Other Resources (Not Affiliated with DOJ or the ASLRP)

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF): The PSLF is designed to encourage students to enter and remain in relatively low-paying public service careers, including public interest/government law.  It offers tax-free, total forgiveness of certain qualifying federal loans after the individual makes 10 years’ worth of payments (to the right kind of federal loan) while working for the government or in a qualifying public service position. Both the ASLRP and PSLF are restricted to federal student loan debt; however, the PSLF is more restrictive and limits participants to some version of a federal direct loan.

Time-limited changes to the PSLF Program rules, referred to as the limited PSLF waiver, allowed borrowers to receive credit for past period of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF.  The limited PSLF waiver ended October 31, 2022.

• Although the time-limited changes ended on Oct. 31, 2022, borrowers who work in public service will have another opportunity to have their payment count increased under a one-time account adjustment announced by the Department of Education (ED). Through the one-time account adjustment, borrowers with Direct Loans will be provided with many of the same benefits that were available under the limited PSLF waiver. Borrowers who do not have Direct Loans can consolidate and receive PSLF credit for prior payments as part of the one-time account adjustment, as long as they submit a consolidation application by May 1, 2023. 

• These changes mean that borrowers with federally-managed loans may still see an increase in their payment counts toward income-driven repayment and PSLF forgiveness in July 2023.

Equal Justice Works offers detailed student loan debt resources to assist borrows understand student loans, minimize student loan debt, and understand income-drive repayment plans, including a student debt E-book.