What the forgiveness numbers show so far

As of late 2024, the U.S. Department of Education reports that roughly 4.3 million borrowers have received some form of student loan forgiveness through federal programs. That number includes people who received forgiveness through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), income-driven repayment plan forgiveness, disability discharge, and closed school discharge. The figure does not include the 2023 one-time payment plan that was blocked by the Supreme Court before most borrowers could receive it.

The forgiveness that has actually been processed breaks down into distinct programs with different rules and timelines. PSLF accounts for the largest share of recent forgiveness — over 700,000 borrowers have had loans forgiven through that program since the Department of Education began processing a backlog of applications in 2021. Income-driven repayment forgiveness, which happens after 20 or 25 years of payments depending on the plan, has affected a smaller number because most borrowers have not yet reached the forgiveness point.

These numbers change monthly as the Department processes new applications and as borrowers reach forgiveness milestones on income-driven plans. The exact count depends on how you measure it — whether you count individual borrowers or individual loans, and whether you include people who received partial forgiveness or only those with complete discharge.

Key Takeaways

  • Roughly 4.3 million borrowers have received some form of federal student loan forgiveness as of late 2024, across multiple programs with different rules.
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness accounts for over 700,000 of those borrowers, making it the largest source of recent forgiveness activity.
  • Income-driven repayment forgiveness affects fewer borrowers so far because it requires 20 to 25 years of payments before the loan is discharged.
  • Forgiveness numbers do not include the 2023 one-time payment plan that was blocked by court order before implementation.
  • The Department of Education updates forgiveness counts monthly, so the total continues to grow as new applications are processed.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness is the largest active program

PSLF forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after a borrower makes 120 may have access to payments while working full-time for a government agency or nonprofit organization. The program has existed since 2007, but very few borrowers received forgiveness in its first decade because the rules were strict and many applications were denied for technical reasons.

In October 2021, the Department of Education began processing a backlog of applications that had been rejected under the old rules. Under the temporary waiver, borrowers received credit for payments that would not normally have counted — including payments made under the wrong repayment plan, payments made while in deferment or forbearance, and payments made on loans that had been consolidated. Since then, over 700,000 borrowers have received forgiveness through PSLF, with the vast majority of that forgiveness happening between 2021 and 2023.

The waiver ended in October 2023, so PSLF now operates under its original rules again. Borrowers still receive forgiveness after 120 may have access to payments, but the Department no longer counts payments that would not have may have access to under the standard rules. The pace of new forgiveness has slowed significantly since the waiver ended, though borrowers continue to reach the 120-payment mark each month.

Income-driven repayment forgiveness affects fewer borrowers currently

Under income-driven repayment plans, borrowers make payments based on their income rather than a standard 10-year schedule. After 20 years of payments on most plans, or 25 years on the REPAYE plan, any remaining balance is forgiven. This forgiveness happens automatically — borrowers do not need to submit an application once they reach the payment count.

The number of borrowers who have received income-driven forgiveness is much smaller than PSLF because the program requires two decades or more of payments. Most borrowers who entered repayment in the 2000s or 2010s have not yet reached the forgiveness point. As borrowers who started income-driven plans in the early 2000s reach 20 years of payments, the number receiving forgiveness through this route will increase significantly over the next several years.

The Department of Education does not publish a separate count of borrowers who have received income-driven forgiveness, so the exact number is not publicly available. However, the total is known to be in the tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands.

Disability discharge and closed school discharge account for smaller numbers

Borrowers who become permanently and totally disabled can have their federal student loans discharged through the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) program. The Department of Education verifies disability status through the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Once approved, the remaining loan balance is forgiven and the borrower is no longer responsible for payments.

Closed school discharge forgives loans for borrowers who were enrolled at a school when it closed, or who withdrew within 120 days before closure. The borrower must have been unable to complete their program as a result of the closure. This program has affected several thousand borrowers, particularly after for-profit school closures in the 2010s and 2020s.

Together, TPD and closed school discharge account for several hundred thousand borrowers over the life of the programs, though the exact current count is not regularly published by the Department of Education.

The blocked one-time payment plan would have affected millions

In August 2022, the Biden administration announced a one-time student loan forgiveness plan that would have forgiven up to $20,000 in loans for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for other borrowers. The plan was blocked by the Supreme Court in June 2023 before the Department of Education could process most applications. The Department had begun accepting applications in October 2022, but suspended processing after the court order.

The Department of Education has not published an exact count of how many borrowers submitted applications before the program was halted. Estimates based on news reports and partial data suggest that several million borrowers may have submitted applications, but the vast majority did not receive forgiveness because the program was blocked before processing could be completed.

This plan is not included in the 4.3 million figure cited above, because the forgiveness was not actually granted. The borrowers who submitted applications remain responsible for their full loan balances.

How forgiveness numbers are counted and why they vary

Different sources report different forgiveness totals depending on how they count. Some counts include only borrowers who received complete discharge of all their loans, while others include partial forgiveness. Some count individual borrowers, while others count individual loans — a borrower with multiple loans might be counted multiple times. The Department of Education publishes data in different ways depending on the program, which makes a single unified total difficult to calculate.

The 4.3 million figure represents borrowers across all federal forgiveness programs who have received at least some forgiveness. It is the most commonly cited number, but it includes people who received partial forgiveness and people who received forgiveness through different programs at different times. If you are looking for forgiveness numbers for a specific program, the Department of Education publishes program-specific data on its website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the one-time forgiveness plan happen again?

The Supreme Court blocked the 2022 plan, and no new one-time forgiveness plan has been announced. The Department of Education continues to process forgiveness through existing programs like PSLF and income-driven repayment, but those have different rules and timelines than the blocked plan. Any new one-time forgiveness would require a new policy decision and would face similar legal challenges.

How do I know if my loans were forgiven?

You can check your loan status on StudentAid.gov by logging in with your FSA ID. Your servicer will also send you a notice if your loans are forgiven. If you applied for PSLF or the one-time plan and have not received a decision, you can contact your loan servicer to ask about your application status.

Does forgiveness count as income for taxes?

Federal student loan forgiveness through PSLF, income-driven repayment, disability discharge, and closed school discharge is not counted as taxable income. The one-time forgiveness plan, if it had been implemented, would also not have been taxable. However, state taxes vary — some states may tax forgiveness differently, so check your state's rules.

How many more borrowers will get forgiveness through income-driven plans?

The Department of Education has not published projections for how many borrowers will eventually reach forgiveness through income-driven plans. The number will depend on how many borrowers stay on those plans for 20 to 25 years, which depends on their income changes, employment changes, and whether they consolidate or switch plans.