• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Personal Financestudent loans and debt

Biden’s education department has forgiven $42 billion for 615,000 student loan borrowers in the public sector in the past 18 months

Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 8, 2023, 1:00 PM ET
Young business woman on the way
More than 615,000 borrowers have had $42 billion total in student loan debt forgiven via temporary changes made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.Thitikarn Paothongthai—Getty Images

The future of President Joe Biden’s widespread student loan forgiveness program may still be uncertain, but that’s not stopping his administration from implementing other measures to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in college debt.

Recommended Video

More than 615,000 borrowers have had $42 billion total in student loan debt forgiven via temporary changes made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) process since October 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced Monday. That includes nearly 610,000 borrowers who have seen their debt already discharged.

The PSLF program was created to encourage people to take jobs in fields like education, health care, law enforcement, and nonprofit work. Those who have worked full-time in a qualifying public service job for at least 10 years and have made 120 on-time payments the entire time can apply for the remainder of their debt to be forgiven, tax-free.

But the program has long not lived up to borrower expectations: Though it’s existed for years, just 7,000 people had been approved for forgiveness before Biden took office, according to the Education Department. That’s due not only to the complicated nature of the application process, but also because of mishaps on part of the student loan servicer.

Under Biden, the Education Department has made a number of changes since then to make it easier to actually attain forgiveness, including offering a one-time waiver to retroactively broaden the types of loans and payments that are eligible for relief.

The waiver allowed qualifying borrowers to receive credit for all payments they made on their loans. This includes those who were enrolled in the wrong repayment track, or those who made late or incomplete payments. Borrowers would be eligible for forgiveness if they made 120 on-time payments.

Borrowers receiving forgiveness will be notified by Mohela, the student loan servicer for PSLF, and by logging into their accounts and seeing the telltale “smiley face” and $0 balance.

“I literally cried tears of joy,” Meredith Shuman, a 35-year-old who had more than $43,000 forgiven earlier this year after submitting the waiver, told Fortune. “It’s nice seeing all those zeroes.”

The Education Department also recently announced that starting in July 2023, borrowers on the PSLF track will be able to complete the entire application process online, including allowing applicants and their employers to submit signatures electronically for the first time. Previously, borrowers needed to print and sign their form and have their employers sign the form, before mailing or faxing it in.

Other changes to PSLF program

Aside from the waiver, there are other long-term regulatory changes coming to the PSLF to simplify the application process.

Starting in July 2023, borrowers on the PSLF track will receive credit for late payments and those made in installments. Additionally, some periods of loan deferment and forbearance will count toward the 120 payments needed to receive forgiveness, including deferments for cancer treatments, economic hardship, and military service.

Additionally, the Education Department is undertaking a one-time account adjustment for borrowers with a Direct Loan. More payments will count toward loan forgiveness for those in PSLF or on income-driven repayment plans. This will put more borrowers closer to attaining PSLF, or in some cases, result in them having their balance forgiven and even eligible for a refund, depending on how many payments they’ve made. Borrowers don’t need to do anything for this relief.

Status of widespread student debt forgiveness

PSLF is a separate program from Biden’s one-time student debt forgiveness initiative. That program, announced in August 2022, would forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for most federal borrowers, and is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

As of now, all borrowers can do is wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on whether or not the forgiveness program can go ahead as planned. The decision should be revealed by the end of June. In the meantime, federal student loan payments remain paused.

The outcome of that case will not affect PSLF or the changes to that program the Biden administration has implemented.

Savings APYs are hitting record highs, but most Americans are leaving money on the table. See the best high-yield savings accounts and CD rates from Fortune Recommends.

About the Author
Alicia Adamczyk
By Alicia AdamczykSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alicia Adamczyk is a former New York City-based senior writer at Fortune, covering personal finance, investing, and retirement.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

greg
Personal FinanceAviation
Mamdani’s New York is coming to tax your private jet. Here’s how to prepare
By Greg RaiffMay 16, 2026
13 hours ago
Berkshire triples Alphabet stake and buys Delta stock while dumping Amazon in Greg Abel’s first quarter as CEO
InvestingBerkshire Hathaway
Berkshire triples Alphabet stake and buys Delta stock while dumping Amazon in Greg Abel’s first quarter as CEO
By Josh Funk and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
23 hours ago
Kevin Warsh, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Chair of the Federal Reserve, is sworn in to testify during his Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on April 21, 2026 in Washington, DC.
EconomyFed interest rates
Dominoes are steadily falling in the path of the rate cuts Trump wants to see from Kevin Warsh
By Eleanor PringleMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
Harrison Ford wearing a bow tie
SuccessWealth
Before ‘Star Wars’ made him a multimillionaire, Harrison Ford struggled to make ends meet—so he spent 15 years working a trades side-gig
By Preston ForeMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
newsom
Personal FinanceCalifornia
Gavin Newsom blasts Trump and Bessent as ‘dumb and dumber’ while unveiling $350 billion state budget
By Trân Nguyễn and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
new mexico
North AmericaNew Mexico
New Mexico is raking in oil profits from Iran War, gaining $59 million for every $1 added to the price of a barrel
By Morgan Lee and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
14 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.