Does a student loan payment of “$0.00” every month count as a qualifying payment?  Since graduating law school in 2009 I have worded as a public defender.  I consolidated my federal student loans and am under the Income-Based Repayment Plan.  I guess I make so little as a public defender in relation to my student loan amount that my bill every month is for $0.00.  Obviously I am able to “pay” that.  I contacted Direct Loans and I can not get a definitive answer as to whether these “payments” count as qualifying payments, just that they believe it would?  I was hoping with your familiarity with this law that you would be able to answer my question, or point me in the right direction where I might find the answer?  I have been working for almost 2 years in public service and would hate to find out that those 2 years did not count towards my 10 years of public interest service for debt forgiveness.

If making a payment of “$0.00” every month doesn’t count, how do I fix this so that I can start making payments that do count towards my 10 years?

Thank you so much for any assistance you can give me!

$0 counts!  We had to fight for this one in the regulatory process but YES!  The regulations are very specific on this point.  If your payment due under IBR is calculated as $0-$5, then you don’t have to send any money and you get credit for an on time payment.  If your calculated payment is between $5-$10, it’s rounded up to $10.

Thank you Ms. Jarvis!  So I should be able to find this in writing if I read the actual full text regulation document? 
p.s. I’m so glad you have this website!  When you come to speak at my law school (Georgia State College of Law) a few years ago you were so helpful.  Its great to know that you are still here, willing and able to help us public interest prone lawyers!

You’ll find the IBR payment calculation and what counts as an IBR payment here: http://askheatherjarvis.com/uploads/images/Section 685_221 IBR Reg.PDF

And the part about how IBR payments calculated as above count towards PSLF in the PSLF regs:
http://askheatherjarvis.com/uploads/images/Section 685_219 PSLF Reg(1).PDF

Thanks so much for the compliment.  It is certainly my pleasure.  Thank you for the public service work you do.  I especially LOVE public defenders!

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Yours,
Heather