The Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 offers student loan forgiveness to those in public service. That means if you work in a public sector job and have federal student loans, you could qualify for student debt relief.
What is the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012?
Also known as H.R.4170, the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 makes it easier for student loan borrowers to get rid of their student loans when they meet specific criteria. It includes working in an eligible field or teaching at a school that serves students from low-income families, working full time at a public or nonprofit child care organization, or serving in the Peace Corps.
Who Qualifies for Student Loan Forgiveness?
The student loan forgiveness act of 2021 benefits teachers, police officers, nurses, and other public service employees.
This act was created to cut through the red tape that caused many dedicated professionals to abandon their careers to avoid overwhelming student debt.
How To Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness
To qualify for student loan forgiveness under this act, you must be enrolled at an eligible school, maintain enrollment in the program of study associated with your student loans. Also, certain obligations like making 120 student loan payments while maintaining a specific employment type need to be met to qualify for student loan forgiveness under this act.
The Pros and Cons
If you are a student who took out loans before your first job, it is crucial to understand how student loan forgiveness might impact you under this law.
There are many pros and cons to the student loan forgiveness act, so you must know precisely what this legislation does for people with student loans before you decide if it will work for your situation or not.
Pros
- The Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 will forgive up to $17,500 in federal student loans for those who have worked 10 years and make 120 on-time payments.
- This Act is only available to those with Direct Loans, Stafford Loans, or Federal Perkins Loans.
- If you qualify for this forgiveness program, then the remaining balance of your loan will be forgiven after 10 years and 120 monthly payments.
- You can still get a tax deduction if you're paying off your loans through an income-driven repayment plan.
Cons
- The Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 will not apply to loans taken out before 2007.
- If you are in default on your student loans, the act does not apply to you.
- You have to work for a qualifying employer for 10 years to qualify for loan forgiveness.
- If you are married, only one spouse can benefit from the act at any given time.
Conclusion:
The Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 is an excellent opportunity for students and graduates to lessen debt. If you think that the new act could help your situation, we recommend looking into it as soon as possible. There are pros and cons with this law, but if you qualify for forgiveness, then there's nothing to lose.