Want to know if you qualify for student loan forgiveness? Here’s how Minnesotans can find out.

The U.S. Supreme Court shot down President Joe Biden’s biggest student debt forgiveness proposal, but the U.S. Department of Education has also made tweaks to other targeted programs.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
July 6, 2024 at 4:00PM
There are several targeted students debt relief programs Minnesotans can apply for, even though the U.S. Supreme Court scuttled President Joe Biden’s biggest student debt forgiveness proposal. (Angelina Katsanis/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The U.S. Supreme Court wiped out President Joe Biden’s biggest student debt relief program last year. But the administration tweaked existing programs and added more tailored debt forgiveness efforts.

Here are some of the programs and who qualifies for them:

Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness: Income-driven repayment plans base people’s monthly federal student loan payments on their income and the size of their family. People who complete their payment periods, which are typically 20 or 25 years, depending on the plan, can have the remaining balance forgiven in some instances.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This program forgives student loan debt for people who work full time for a government agency or some nonprofits, if they have made 120 qualifying payments on a direct loan. Federal family education loans and Perkins loans aren’t eligible for this program.

SAVE Early Forgiveness: This new program bases payments off a borrower’s income and family size, with some people paying nothing each month. People who originally borrowed $12,000 or less could be eligible for forgiveness in 10 years. Republican-led states have challenged some aspects of this program in court.

Total and Permanent Disability Discharge: Some people who provide proof of a total and permanent disability can have their federal student loans forgiven. To qualify, borrowers must provide documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration or a medical professional showing that they are “unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment” that is fatal or expected to last for five years.

Additional information on each of the programs, including details on how to apply, can be found at studentaid.gov.

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about the writer

Liz Navratil

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Liz Navratil covers communities in the western Twin Cities metro area. She previously covered Minneapolis City Hall as leaders responded to the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd’s murder.

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