Student Loan Planner Tax-Free Forgiveness Strategies
Nov 25, 2025
Explore the nuances of tax-free loan forgiveness strategies before the 2026 deadline. Discover how timing can save you money, and learn about clever tax bomb planning. Listeners share stories of PSLF challenges, marriage-related filing dilemmas, and the pros and cons of refinancing high earners. You’ll also find insights on navigating servicer disputes and avoiding risky tax maneuvers. This episode emphasizes making life choices over loan strategies, urging borrowers to prioritize their futures.
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Escalate Servicer Payment Disputes Widely
- File complaints broadly (FSA, Ombudsman, congressional office) when servicers give conflicting answers about employer lump-sum PSLF payments.
- Escalate to your senator or representative's constituent services if FSA/Ombudsman yields no resolution.
Commute Sacrifice For Small Employer Benefit
- Travis recounts a dentist couple commuting long distances to chase small employer loan benefits that added little value to their overall repayment plan.
- The example illustrates chasing marginal benefits can harm life quality when IDR forgiveness was already the likely path.
Weigh MFS Tradeoffs For IDR Payments
- Married filing separately can keep IDR payments based on only your income, but it often raises PAYE/IBR payments and eliminates ACA premium subsidies.
- Weigh higher loan payments against lost health insurance subsidies before choosing MFS.
