For those pursuing PSLF, they’ve had the added benefit that these months of forbearance have counted toward their 120 qualifying payments required for forgiveness. The economy, however, remains fragile, and many are wondering what will happen as student payments resume in the coming months—not to mention the end of expanded unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.
So what’s the solution? Where do we go from here?
Studies have shown a strong correlation between debt and anxiety, especially student debt. Greater debt tends to be reflected in a greater amount of anxiety, which hits folks like physicians—who already have high-stress, demanding jobs—especially hard. Couple that with the added catastrophic strain of a pandemic on healthcare professionals and you’ve got a one-two punch to your mental health.
So what’s the solution? Where do we go from here?
When Congress passed the CARES Act in 2020, it placed all federally-owned student loans in forbearance, freezing all payments, interest accrual, and income recertifications. That means if you have Direct, Perkins, PLUS, FFEL, or HEAL loans owned by the Dept. of Education, they’re on hold until the end of September 2021. Any privately-held loans, unfortunately, do not count.
Join us June 7, 14, 21 & 28 as Joy and Ryan navigate the muddy waters of student debt and how you can “flip the script on student debt.”
The first thing to know is that you have options. Depending on your situation, you may be eligible for various payment plans. That may impact how you decide you and your spouse file your taxes, jointly or separately. The latter may increase your taxes , but depending on your tax situation, it could be offset by savings in loan payments.