Here's how soon experts say Biden's student loan forgiveness will reflect in your account

Now that millions of federal student loan borrowers have received the long-anticipated news that a portion of their debt will be forgiven, they've entered a new phase: waiting to see it reflected in their loan balances.

Last week, President Joe Biden announced his plan to cancel up to $10,000 in federal student debt per borrower and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. Individuals earning less than $125,000 per year and married couples or heads of households earning less than $250,000 per year are eligible for the debt cancellation.

And while it may sound like a lengthy process to see play out with lenders, Meagan Landress, certified student loan professional and consultant at Student Loan Planner, tells Select that borrowers could expect to have the forgiveness reflected in their accounts before the end of the year.

Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz agrees, adding that it will probably take one or two months for the U.S. Department of Education and student loan servicers to implement loan forgiveness.

Below is everything we know from what information has been provided to the public so far on when borrowers can expect the relief.

In order to receive forgiveness, most federal student loan borrowers whose income qualifies will need to submit an application form detailing their income.

According to Kantrowitz, this can add time to the process, and we don't yet know how complex the form is — it's said to be available by early October. If loan forgiveness ends up being challenged in court, that might mean a delay, too.

The Federal Student Aid website says, however, that relief can be expected within four to six weeks of completing the application; the website also advises to apply before Nov. 15, 2022, in order to see your loans forgiven by the end of this year.

Some qualified borrowers, however, may see their forgiveness sooner. Those with income-driven repayment plans should receive their student loan forgiveness automatically since the Department of Education already has their income data, Kantrowitz explains. The Department of Education estimates 8 million borrowers to receive relief automatically since their income information is already on file.

In the meantime, federal student loan borrowers can sign up through the Department of Education subscription page to be notified when the forgiveness process officially opens and the application form goes live. The deadline to apply, which is noted on the Federal Student Aid website, is Dec. 31, 2023.

If you still paid your loans after the payment pause was enacted on March 13, 2020, you may qualify for a refund. There are already reports of borrowers calling their lenders, asking for a refund and receiving payments within days. While that action will bring a borrowers student loan balance back up, they will then likely get their balance canceled after applying for forgiveness.

Many borrowers are likely wondering how to proceed with their loan repayment plan if they still have some student debt left over after the forgiveness is applied to their balance.

Firstly, both Landress and Kantrowitz recommend taking advantage of the continued payment and interest pause on federal student loans. As part of President Biden's announced plan, he included extending again the Covid-induced federal student loan repayment moratorium, this time through Dec. 2022.

Borrowers who don't need to reallocate these funds to boost their savings or pay off higher-interest debt (such as credit cards) can take advantage by still making their student loan payments through the end of the year anyways. Not only does this get student loan borrowers back in the habit of paying off their debt monthly, but with interest on hold, it means their money is going directly toward the principal.

Come 2023, when payments and interest on federal student loans are expected to pick back up (and after borrowers have ideally received their forgiveness), those who are paying a high interest rate may want to sign up for autopay to see what that does. "Not only are they less likely to be late with a payment, but they will get a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction as an incentive," Kantrowitz says.

Another option when dealing with a high interest rate is to consider refinancing depending on what the marketplace is offering. Doing this allows borrowers to consolidate all their loan payments into one, ideally with a lower interest rate, and to choose a new loan term.

Keep in mind, however, that refinancing federal loans with a private lender strips borrowers of any federal loan protections, such as income-driven repayment plans, future student loan forgiveness and deferment or forbearance options — which is why borrowers should wait to receive Biden's loan forgiveness first. Even though the Department of Education will continue processing applications for forgiveness after the payment pause expires at the end of this year, we recommend sending in your application as soon as it becomes available so that you can get your forgiveness ASAP.

If you choose refinancing

When shopping around, borrowers should check out some of Select's top student loan refinancing lenders. One of the best, SoFi, offers its own protections, which may be suitable enough for someone to make the switch.

And borrowers who want to refinance, whether it's a federal student loan or a private student loan, can get better approval odds with lenders such as Earnest and Citizens™. The former allows those with fair credit scores to apply, while the latter allows for applying with a co-signer.

Whichever repayment route you choose, know that there are products out there that help ensure you're always paying off your student debt (even when you don't want to think about it). The student loan repayment app, Chipper, for example, uses your everyday spare change to consistently chip away at your student loan debt. Read Select's full review of Chipper to learn more.

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*Fixed rates range from 3.99% APR to 10.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Variable rates range from 5.74% APR to 10.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates will never exceed 13.95% (the maximum rate for these loans). SoFi rate ranges are current as of 8/19/26 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term. Medical/Dental Loan Disclaimer: Fixed rates range from 4.12% APR to 9.99% APR with a 0.125% discount for Doctors and Dentist, and a 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus Discount. Variable rates range from 5.87% - 9.99% APR with a 0.125% discount for Doctors and Dentist, and a 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus Discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates will never exceed 13.95% (the maximum rate for these loans). SoFi rate ranges are current as of 4/1/26 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors. These specialized rates are offered to applicants who are physicians or dentists with the following degrees: Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Optometry (OD), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD), Physician Assistant (MPA), Physical Therapy (MTP or DPT). Not available to residents, fellows, or students. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term. Autopay Discount: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly payments as outlined in your loan agreement by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. When the autopay interest rate deduction is added or removed, the next time the loan is re-amortized (quarterly for fixed rate loans; monthly for variable rate loans),the principal balance of your loan will be spread over the remaining loan term, and your monthly payment amount will change. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment, grace period, or forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. Member Rate Discount: To be eligible for an additional 0.125% interest rate reduction on a Student Loan Refinancing, you must, within 31 days of loan funding, either (1) be a SoFi Plus subscriber, (2) receive an Eligible Direct Deposit into a SoFi Checking or Savings account, or (3) receive at least $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. You must continue to meet at least one of the above eligibility criteria every 31 days to maintain the discount. See the SoFi Plus terms for details on SoFi Plus subscription. For more details on Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, please see https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Once you become eligible during the initial period, the discount will be removed or reinstated depending on whether the criteria have been met. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time for unenrolled participants. You are not required to meet these criteria to be approved for a loan. SoFi Plus Discount: To be eligible to receive an additional (0.125%) interest rate reduction on your Student Loan Refinancing (your "Loan") for enrolling in SoFi Plus, you must enroll in SoFi Plus within 30 days of Loan funding, either by receiving an Eligible Direct Deposit to your SoFi Checking and Savings account, or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have received Eligible Direct Deposit to your SoFi Checking and Savings Account, or during periods in which SoFi successfully receives payment of the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. This discount lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your regular monthly payment. This discount will be removed during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off Eligible Direct Deposit to your Checking and Savings account or in which you have not paid the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this interest rate reduction offer for unenrolled participants at any time without notice. You are not required to enroll in Eligible Direct Deposit or to pay the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee to be eligible for Loan approval. See what qualifies as an Eligible Direct Deposit here: www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#slr-discount
Eligible Direct Deposit means regularly recurring deposit of regular income to an Automated Clearing House ("ACH") Network during a 30-Day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Although we do our best to recognize all Eligible Direct Deposits, a small number of employers, payroll providers, benefits providers, or government agencies do not generate payments that are detectable by our system. So qualifying direct deposits are those where the student loan refinance discount rate is applied automatically for each month where you have an Eligible Direct Deposit of at least $1,000 per 30-day Evaluation Period. Eligible Direct Deposit does not include transfers between accounts you own, refunds, rebates, reimbursements, stimulus payments, merchant refunds, or payments from person-to-person payment services (such as Venmo). To qualify for the 0.25% interest rate reduction, the direct deposit must be recurring and paid directly into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. For the avoidance of doubt, deposits made via check, cash, or mobile check deposit are not eligible. Direct Deposit eligibility is determined by SoFi's sole discretion. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the period starting on the "Start Date" and ending on the "End Date" set forth on the App Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the "30-Day Evaluation Period"). You can access the APV Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking → Checking → APV or (ii) Banking → Checking → APV Details. If you do not qualify for the discount during the initial 30-Day Evaluation Period, your loan will not be eligible for a discount unless you re-qualify in a later 30-Day Evaluation Period. If you qualify during the 30-Day Evaluation Period, the discount will be applied on a going-forward basis only. SoFi Bank determines eligibility. If you have a joint account, each account holder receives Eligible Direct Deposits into your SoFi Checking and Savings account, then you will be eligible for all SoFi Plus benefits, including on accounts you hold in your own name. Federal Loan Disclosure: Terms and conditions apply. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FORFEIT YOUR ELiIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Learn more at SoFi.com/eligiblity. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).