PSLF buyback: paying for months that didn’t count

What buyback is

PSLF counts monthly payments. Months when your payments were paused by a deferment or forbearance that doesn’t count toward PSLF are gaps in your 120. Buyback lets you fill those months.

The rule

For months when you were in a non-qualifying deferment or forbearance and working full time for a qualifying employer, you can get PSLF credit by either:

• making an additional payment at least equal to what you would have owed then on a qualifying repayment plan, or
• showing you would have qualified for a $0 payment on an income-driven plan then (34 CFR 685.219).

When you can use it

StudentAid.gov says you can buy back months, including months in the SAVE forbearance, once you already have 120 months of qualifying employment.

The RAP exception

The buyback rule doesn’t apply to periods when you were repaying under RAP. On RAP, credit comes from on-time payments.

Planning

Buyback months shorten the remaining count. The PSLF calculator adds them to see what is left.

Not financial or legal advice. This page explains the published rules. It does not tell you which plan to choose. Your loan servicer and StudentAid.gov have the final word on your account.

Next guide: PSLF: which employers qualify, and what full time means