I’m a Teacher And Wonder if I Can Get My Student Loans Reduced for Teaching in a Title 1 School. – Victoria

“Dear Steve,

I have been teaching at the same Title 1 school for more than 10 years. Both before and after October 30, 2004 (the date indicated in the forgiveness details), I have completed at least 5 years of teaching. About $70,000 of Stafford Loan debt has accrued because of enrollment in a Master’s and a Ph.D. program in Education.

Can a teacher apply for Stafford Loan forgiveness every five years of teaching, or is $5,000 the maximum amount regardless of number of years taught?

Victoria”

Dear Victoria,

If you have five consecutive, complete years of teaching service that began before Oct. 30, 2004, and have already received the $5,000 teacher loan forgiveness maximum, you may be eligible for up to $12,500 ($17,500 minus the $5,000 received) if you have completed the period of service as a highly qualified full-time mathematics or science teacher in a qualifying secondary school or as a highly qualified special education teacher as defined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

For all the fine print, click here.

Steve Rhode Debt Coach and Author

Steve Rhode is the Get Out of Debt Guy and has been helping good people with bad debt problems since 1994. You can learn more about Steve, here.

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