Student Debt Resources

AFSCME members, you keep our country and economy running, even in these difficult times. Your work means everything to your community, but at times it can be dangerous, adding considerable stress to you and your family.

On top of this, you may be burdened by student debt. Your union is here to help. AFSCME has partnered with the Student Borrowers Protection Center (SPBC) to provide members with information and resources to ease the burden.

The materials included here offer guidance on federal loan debt relief under the Biden-Harris Federal Student Loan Debt plan,  Income-Driven Repayment plans and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The Biden-Harris Federal Student Loan Debt plan provides relief for federal loan borrowers with personal income less than $150,000, or household income less than $250,000. These borrowers are eligible for up to $10,000 in debt cancellation and even more — up to $20,000 — if the borrower was a Pell Grant recipient. The Biden administration is seeking to overturn court orders that have paused this program, and the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear the arguments in the case in February 2023.

Income-Driven Repayment plans set your monthly student loan payments at an amount that is intended to be affordable based on your income and family size.  There are four types of IDR plans.  After meeting the plan’s payment requirements, any remaining loan balance is to be forgiven if your federal student loans are not repaid at the end of the repayment period.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a federal student loan relief program established in 2007 and designed to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full time in public sector jobs. Participation in the program generally requires that the borrower have a federal Direct Loan, be employed by a qualified employer on a full-time basis and make 120 loan payments under a qualifying repayment plan. Upon meeting these requirements, the borrower’s loans are to be forgiven.

Our union played an important role in advocating for these relief plans and we don’t want you to miss this opportunity.  We encourage you to review the materials on this resource page and check back often for updates.