Pay As You Earn (PAYE ) Program is a repayment plan available for student loan debt. This program is beneficial to those with the highest obligation and lowest income when entering the workforce. Forgiveness under Pay As You Earn happens automatically after 20 years of consecutive payments in an eligible repayment plan, but only if the borrower has not received any loan forgiveness on another.
The Pay as you Earn Program Forgiveness is a great way to get your student loans forgiven. It is not an easy process, but it can be done if you know what you are doing. This article will give you some insight into forgiveness and how to go about filing for an income-driven repayment plan to get rid of those pesky student loans once and for all!
What is forgiveness with Pay As You Earn Program?
The Pay as you Earn Program Forgiveness is a great way to get your student loans forgiven. PAYE plan caps your monthly payment at 10% of your income and forgives the remainder after 20 years of repayment.
Who qualifies for forgiveness with Pay As You Earn Program?
Not everyone qualifies for Pay As You Earn. To qualify, you must have a high debt-to-income ratio and be in the initial years of your repayment plan (the first two repayment plans are not eligible). Therefore, this program is beneficial to those student loan borrowers with the highest debt and lowest income when they enter.
Forgiveness under Pay As You Earn happens automatically after 20 years of consecutive payments in an eligible repayment plan, but only if the borrower has not received loan forgiveness on another federal student loan within that time frame. If this all sounds complicated, do not worry! I am going to show you how it is done below so you can give yourself peace of mind by getting rid of these pesky loans.
Steps to Forgiveness with Pay As You Earn
To get forgiveness under the Pay as you Earn Program, you will have to complete few steps. Let’s go through them now. First thing first, make sure that all of your federal student loans qualify for this repayment plan. Here are the steps to do so:
- Step #1: Ensure that your loans are eligible for PAYE
- Step #2: File your paperwork. Once everything checks out on their end, file your paperwork and notify both Loan Servicing (the company that manages your loans); and FedLoan Servicing (the government servicer of the Education Department, who oversees PAYE).
- Step #3: Submit your application. Once you fill it out completely, submit a copy to both Loan servicing and Fed loan. After they get this in their hands, expect a few weeks for processing. Make sure you have all of your paperwork together before submission if they approve everything. Congratulations! You are now on track for 20 years of federal student loan forgiveness under the Pay as you Earn program.
What are the Requirements for forgiveness with Pay As You Earn Program?
The Pay as you Earn Program Forgiveness is a great way to get your student loans forgiven. It is not an easy process, but it can be done if you know what you are doing.
To qualify, borrowers must meet specific requirements that include receiving disbursement after October 2007. New borrowers, as of October 2011, with loans taken out after those dates; do not owe money on other federal education debt (i.e., only one repayment plan can apply). Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Perkins Loans are not eligible.
Borrowers with private education loans will have to contact their lenders to know whether they can consolidate them into federal programs like PAYE.
When will I know if my application was approved or denied?
You will get a response within weeks of applying. If you are approved, your loans go back to the standard repayment plan, and 20 years from that date they will forgive those loans.
When it comes time for forgiveness with the Pay as you earn Program, borrowers must meet specific requirements to qualify.
This article goes through some of those requirements so students can understand what is expected of them before applying for forgiveness benefits. It also informs individuals about how long this process takes (a few weeks) and what documentation needs to be submitted along with their applications. Finally, if everything checks out on their end, applicants should expect good news regarding loan forgiveness under PAYE – Your student loans may ultimately be a thing of the past.
Is PAYE the right plan for you?
The best income-driven option for you are in the following three instances:
- You have a fixed income, and it will not increase much over time.
- Second, you have a ton of grad school debt.
- You are in a low tax bracket.
But again, it is essential to consider these factors when deciding on the best repayment plan for your specific situation. This is why many experts suggest meeting with a financial planner before signing up for an income-based repayment program. They will be able to provide guidance and help you determine if PAYE (or some other option) should be right for you. With this information at hand, borrowers can make better decisions about their future and apply accordingly.
What are the Requirements?
Certain requirements need to be met to qualify for forgiveness benefits under the Pay as You Earn Program. There is a lot of information available. For example, applicants must receive disbursement after October 2007 or be a new borrower as of October 2011 with loans taken out after those dates; and not owe money on other federal education debt (i.e., only one repayment plan can apply). In addition, Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) are also eligible if they were consolidated into the Direct Loan Program by September 2008, which is when they introduced these options.
When will I know if my application was approved or denied?
You will get a response within weeks of applying for PAYE. If you are approved, your student loan payments go back to the standard repayment plan, and 20 years from that date, they will forgive them! How great is that?
Disadvantages of Forgiveness with Pay As You Earn
Some disadvantages come with forgiveness under PAYE. One main drawback is if you have other federal student loans, they will not be eligible for this plan. Your first loan must meet these requirements. So make sure you give special attention to any repayment FFEL or Direct Loans.
In that case, those can still qualify but typically require consolidation loans before applying. Lastly, it does not matter how much debt one owes; anyone who meets the criteria above will become ineligible once 20 years have passed, even if they have only owed $20K for the entire time.
Be sure to ask a financial planner or accountant for more information about this before applying with your servicer.
Is there a fee associated with the Program?
There is a fee associated with the program. A few years ago, lawmakers passed legislation that would have eliminated this charge – but unfortunately, it was repealed by Congress in December of 2015, and now borrowers will be responsible for an annual servicing fee (i.e., $57/yr).
This is not much compared to what some other programs cost. So make sure you consider all your options before making any decisions on which plan to choose. If you do not qualify for PAYE or another income-based repayment option, there are always standard plans available as well.
What are some of the benefits of this income-based repayment plan that other plans do not offer?
There are several benefits of this income-driven repayment plan that other plans do not offer. One main advantage is your payment will never be more than it would have been under the standard repayment option (i.e., you are only capping at what amounts to 15% or 20%). Another perk with PAYE is if you go into public service, loan forgiveness becomes available after just ten years – rather than the twenty required for most!
Drawbacks of applying for Forgiveness with Pay As You Earn
This plan has a few disadvantages that may make it less appealing than others. First, your monthly payments will be set at just 15% or 20%. Even if you have more debt and owe more money. This means other plans (such as the standard repayment option) would require higher payments. However, it also means PAYE could result in some severe interest accruing over time.
Secondly, no loan forgiveness is available under PAYE until after ten years, instead of the twenty required by most repayment options.
Lastly, there is an annual fee associated with these loans ($57 per year).
Tips to help you decide if you should apply for forgiveness through the PAYE program
You should consider applying for forgiveness through the PAYE program if any of the following statements apply to your situation:
- “You have FFEL or Direct Loans” – Your monthly payment would be lower under this plan (i.e., less than what it is now).
- You are planning on going into public service afterward. In addition, you want to qualify for loan forgiveness after just ten years instead of the twenty years, as required by most other repayment plans.
- Lastly, make sure you file the applications with all three credit bureaus so that they can adequately update their records. As well as set up an auto-pay from a checking account where possible; otherwise, interest will continue accruing while payments may get lost in the mail.
What happens if you do nothing?
If borrowers do not sign up for income-based repayment or decide against Pay as You Earn, they will end up being responsible for paying off their loans at the standard repayment terms – which works out to be about 12 times higher than what they would pay under PAYE! According to The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), nearly half of federal student loan borrowers dropped out of college without ever repaying their loans.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there are several benefits of this repayment plan that other plans do not offer. One main advantage is your payment will never be more than it would have been under the standard repayment option (i.e., you are only capping at what amounts to 15% or 20%). Another perk with PAYE is if you go into public service, loan forgiveness becomes available after just ten years – rather than the twenty required for most.
While PAYE is a great option to consider, it is essential to weigh all your options and do the research necessary before filing any applications.
Thanks for Reading! I hope you have found this article helpful. If so, please feel free to share or bookmark!
