Graduates

Are your Loans eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?

Only Federal DIRECT Loans (Stafford, GradPLUS and consolidation loans) are eligible for PSLF. If you borrowed federal loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, you have the option to consolidate your FFEL loans with Federal DIRECT Consolidation Loans. Keep in mind that the consolidation loan will enter repayment immediately after graduation without a grace period. You may want to consider delaying the processing of your Direct Consolidation Loan until closer to the end of your grace period.

Use your PIN to look up your federal student loans in the National Student Loan Data System.: www.nslds.ed.gov.

LRAP and PSLF Employment Requirements

CDO/FAO event on Wednesday, February 23, at 1:00 pm in 170 Boalt Hall.

Following a presentation about employment qualification for LRAP and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), a panel of three current LRAP participants will share their experiences and financial perspectives on pursuing legal careers in government and public interest organizations. The presentation will include information about the recently approved “Low Bono” and Union coverage under LRAP for up to seven 2011 graduates.

LRAP Benefits for Civil Legal Assistance Attorneys: First-Come, First-Served

 Re-posted from “LRAP News & Announcements” June 2010:

LRAP Benefits for Civil Legal Assistance Attorneys: First-Come, First-Served

Equal Justice Works reports that a new Federal loan repayment assistance program for civil legal aid attorneys is going to become available soon. The new program is called the Civil Legal Assistance Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (CLAAP) and will assist already licensed graduates in the field of civil legal assistance with the repayment of eligible federal student loans. The attorneys will need to work full-time and remain employed for three years.

An attorney may be awarded up to $6,000 in repayment assistance in 2010 (actually received in 2011), and may be prioritized to receive assistance in future years if Congress continues to fund the program. An attorney may receive a lifetime maximum of $40,000 in assistance.

This program has been funded with five million dollars for the fiscal year 2010. The Department of Education will commit these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications are expected to be due August 16, 2010. The date that applications will be available is unknown, but should be soon. Eligible attorneys should complete the application as soon as it is available because funds are unlikely to cover all applicants.

If you are enrolled in IBR and plan to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness after 10 years of public service, please be aware of the ineligibility double-benefit clause pertaining to the loan repayment assistance program for civil legal aid attorneys and PSLF under CCRAA. Details are listed at Equal Justice Works.

The impact of CLAAP on LRAP support depends on your loan portfolio and repayment plan.

Welcome!

Welcome to Berkeley Law’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) blog!