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Dear Fellow Vermonter,
The bad news is that we have a major crisis when it comes to student debt in this country. Forty-five million Americans are struggling to pay off their loans, including many in Vermont.
The good news is that the Biden administration has extended the current pause on student loan payments until August 2022, and cancelled $415 million in loans for students who were misled by for-profit colleges.
I am writing to you today to inform you about another important student loan forgiveness provision that was recently announced: Right now, it is easier than ever to qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program – a program created in 2007 to cancel student debt for individuals who work in the public and non-profit sector for 10 years or more. This temporary change means that Vermonters who are a non-profit employee, a public service worker, or a military service member may qualify for this loan relief.
What kind of jobs qualify? Here are just a few examples: Vermonters serving as public-school teachers and early education providers, firefighters, social workers, full-time National Guard personnel, nurses and other health care workers (in non-profit or public health settings), TSA, CBP, law enforcement, and other federal, state, or local government employees; as well as Vermonters who do public service work for the elderly or disabled, those providing public library services, public interest law services, and those volunteering full-time for the AmeriCorps or Peace Corps, among others.
Even if you have applied before and been denied, I urge you to review the PSLF Waiver and see if you qualify under the expanded rules. You can also review the following flyer, which we put together to help you understand what actions – if any – you need to take to benefit from this new waiver. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2022. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call my office at 800-339-9834.
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