September 15, 2026
PSLF Counts Changed. Here’s Where Things Stand Now.
If you logged into StudentAid.gov this summer and found fewer qualifying PSLF payments than you expected, you weren’t the only one.
In August, borrowers began reporting sudden drops in their qualifying payment counts. We covered the initial changes in Your Forgiveness Count Changed.
Now we know a little more.
Unfortunately, we still don’t know everything.
Why did some PSLF counts change?
The early confusion made the count changes look like a simple display problem. But some changes appear to be tied to how previous months were classified and whether they actually met PSLF requirements. That distinction matters. Not every month spent in repayment, deferment, or forbearance automatically counts toward PSLF. Your repayment plan, employment, loan status, and other factors can all determine whether a particular month qualifies. Federal Student Aid lets borrowers review their eligible and qualifying payment history directly through StudentAid.gov. You can see individual payment periods and review how they’ve been classified.What if months you expected to count disappeared?
First: a lower number deserves a closer look, not an immediate conclusion. A change doesn't automatically mean that years of forgiveness progress are gone for good. Start by comparing what StudentAid.gov currently shows with the records you already have. That might include:- Previous screenshots of your PSLF count
- Employment certifications
- Payment histories
- Prior PSLF correspondence
- Records showing the status of your loans during the months in question
