Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

What this actually is

PSLF cancels the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working for a qualifying employer — federal, state, local or tribal government, the US military, or certain non-profits. Only federal Direct Loans qualify; other federal loans can be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan to become eligible. Income-driven repayment is the natural pairing, because lower payments now mean more forgiven later. ⚠️ Applying costs nothing and is done through the Department of Education. Every "student loan relief" company charging a fee to enrol you in PSLF is charging for a free federal form — and the FTC’s guidance is blunt that for student loans these services exist at no charge through official government channels.

Who qualifies, and what trips people up

120 qualifying payments (they need not be consecutive), full-time work for a qualifying employer at the time each payment is made, Direct Loans, and a qualifying repayment plan. What trips people up: years of payments made on the wrong loan type or the wrong plan do not count, and that is usually discovered late. Certify your employment annually rather than at the end, so errors surface while they are still fixable.