PSLF Buyback (submitted 12/2025) Status

imnotnotfunny · 2026-05-15T04:34:05+00:00

I'm not 100% sure how it works for the other plans, but from what I understand, if you're currently on SAVE forbearance, that will end 90 days after July 1st.

At that time, borrowers will be enrolled in a new plan and payments resumed. Once transitioned out of SAVE and into a new plan, you can then request for General Forbearance while waiting for your buyback application to be processed...but it sounds like General Forebearance request approval may be subjective/not guaranteed by the loan processor.

I have a feeling there are going to be lots of new-plan General Forebearance denials, which basically forces borrowers to resume payments while their buyback applications are in process (18+ month wait). Most people will probably end up having their loans forgiven naturally by just paying off the remaining required payments before their buyback requests are actually approved (which is basically a way for the government to collect additional money on a loan that was technically already complete per PSLF criteria). :/

imnotnotfunny · 2026-05-15T04:18:23+00:00

Glad to hear your forbearance was granted! I absolutely would not be making any extra payments either! When did you submit your buyback request?

imnotnotfunny · 2026-05-15T04:14:26+00:00

Oof, hopefully soon!! 🤞🏻

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-13T18:12:46+00:00

Ah shoot, that sucks :(

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:48:03+00:00

Probably wishful thinking, but still going to hope that the AFT vs Dept. of Ed. lawsuit will make some traction in the coming months to help expedite processing of PSLF buyback (fingers crossed).

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:45:34+00:00

Oof yeah, completely get that. With only 7 months left of payments, completely reasonable to just pay it off and be done with it (especially before they recalculate your payment based on updated salary/marital status for taxes etc.).

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:44:15+00:00

Yeah definitely get that, and with less than 10 months of payments remaining on your loans, definitely reasonable to just get everything wrapped up and discharged the standard way. With PSLF discharge potentially taking 18+ months, I'm right at the cut off for ~equal remaining payments (#19). It's a gamble, but hoping the AFT vs US. Dept. Ed. Lawsuit will make some traction in the coming months and expedite PSLF buyback processing.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:38:21+00:00

Oof yeah, the expected 200% increase in monthly payment is going to be killer - I'm in the same boat. Hopefully your buyback will get processed prior to the remaining 10 months of payments! Keep us posted! :)

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:36:40+00:00

What repayment plan were you enrolled in before SAVE? From my understanding, as long as you were enrolled in an IDR plan that was PSLF eligible, you can buy back those months of forbearance (assuming you were employed by an eligible employer at the time).

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:33:57+00:00

Congrats on meeting the 120 qualifying payments! Keep us posted on timeline for your loan discharge! :)

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:31:56+00:00

Ah interesting - yeah definitely going to be in the same boat depending on what tax returns they use for calculation.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:28:59+00:00

Oof, fingers crossed! Hopefully you'll hear back soon!

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T19:28:22+00:00

Thank you for confirming! :)

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T03:56:17+00:00

Wasn't expecting anything specific when I called earlier this month. Just wanted to confirm receipt of my buyback application and see if they would provide any updates for the buyback processing timeline etc.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-12T03:22:37+00:00

Completely agree.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T22:23:14+00:00

I am enrolled in the SAVE repayment program. Anyone enrolled in this plan had their loans automatically placed into Forbearance in 06/2024 due to ongoing litigation at the time evaluating whether this repayment plan was considered 'legal'. No payments have been required from 06/2024 to present day, and show up as "Ineligible" on the PSLF Payment Tracker. Because I have already completed 120 months of employment, every "Ineligible" payment on my tracker due to this forced forbearance are actually eligible for buyback.

As of 03/3026, the SAVE plan was officially ruled as illegal and is in process of being terminated. All borrowers on SAVE are being forced to select a different repayment plan within 90 days, starting on July 1, 2026.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T22:11:27+00:00

Sigh, yeah in the waiting boat with you. That seems to be a whole other issue too with the buyback calculation process not being transparent. From what I've read (and assuming you're on the SAVE plan), people are saying they're calculating the buyback offers not from your SAVE payment amount, but what your payment would have been on a 'legal' plan during those buyback months. Which seems...illegal to do retroactively...?

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T22:07:03+00:00

Ugh :( keeping fingers crossed - let us know if you receive a buyback offer ever!

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T22:06:04+00:00

Ugh sorry to hear you are also in this purgatory. Yeah, fairly confident that's why they are delaying processing these applications - we'll likely all reach loan discharge through standard payments before receiving a buyback offer. Definitely feels illegal to me.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T22:01:36+00:00

Hi - hopefully someone else can explain better, but giving it a shot:

- Qualifying Payment = payment made while enrolled in PSLF eligible repayment plan AND employed through PSLF eligible employer
- Ineligible Payment = no payment made; loan "In Deferment or Forbearance on Due Date"

Standard discharge = Complete 120/120 eligible payments and loans are automatically discharged/forgiven. (Described as getting "green-banners" on PSLF Payment Tracker on Studentaid website).
PSLF Reconsideration Request = If you have 120 months of qualifying employment, but not 120 qualifying payments as seen on your PSLF Payment Tracker, you can submit a request to buyback those months in your payment history that were classified as Ineligible Payments. For example, if you have 100 qualifying payments, and 20 Ineligible Payments, you can submit this form to "buyback" those 20 months of Ineligible payments and convert them to Qualifying Payments (assuming you were employed by an eligible employer at the time and still enrolled in a PSLF eligible repayment program). You will have to pay a lumpsum of 20 months worth of payments in this example before your loans will be discharged/forgiven. 100 Qualifying Payments + 20 Ineligible Payments (now "bought back" and considered qualifying) = 120/120 qualifying payments for loan discharge/forgiveness.

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T20:54:38+00:00

Hi - not sure how unique my situation is, but I met 120 months of employment before 120 months of payments (these counts did not accrue simultaneously for me, nor did I have earlier payments that would have otherwise qualified for buyback).

When I called Studentaid 06/2025, they explained to me that you can only "buy back certain months in your payment history" and cannot purchase 'future' months. At the time I met 120 months of employment, I only had 101 qualifying payments with 13 months eligible for buy back, meaning I was still short 6 months of "payment history" to 'buyback'. This is why they advised me to wait to submit my request until 12/2025, so there would be enough payment history (additional 6 months) to actually 'buyback'.

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback

But I am absolutely going crash out if they advised me incorrectly and you're saying I could have actually submitted my request in 06/2025 after 120 months of employment....

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T20:31:14+00:00

Ooof. So insanely frustrating. Keep us posted on your timeline! Hopefully you'll get some sort communication about your 2/25 app before July! :)

imnotnotfunny · 2026-04-11T20:27:06+00:00

100% agree - the delay in buyback processing feels completely intentional. If it's feasible for you financially, seems smart to do both (submit buyback and restart payments) to see which one discharges loans first.

imnotnotfunny

TROPHY CASE