by AshleyI lately had the pleasure misfortune to spend a number of hours on the cellphone bouncing backwards and forwards between the Division of Training and my scholar mortgage servicer, Mohela. I want I have been being hyperbolic or exaggerating after I say “a number of hours” however, alas, I’m not.To provide some background context, I graduated with my PhD in 2013 with six figures value of scholar mortgage debt. I landed my present job, a full-time job eligible for Public Service Mortgage Forgiveness (PSLF) in July 2015. Nevertheless, I didn’t plan or count on to attend ten years to have my loans forgiven. As an alternative, I set to work with a vengeance attempting to pay them off ASAP.This proved tougher than it sounds. Even with paying over $1,000/month, the curiosity on my loans (most within the 6.5% vary) was so giant that my funds didn’t even cowl the incurring curiosity. And so my mortgage balances continued to develop.Once I first graduated in 2013, my total family revenue was about $50,000/12 months (2 adults and a pair of kids), so these $1,000+/month funds have been the max we might do! We have been paying extra for my scholar loans than for our housing!I ultimately landed my job, we obtained raises throughout time, and I continued to steadily put cash towards these money owed. When the pandemic hit and curiosity accrual on scholar loans was paused? I doubled down on my funds, knocking out particular person loans one-by-one.I want I might see how a lot I’ve paid towards these scholar loans throughout the previous decade (they don’t make it simple to find out). I’m completely assured after I say that I will need to have paid again properly over the unique principal steadiness plus some hefty curiosity. Does that imply they’re paid off? Nope. I nonetheless owe about $25,000. Twelve years after graduating. And ten years after touchdown my PSLF-eligible job.Does that imply my loans are about to be forgiven since I’ve now been with my employer for ten years? Additionally no. Proper now the Federal Mortgage web site says my loans are set to be forgiven in October 2026. Why the delay? I’m not likely positive. And apparently nobody else is both.I did have 7 months after I had requested forbearance all through the previous decade: 3 months in 2017, and 4 months in 2018. The kicker is that if I’d had an extended interval of forbearance, then it will have been forgiven and counted towards PSLF. However I attempted every part in my energy NOT to enter forbearance and I solely used it after I completely couldn’t make the fee. And subsequently, these intervals haven’t been forgiven (per Dept of Ed: Forbearance can rely towards PSLF if it’s 12 or extra consecutive months, or 36 or extra cumulative months).In order that explains why my “forgiveness” timeline can be delayed by 7 months. Nevertheless it’s delayed by 15 months. The place are these further 8 months of delay coming from?No clue. I referred to as the Division of Training. Waited on maintain for actually an hour earlier than talking to a human. The individual stated it was between me and the mortgage servicer. That was it. I referred to as Mohela. Waited on maintain, once more, for about an hour. They usually stated it was one thing I wanted to take up with the Division of Ed. Ooof.I requested a recalculation of my mortgage payoff date, ensuring my employer certification is up-to-date. I’m awaiting these outcomes.One factor BOTH of those entities advised although – I might “purchase again” among the time by paying for the mortgage funds for the months after I’d been in forbearance. That method, I’d hit my 120-months sooner and have my remaining loans forgiven.That is, apparently, a brand new(ish?) program they’re providing to debtors.However is it value it?In my case, I feel not. I’d LOVE nothing greater than to be DONE with these scholar loans as soon as and for all. Simply the psychological facet of not having this debt dangle over me can be superb and I virtually thought of it for that cause alone.However financially, it’s not the perfect transfer. They calculate the reimbursement prices based mostly on the typical month-to-month fee on the time the fee was due. Proper now my mortgage funds are a lot decrease as a result of I’d centered on paying off one loan-at-a-time (versus distributing further funds throughout all scholar loans), so despite the fact that my rates of interest are nonetheless the identical, I’m paying towards solely a remaining couple of loans so my funds are decrease. If I have been to make funds that have been the “common dimension” from 2017 and 2018? These can be extra like these monstrous $1,000+/month funds I used to be making method again then.I’m nonetheless crossing my fingers {that a} recalculation can be accomplished and so they’ll uncover I’m truly eligible for forgiveness earlier than October 2026 (although I’m not going to carry my breath!). However even when the forgiveness date stays the identical, I’m simply going to attend it out and rely down till October 2016. I’m lastly (virtually) within the final 12 months! In some methods it’s simple to be discouraged. I’d initially projected being totally debt-free by the point my ladies turned 10. After which by their thirteenth birthday. Each of these dates have come and gone and I nonetheless have this scholar mortgage debt hanging round.Additionally, it’s exhausting to not really feel bitter or disenchanted that I’ve greater than paid these loans again (plus curiosity) and am STILL saddled by debt. They make it so exhausting to dig your method out! To not point out the truth that I attempted my hardest to NOT depend on this forgiveness program. When all my pals stopped paying on their loans in 2020, I paid further, decided to wipe it out! And but right here I’m. Nonetheless in debt. The good equalizer. Simply ready out my time, like an inmate counting down their days till a projected launch date that feels prefer it retains getting pushed again for seemingly no cause.However after I get discouraged, I strive some cognitive reframing. All alongside, I’ve completed the perfect I might do. I may be happy with that (even when it wasn’t at all times in my very own monetary finest curiosity). I’m happy with how far I’ve come and for perhaps the primary time, I can really see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel. I’m ONE YEAR away from forgiveness (fingers crossed), and I’ll journey issues out till then. Have you ever tried to “purchase again” any months of your fee historical past to make them qualifying funds for PSLF? Why or why not? What have been components in your consideration?Hello, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at coronary heart. Lover of working, running a blog, and all issues cheeeeese. Early 40s, married mom of two, working in academia. Attempting to lastly (lastly!) repay that ridiculous 6-digit scholar mortgage debt!