Hi, I just listened to Heather’s podcast on idealist about PSLF - thank you for clarifying!!!!  My friends and I have had so many questions about the details of this program.

My one question is whether or not you MUST be enrolled in IBR for your payments to count towards PSLF.  I have been working full time in the nonprofit sector and have been making my payments on time for two years before returning to grad school.  So I know I had the right kind of job and the right kind of loan but since I wasn’t enrolled in IBR, those payments won’t count?  I get that it will probably save me money in the long run (and I do plan to enroll in IBR asap) but from research, I thought as long as it was a payment, the payments I have been making during those two years of work would still count towards PSLF?  Can you clarify?

Thanks again for all your help!  There are so many students that could benefit from your site - will definitely be passing around to my social welfare cohort and nonprofit colleagues!

Serena

There are some payments that aren’t IBR payments that can count towards forgiveness, and others that don’t.  Payments made under IBR, ICR (income-contingent repayment) and standard 10 year repayment count.  Payments made under a term repayment plan that is longer than 10 years DON’T count.  Make sense?

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