student loans, please It seems logical to me. The Limited PSLF Waiver doesnt change that outcome. I snail mailed it. may not prepay past your next annual recertification date. Alternative repayment plans do not qualify for PSLF. Does Mohela automatically send you overpayment refund? Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. You must be actively paying on your loans. 2,897 Followers. So payments started counting in 2007, and I hit 120 qualified payments in 2017 because I worked continuously for eligible employers. Sorry, let me clarify previous comment. Thank you. My balance prior to this was over $71,000 and my refund showing due totals a little over $5,800. I realize that people can request a refund during the special COVID forbearance March 13, 2020-OCT 31,2022, but that refund is very different than the refund of over 120 months of qualified/certified work payment refunds. How to Get a Refund for Student Loan Payments You Made During the MOHELA Privacy Policy. If you think you may be eligible for a PSLF refund, reach out to your loan servicer to confirm and begin the process. To the surprise of many, the Department of Education did not include parent PLUS loans in the expanded PSLF rules. If you want to see your payments progress in the program, you can find this number by signing in to Account Access. We expect that it may take at least 90 business days for MOHELA to process these forms. My loan was serviced first by FedLoans and then by Mohela. Loan servicers' phone numbers: FedLoan Servicing: 1-800-699-2908 . They had to pay for 10 more years before their student debt could be forgiven. Biden Cancels $10K in Student Debt. Received the refund for my overpayment! I was steered into forbearance for over a decade when I would have qualified for income-based reasonable payments. We were forgiven a few weeks ago (yay!). If you are struggling with your student loans, please * Please keep in mind that it may take at least 90 business days for MOHELA to process these forms. An eligible payment becomes a qualifying payment when you certify your employment and all or part of your employment What if Im waiting on ED to review my employers eligibility? (888) 830-6277. I had retired from federal service. Check the status of your PSLF form. limited PSLF waiver if ED determines the employer is eligible. If your form is approved any payments made after However, if you didnt consolidate and made all 140 payments towards the FFEL loan, you can still qualify for PSLF, but a refund isnt available. She is based in Washington, D.C. Lead Assigning Editor | Student loans, repaying college debt, paying for college. in determining whether you reach forgiveness. How To Get MOHELA Student Loan Forgiveness | Mentor . Refund requests can be made only by you and refunded to you, even if someone else made a payment on your loan. MOHELA's systems will reflect August 31, 2023 as the end of the payment pause however this date may change if the U.S. Department of Education is permitted to implement the debt relief program or the litigation is resolved before June 30, 2023.