Who Can I Talk to About Student Loan Forgiveness?

Before leaving office, President Biden canceled more student loan debt than any president in history—more than anyone globally, for that matter. And yet, here you are. Still waiting. Still stuck with a loan balance. Still hoping for forgiveness that hasn’t happened.

And now, with a new administration taking office, you want answers.

Who can you actually talk to about getting your student loans forgiven?

The short answer: For federal student loans, call the Loan Discharge and Forgiveness Customer Support line at 1-888-303-7818. That’s the official helpline the U.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of Education (ED)The federal agency that oversees federal student aid programs, issues regulations for federal student loans, and is the ultimate lender on Direct Loans. says is supposed to assist you.

But what if you’ve already tried that—and got nowhere?

Let’s talk about your next steps.

Who You Can Actually Speak With for Student Loan Forgiveness

If you’re still waiting for forgiveness, here’s who you can reach out to:

• Your loan servicerLoan ServicerThe company that manages a borrower's federal student loan account, processes payments, and handles applications for repayment plans, deferment, forbearance, and forgiveness on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. : They manage your loans but often give incomplete or conflicting information. If you call, ask for a supervisor if you’re not getting clear answers.
• Federal Student AidFederal Student Aid (FSA)The office within the U.S. Department of Education that manages federal grants, work-study, and student loans. It runs the FAFSA, the StudentAid.gov website, and oversees the federal loan servicers. Information Center: This is the Department of Education’s general support line. The FSAIC can explain forgiveness programs but can’t approve or fix errors in your loan records.
• Public Service Loan ForgivenessPublic Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)A federal program that forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full-time for a government or qualifying nonprofit employer. Support Team: Specifically trained to help with PSLF issues like qualifying payments not being counted. If you’ve already submitted your forms and payments aren’t updating, they may refer you back to your servicer.
• The FSA Ombudsman Group: A last resort. The FSA Ombudsman can help if you’re stuck in a dispute with your servicer, but they work slowly and focus on resolving errors, not speeding up forgiveness.

What If I Still Don't Get Help?

If these options leave you with more questions—or if you’ve been stuck in circles—there are a few other resources:

• State-Based Advocacy Groups: Some states offer direct borrower help, like EdCap in New York or the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. In California, Celina Damian serves as the student loan ombudsman.
• Social Media Groups: Reddit and Facebook groups can offer shared experiences and advice from other borrowers, but be cautious—bad information spreads fast.
• Student Loan Lawyers (Like Me): My team and I help borrowers deal with loan forgiveness program problems when the system fails. We’ve helped people get forgiveness for PSLF issues where payments were miscounted, one-time account adjustment delays, disability discharges when the process stalled, and other debt relief.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you’re tired of getting the runaround, book a consultation with a student loan expert. We’ll help you understand your options and make a plan to get results.

Who Handles Student Loan Forgiveness?

Your main point of contact for federal loan forgiveness questions is the Loan Discharge and Forgiveness Customer Support line at 1 (888) 303-7818. That’s where the U.S. Department of Education has centralized help for forgiveness programs.

But let’s be real—this hasn’t always worked well.

Before, you had to contact your loan servicer (or multiple servicers if you had several loans). Each one gave different answers, often wrong ones. That’s part of why over 99% of PSLF applications were denied early on and why people missed out on programs like Teacher Loan Forgiveness and Closed School Discharges. Borrowers were either told nothing—or told the wrong thing—by the companies paid to help them.

Today, the system is supposed to be more centralized. But here’s the truth: hold times are still long, and the help you get depends on who answers the phone.

That’s why so many people hire professional help with their loans—even though they shouldn’t have to. They’re tired of getting the runaround and want clear, reliable answers. It makes sense when you consider how life-changing forgiveness can be, especially when loan balances are double or triple what people owe on their mortgage.

Who to Contact for Student Loan Forgiveness Options?

If you’re trying to get your loans forgiven, here’s who you can contact based on your situation:

• For PSLF, Total and Permanent Disability DischargeTotal and Permanent Disability Discharge (TPD)A federal loan discharge for borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled, as documented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, or a physician's certification., Borrower Defense, Closed School DischargeClosed School DischargeA federal loan discharge available to borrowers whose school closed while they were enrolled or shortly after they withdrew, before they could complete their program of study., TEACH Grants, and Income-Driven RepaymentIncome-Driven Repayment (IDR)A category of federal student loan repayment plans that calculate monthly payments based on income and family size rather than loan balance. Any remaining balance can be forgiven after 20–25 years of qualifying payments. Plan Forgiveness: Call the Loan Discharge and Forgiveness Support Line at 1 (888) 303-7818. Expect long hold times. If you’re not getting clear answers, ask to speak with a supervisor.
• For Private Student Loans: Contact your lender or student loan servicer directly. If you’re not sure which one to call, check your loan statements or log in to your account.

Examples:

• If you borrowed from Sallie Mae, they’re both the lender and servicer—call them directly.
• If you borrowed from Navient, they hired MOHELAMOHELAThe Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, a federal student loan servicer that currently handles accounts for borrowers in Public Service Loan Forgiveness and other federal loan portfolios. to service your loans, so you’d need to contact MOHELA.

If calling your lender doesn’t help, you can also file a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB will step in and work with the lender or servicer to get a response.

Feeling stuck? If you’ve already tried calling and still feel like you’re hitting a wall, you’re not alone. My team and I have helped borrowers get forgiveness when:

• PSLF payments weren’t being counted correctly.
• Loans weren’t forgiven after the one-time account adjustment.
• Disability discharges were delayed.

How to Make Sure Your Student Loans Are Forgiven

1. Check Your Loan Type: Not all federal loans qualify for forgiveness. For example, the PSLF program only forgives Federal Direct Loans. If you have Federal Family Education Loans, you’ll need to consolidate those FFEL Loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify. The same is true if you have Perkins Loans.
2. Confirm You’re on the Right Repayment Plan: The Saving on a Valuable Education Plan is currently blocked due to ongoing litigation. If you’re enrolled in SAVE, you’re in an interest-free forbearance where payments don’t count toward forgiveness. To keep making progress and avoid losing PSLF or IDR credit, switch to an eligible IDR plan like Pay As You Earn or Income-Contingent RepaymentIncome-Contingent Repayment (ICR)The oldest federal income-driven repayment plan, with payments generally set at 20% of discretionary income or a fixed 12-year amount, whichever is lower. It is the only IDR plan available to Parent PLUS borrowers after consolidation.. These plans base your monthly payment on your income and family size. Staying in a qualifying repayment plan is essential for keeping your progress toward loan cancellation on track.
3. Review Eligibility Requirements: PSLF requires 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. IDR ForgivenessIDR ForgivenessThe forgiveness of any remaining federal student loan balance after a borrower has completed 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan, depending on the specific plan. typically requires 240 or 300 qualifying payments, depending on your repayment plan. Time spent in deferment or forbearance generally doesn’t count.
4. Take Action Now: Enroll in PAYEPay As You Earn (PAYE)A federal income-driven repayment plan that caps monthly payments at 10% of discretionary income and forgives remaining debt after 20 years. It is only available to borrowers who took out their first federal loans on or after October 1, 2007. or ICR (applications are open through July 1, 2027) and submit your application at StudentAid.gov.

Bottom Line

Student loan forgiveness shouldn’t be this complicated. But with changing rules and confusing servicer advice, it often is.

If you’re unsure whether you’re on the right repayment plan, worried about missing out on loan cancellation, or just tired of getting the runaround, you’re not alone.

My team has helped hundreds of borrowers get clarity and results with PSLF, IDR forgiveness, and more.

Book a call today, and let’s make sure you’re on the right track for the forgiveness you deserve.