Public Defenseless 35: Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Student Debt with Jane Fox and Kyle Morris
This week, Hunter sat down with Jane Fox and Kyle Morris to discuss one of the pressing issues facing millions of Americans: Student Loans.
As of today, there is roughly $1.75 trillion in student loans that remain outstanding. For many, these debts will carry with them until they hit retirement age. This is a debt that cannot be discharged via bankruptcy and the high interest rates make it extremely difficult for those in low paying public service jobs to ever pay off the principle. That is where Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) comes into play.
While it is far from a perfect program, PSLF has helped thousands of people serving the public. After 10 years of service and 10 years of payments, certain loans can be completely forgiven. Yet, the program, as many government programs are, is extremely cumbersome to navigate. Recognizing these difficulties and wanting to help, Jane and Kyle offer their expertise to guide people through the PSLF process to lift the burden of debt off of their shoulders!
Key Topics and Takeaways:
How much Debt Kyle and Jane Had [15:00]
History of PSLF [24:00]
The Problems with Loan Servicers [28:00]
Specific Requirements for PSLF [32:00]
Hurdles to PSLF [34:110]
Future of PSLF and the Student Loan Industry [41:00]
PSLF Is For More than Just Attorneys [47:38]
The Politics of Student Loan Forgiveness [59:00]
Guests:
Jane Fox, Staff Attorney, New York Legal Aid Society
Kyle Morris, Public Defender, Nashville Public Defender Office
Memorable Quotes:
"Jane and I often joke that talking to servicers is like our clients talking to the Police. It's usually not a good idea without an attorney present" – Kyle [28:45]
Resources:
Contact Kyle: kylemmorris@jisnashville.gov
Contact Jane: Jfox@legal-aid.org
For Help with PSLF Call DOE Ombudsman
877-557-2575
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Contact Hunter Parnell:
hwparnell@publicdefenseless.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com