{
  "id": 185664,
  "title": "Which student loan borrowers qualify for public service loan forgiveness in 2026?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/which-student-loan-borrowers-qualify-for-public-service-loan",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-05T18:20:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/which-student-loan-borrowers-qualify-public-service-loan-forgiveness-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program remains available to borrowers who meet certain criteria in 2026. To qualify, borrowers must work full-time for a qualifying employer, which includes federal, state, local or tribal government agencies, public schools and colleges, and certain nonprofit organizations. Borrowers must also make 120 qualifying monthly payments under an eligible repayment plan while employed full-time by a qualifying employer. Borrowers should verify their employer's eligibility through the Department of Education's PSLF Help Tool and make timely certifications of their employment status to avoid potential issues. Borrowers with eligible federal loans, such as Direct Loans, must consolidate older Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans or Perkins Loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan before future payments can count toward PSLF. Newer borrowers taking out federal loans on or after July 1, 2026, must use the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) for their payments to count toward PSLF. Borrowers whose employers are found to have a substantial illegal purpose may face additional challenges, as these regulations are currently facing legal challenges. Other options to make student loan debt more affordable include income-driven repayment plans, student loan consolidation, and contacting loan servicers for additional assistance.",
  "summary": "This student loan forgiveness program is still available to borrowers, but only certain types will qualify now.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}