Latest Changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

Oct 20, 2021 | Uncategorized

Over the past two weeks, the US Department of Education has been working to overhaul the present Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program both on a permanent and temporary basis.

What You Need to Know

If you are employed either in the public sector, or for a non-profit and you have Federal Student Loans, then you are eligible for Federal Student Loan forgiveness.

How to Apply for Loan Forgiveness

If you have already submitted your Public Service Loan Forgiveness Application and it has been accepted, then you should be hearing from the US Department of Education very shortly as they are in the process of reaching out to all eligible Federal Student Loan Borrowers.

If you have not already submitted your application, do so. Before you submit your application, make sure you update all your contact information with your current Federal Student Loan Servicer because there will be a change in servicers for this program after the first of the year.

Forgiveness Qualifications: What Remains the Same

Full time employment with a qualified non-profit or full time with a Governmental Agency: City, State, County, Federal, Tribal

Qualified Loans: To be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, your loans need to be direct loans. If your loans are under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, then you have until October 31, 2022 to consolidate the FFEL loans into the Direct Program.

Ten years of payments, 120 months, must be made.

What has Changed

As noted above, once you consolidate into the Direct Program, you can receive credit for payments made prior to consolidation. This is one of the biggest changes that will assist with PSLF. Again, you only have until October 31, 2022 to take advantage of this.

The prior payments made under ANY repayment plan may count towards the 120 payments.

These are big sweeping changes that have a short lifespan, so now is the time to act. It is unknow when the permanent changes will come into play, or what they may look like because the Regulations have to be drafted.

Additional Resources

https://studentaid.gov/pslf/
Forgiveness Application
Information on PSLF loan forgiveness
How to Apply for PLSFL Student Loan Forgiveness

Tennessee Men’s Health Prostate Cancer Awareness: Movember

Nov 5, 2020 | Uncategorized

Marshall & Associates, PLLC supports men’s health and prostate cancer awareness.

History of Movember

No, it is not a typo. There really is a word Movember coined by its founders back in 2003. Movember does occur each November. The founders came up with an idea to challenge men to grow mustaches and raise money for men’s health and prostate cancer awareness at the same time. To participate in the program, you had to pay $10. In 2020, the program is stronger than ever and raising both awareness and funding to these great causes.

What You Need to Know About Prostate Cancer

Only men have a prostate gland. It sits under the bladder with its main function to produce the fluid that carries sperm. It enlarges with age and is prone to tumor development when cells reproduce at a rapid rate.

Is prostate cancer treatable?

Yes, as with most cancers, much higher survival rates result from early testing and detection.

Tennessee Prostate Cancer Statistics

How many men will die from prostate cancer this year?

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 660 men will die from prostate cancer in Tennessee this year.

There are a number of treatments that can improve the survival rate once diagnosed. Early detection is key. It is good to be able to recognize some of the signs and symptoms.

8 Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

1. Frequent urination, especially at night
2. Painful or burning urination
3. Difficulty in starting urination flow
4. Weak or interrupted flow of urine
5. Difficulty in having erections
6. Painful ejaculation
7. Blood in urine or semen
8. Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper legs

Early Detection: PSA Tests

Doctors recommend having a PSA test done starting at age 50 for most men. African American men and men who have a male relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer (brother or father) fall into a higher risk category. For these men, a PSA test should be performed at age 45. Be sure to ask your primary care physician or urologist about when you should get tested.

Marshall & Associates is committed to raising awareness of prostate cancer and men’s overall health. Please feel free to share this blog post and the information provided.