Do Police Officers Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness? Yes

• You need to make 120 qualifying payments while on an income-driven repayment plan, such as IBR, PAYE, or SAVE.

• You must have Direct Loans to be eligible for PSLF. If you have FFEL or Perkins Loans, you’ll need to consolidate them into a Direct Loan.

• Other forgiveness programs may be available, like state-specific programs or First Responder Loan Forgiveness, depending on where you work.

You can get student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. If you work for a government or nonprofit employer and make 120 qualifying payments, your remaining student loan balance can be forgiven.

Many police officers make mistakes when applying. So we have prepared this guide to help you through the process, so you can avoid common problems and apply for student loan forgiveness easily.

Related: Biden Student Loan Forgiveness

Confirm Your Role as a Law Enforcement Officer

Various types of law enforcement officers can qualify, but you need to make sure your position aligns with PSLF guidelines:

• Local police officers working for city or municipal governments are eligible.

• Federal law enforcement officers

As long as your employer is a government entity or a qualifying nonprofit organization, your role as a police officer will count toward the program’s employment requirement.

Note: You should also have full-time employment working for a weekly average, alone or when combined, equal to at least 30 hours.

Related: PSLF Updates 2024 – Everything You Need to Know

Use the Department of Education’s PSLF Help Tool

1. Start by logging into the PSLF Help Tool with your FSA ID. This is the same login you use for your federal student aid account. If you don’t have an FSA ID, you can create one on the site.

2. Verify whether your loans are under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan). Eligible loans include direct subsidized loans, direct unsubsidized loans, direct PLUS loans, and direct consolidation loans.

3. Enter your employer’s details into the tool to check if they qualify as a public service employer.

4. After verifying your loan type and employer, use the tool to submit the Employment Certification Form (ECF). This form helps track your progress toward making 120 qualifying payments.

These payments need to be made while you’re enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan, such as:

• Income-Based Repayment (IBR)

• Pay As You Earn (PAYE)

• Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), this plan replaced the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE)

• Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan

Make sure you track your payments carefully to avoid missing anything that counts toward PSLF. Also, submitting the form annually or whenever you switch employers is important to keep everything updated.

Related: What Is a Qualifying Payment for PSLF?

1. Confusion Over Your Payment Plan

You might mistakenly believe that paying under a Standard Repayment Plan automatically qualifies for PSLF. But this plan pays off loans within 10 years, leaving no balance to forgive after 120 payments.

Here are the repayment plans that do not qualify for PSLF:

• Standard Repayment Plan for Direct Consolidation Loans

• Graduated Repayment Plan

• Extended Repayment Plan

To avoid this, switch to an income-driven repayment plan. You can change your plan by contacting your loan servicer.

Related: How Do I Change My Student Loan Repayment Plan?

2. Taking Out Loans That Don’t Qualify

If you currently have any of the following loans, you must consolidate them before applying:

• Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)

• Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan)

• Student loans from private lenders

The loan consolidation process into a Direct Loan can be confusing, and you may not realize that you need to consolidate your loans to make them eligible for PSLF.

3. You Missed Several Payments

If you pay late or miss a payment, it won’t count toward the 120 qualifying payments needed for PSLF. You can avoid this by setting up automatic payments with your loan servicer.

This way, your payments will be made on time every month, keeping you on track for loan forgiveness.

4. Not Sending in Your ECF

The Employment Certification Form verifies that you work for a qualifying employer. If you don’t submit this form every year or after changing jobs, it can cause delays in your PSLF progress.

Make it a habit to submit this form annually and anytime you switch employers to ensure all your qualifying payments are properly tracked.

1. Log in to the PSLF Help Tool using your FSA ID.

2. Check if your employer is already listed in the employer database. If your employer isn’t listed, you can request a review of their eligibility to see if they qualify as a public service employer.

3. Prepare and sign your PSLF form electronically. The tool also lets you request your employer’s certification and signature online, making the process faster and more efficient.

4. If needed, you can also generate your PSLF form for manual signature and submission.

Note: You must still be employed by a qualifying employer at the time you submit your PSLF form for forgiveness.

If you’ve made 120 qualifying payments but left your qualifying job before submitting the form, you may lose eligibility for forgiveness.

Yes, other law enforcement professionals beyond police officers also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Below is a breakdown of several eligible professions and their loan forgiveness options.

Do Corrections Officers Qualify for PSLF?

Yes, corrections officers working for a government agency at the local, state, or federal level may qualify for PSLF. Since corrections officers are employed by public institutions, they meet the criteria for working in a public service role.

As long as you have federal Direct Loans and are on an income-driven repayment plan, you can start working toward loan forgiveness.

FAQs:

• Can corrections officers get their student loans forgiven?
  Yes, corrections officers employed by government agencies can qualify for PSLF after making 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.

• Do corrections officers need to consolidate their loans for PSLF?
  If you have FFEL or Perkins Loans, you must consolidate them into a Direct Loan to qualify for PSLF.

Do FBI Agents Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness?

FBI agents can also qualify for PSLF if they meet the program’s requirements. Since the FBI is a federal government agency, any employee making 120 qualifying payments under a qualifying repayment plan can have their remaining loan balance forgiven.

Additionally, the FBI offers its own student loan repayment assistance program, providing up to $10,000 per year in loan repayment, with a maximum of $60,000.

FAQs:

• Can FBI agents qualify for PSLF?
  Yes, FBI agents working full-time for the federal government qualify for PSLF after making 120 payments under an income-driven repayment plan.

• Does the FBI offer student loan repayment assistance?
  Yes, the FBI offers a separate repayment assistance program, providing up to $10,000 per year for student loan repayment, with a lifetime maximum of $60,000.

Do State Troopers Qualify for PSLF?

State troopers, employed by state law enforcement agencies, are considered public service employees and are eligible for PSLF. If you’re a state trooper, you’ll need to be on a federal Direct Loan and make qualifying payments while under an income-driven repayment plan to qualify for forgiveness.

FAQs:

• Do state troopers qualify for PSLF?
  Yes, state troopers working for state law enforcement agencies can qualify for PSLF if they meet the loan and payment requirements.

• What repayment plans should state troopers use for PSLF?
  State troopers should be enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan, such as IBR, PAYE, or SAVE, to qualify for PSLF.

Do Border Patrol Agents Qualify for PSLF?

Yes, U.S. Border Patrol agents qualify for PSLF if they meet the eligibility criteria. As federal employees working for the Department of Homeland Security, they can apply for PSLF after making 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.

Like other federal law enforcement officers, Border Patrol agents also have access to repayment assistance programs that can help reduce their loan balances.

FAQs:

• Do Border Patrol agents qualify for PSLF?
  Yes, Border Patrol agents working for the federal government qualify for PSLF after making 120 qualifying payments while on an income-driven repayment plan.

• Do Border Patrol agents have other student loan repayment options?
  Yes, Border Patrol agents may also qualify for the federal government’s student loan repayment assistance programs, which can help reduce the balance of their loans.

Yes, while the PSLF is the most well-known forgiveness option for police officers, there are other programs that can help reduce or eliminate student loan debt.

State and Local Forgiveness Programs

Check with your state’s education department or local government to see if any programs apply to your location or position.

These initiatives can sometimes work in conjunction with federal programs like PSLF, helping you receive additional loan forgiveness.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program

If you work in an educational setting as part of your law enforcement duties—such as school resource officers or those involved in training programs—consider looking into the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program (TLF).

This program allows you to have up to $17,500 of your loans forgiven if you work in a qualifying teaching or education-related role for at least five years.

First Responder Loan Forgiveness Programs

These programs are designed to provide financial relief to those who serve the public in emergency situations. First responder programs are often state-run or regionally based and eligibility criteria can vary.

Look into any local or state-specific first responder loan forgiveness initiatives to see if you qualify for additional forgiveness based on your role.

Perkins Loan Cancellation

If you have a Perkins Loan and work in law enforcement or as a public defender, you can have your loan canceled over a five-year period, with a portion forgiven each year you stay in qualifying service.

If you don’t meet the eligibility requirements for the forgiveness programs mentioned above, you still have the opportunity to explore these alternative options:

Refinancing Your Student Loans

This may be a good option if you don’t qualify for PSLF or other forgiveness programs or want to lower your interest rate. Refinancing involves taking out a new loan with a private lender to pay off your existing loans, ideally at a lower interest rate. This can save you money over time, but keep in mind:

• Pros: You can reduce your monthly payments or pay off your loans faster if you get a lower interest rate.

• Cons: If you refinance with a private lender, you’ll lose access to federal loan protections, such as income-driven repayment plans and forgiveness programs like PSLF.

Make sure you’ve looked at all your options and thought everything through carefully before choosing this type of solution.

Related: How to Refinance Federal Student Loans

Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs)

Some organizations and government agencies offer LRAPs specifically for police officers. These programs provide partial repayment assistance to help you pay off your student loans over time.

LRAPs are often available at the state or local level, and some are targeted specifically toward law enforcement professionals working in high-need areas or underserved communities.

These programs may not forgive your full loan balance but can reduce your debt burden.

As a police officer, you can qualify for PSLF if you work for a government or nonprofit employer, have Direct Loans, and make 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.

Use the PSLF Help Tool to verify your loan and employer eligibility, and submit your ECF Form annually to track your progress.

Make sure you’re on track for loan forgiveness—use the PSLF Help Tool today or book a call with our student loan lawyers to review your case.