Question:
Dear Steve,
I still owe 245k (with interest mounting) including interest on student loans. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented me from finishing my Medical degree, however, it was not medical in nature. I will be 70 in June of 2019.
Is there any program or consideration for loan forgiveness for geriatrics?
Dorothy
Answer:
Dear Dorothy,
There is no forgiveness program simply based on age. The only program that comes close is Total and Permanent Disability for federal student loan forgiveness if you, unfortunately, became infirmed as you got older.
That would be a horrible way to deal with the loans.
The more logical approach would be some income-driven repayment plan. These plans can give you the lowest payment possible based on your income. After 20-25 years the remaining balance would be forgiven.
If your loans are private student loans then you would need to get really creative to settle them for substantially less than you owe. In this case, I would suggest talking to Damon Day, who is a friend and a very talented debt coach. Damon has experience in crafting unique custom solutions that involve private student loans.
If you get lost on the path to selecting the correct income-driven repayment plan for your federal student loans you can talk to your servicer or someone like Damon who seems to have a better grasp on the nuances of federal student loan debt than the people who are supposed to know more and provide free advice.
What I do know for certain is you should deal with getting your student loans best situated to head into that time of your life when you may have less income coming in.
I’m glad you reached out for help now before it was too late. I wish I had a miracle solution for your situation but you, like many others, are now facing the reality that student loan debt has become a life sentence. There may never be a period of time for the rest of your life when you won’t still be on the hook for student loans even though you may be on a reduced payment program.
