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ERIC Number: ED600140
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Sep
Pages: 33
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Improving the Temporary Expanded Process Could Help Reduce Borrower Confusion. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-19-595
Emrey-Arras, Melissa
US Government Accountability Office
The Department of Education's (Education) process for obtaining Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) is not clear to borrowers. Established in 2007, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives federal student loans for borrowers who work for certain public service employers for at least 10 years while making 120 payments via eligible repayment plans, among other requirements. In 2018, Congress funded TEPSLF to help borrowers who faced barriers obtaining PSLF loan forgiveness because they were on repayment plans that were ineligible for PSLF. Congress also required Education to develop a simple method for borrowers to apply for TEPSLF. Education established a process for borrowers to initiate their TEPSLF requests via e-mail. The agency also required TESPLF applicants to submit a separate PSLF application before it would consider their TEPSLF request. Agency officials said they established this process to quickly implement TEPSLF and obtain the information needed to determine borrower eligibility. However, the process can be confusing for borrowers who do not understand why they must apply separately for PSLF--a program they are ineligible for--to be eligible for TEPSLF. This report examines: (1) the extent to which the process for obtaining TEPSLF is clear to borrowers; (2) what is known about loan forgiveness approvals and denials; and (3) the extent to which Education has conducted TEPSLF outreach. Based on the findings, GAO made four recommendations, including that Education integrate the TEPSLF request into the PSLF application, require all loan servicers to include TEPSLF information on their websites, and include TEPSLF information in its PSLF Online Help Tool. Education agreed with GAO's recommendations.
US Government Accountability Office. 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: 202-512-6000; Web site: http://www.gao.gov
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: US Government Accountability Office
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A