Hello Heather!

You already recommended I get on PSLF asap but I want to wait until next year because my current loan servicer is so good and I have heard nightmare stories about the transfer process to fedloan. 

So here’s my question: I just submitted an alternative income documentation because my wife was laid off for the winter.  My IBR payment dropped substantially (which is why I love my servicer, they are right on top of things).  But it looks like they pushed my payment back a month, presumably to give me a break.  My October payment is now $0 and my November payment is the new lower payment (almost $600 lower) and I am worried that this will effect the 120 month consecutive IBR payments required for PSLF when I transfer to the plan next summer.  Did they give me some kind of 1 month deferment and will it effect my PSLF?  Thank you!

You should be okay. The PSLF does not require CONSECUTIVE payments but rather 120 QUALIFYING payments.

“You must have made 120 separate, on-time, monthly payments (after October 1, 2007) on the Direct
Loans for which you are requesting PSLF forgiveness while employed full-time by a public service
organization. Each of the monthly payments must have been made for the full scheduled installment
amount and no later than 15 days after the scheduled payment due date. Each payment also must
have been made under a qualifying repayment plan”
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/public-service-loan-forgiveness-common-questions.pdf

One month should not hurt you at all, the count will pick back up once the next month you pay on time. Your $0 month may actually count towards the 120, you should look into that, because I’ve read that if your PFH is $0, that will count. Hope that helps!

oh this is fantastic news! thanks so much! I always thought the payments had to be made consecutively