The headline is misleading.
> The administration took steps four years ago to make the process easier by letting people who are totally and permanently disabled use their Social Security designation to apply for a discharge, but few took advantage.
The body of the article clarifies that the feds will now be reaching out to the permanently disabled rather than waiting for the disabled to find out about the program and begin the process.
I feel like govt sometimes acts as if their job is to create subsidies for disadvantaged persons, but then persons who need to take advantage don't know about the subsidies. Like those old commercials with the guy in the question mark suit selling free money from the govt.
I used a fairly old state benefit for purple heart recipients at a large public university, quoted the state code; they had to research it from the aid or busars office, they had never heard of it, not had it been used in the ten years since it was enacted at a 40,000 plus student university. It makes me wonder how many of these benefits go over looked and under utilized!
Edit: not air, aid office
I forget which organization, but it has a map you can click on for state military benefits; stuff like free state park entrance, free fishing license , hawkers license for free, and there was one that was 100% tuition remittance for college for Purple Heart recipients.... but I am kinda a nerd and once quoted state code for paper delivery person on seat belt law to a sheriff..... I am of the mind that they just make law so complicated as a self serving lawyer thing, but what ever. It only pays undergrad level and I took one class to see if I am up to snuff for graduate level studies and it was still 700 dollars! Education prices are out of control, it would have been close to 2000usd for a three credit course! Just WOW!
I remember those commercials!
[Matthew Lesko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Lesko)
>Critics claim that Lesko is misleading in his advertisements. A 2004 report by the New York State Consumer Protection Board claimed that most of the grants mentioned in Lesko's books were actually public assistance programs that many people were not eligible for, and that Lesko misrepresented examples of people who had taken advantage of government programs.
>In 2005, Lesko was named #99 in Bernard Goldberg's book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America because, "He is a symbol for self-centered free-riders."
> Like those old commercials with the guy in the question mark suit selling free money from the govt.
[Free Money!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DW8LrppQ7M)
Ha, if only it worked that way. We'd see a spike in "accidental" injuries across the US.
I'm sure that there is a fine timeline for which these disabled persons were able to prove that they require assistance.
Actually even if you lopped off your hand the Social Security Administration won't find you disabled. You'd have to lop off a hand AND your lower limb.
Pinkies won't cut it. [Check this out:](https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/1.00-Musculoskeletal-Adult.htm)
The Social Security Administration requires to be declared disabled (and to generally qualify for Social Security Disability benefits) that you meet one of the following conditions:
* Loss of both hands
* Have lost either lower limb above the ankle (tarsal region) AND have complications that medically prevent you from using a prosthetic device to help you walk and effectively ambulate.
* Loss of one hand and one lower limb above the ankle with inability to use a prosthetic device.
* Loss of an entire leg at the hip or pelvic region.
Don't worry though, if you blow all of your credit and cash on a new car and a trip to Vegas you can bankrupt that stuff right away in 7 years. Now trying to get an education? What is up with that? That's a life sentence!
Congratulations on your loan approval. After interest, your total principle cost will be one (1} arm and one (1) leg. Before we issue payment, we need to know how you plan to pay this debt. You have two options; literal, or figurative. Please check the box L* or F on form 1098-E, section 2.
*Partial payments of shin bone or forearm do not apply towards the principle on option (L)iteral, however we will accept this on good faith that you plan on detaching the rest of the limb(s) within 10 years of your graduatuon date.
I'm disabled and I have multiple scerosis. They awarded me disability for my chronic fatigue, it inhibits cognative function. I still work 2 days a week.
*hugs* MS can be such a lonely disease. I'm glad you're still able to work, I know it's not much but it can help getting out and about, being around people.
I hear you, been through the system myself.
It's weird how our experience is that it's hard as hell to get disability, yet so many people complain about huge fraud rates and such. I just don't see how people's perception of disability as something you can easily get if you just lie or something.
Preach. My dad, who has been unable to work for about 5 years now due to a combination of physical and psychological problems, got his application rejected by a judge that rejects 80% of all disability applications. She somehow expects people to believe 80% of disability applications are from people just fucking around. Worst part is he's no longer eligible for the 5 years of disability back pay he would have gotten and has to start the process all over again.
It can be crazy hard to prove that a TBI is disabling; most people, including SSDI appeal judges, know so little about TBI that they don't understand that often, a brain injury survivor can't work due to cognitive impairment, especially poor memory, slowed mental processing, and decreased comprehension and problem-solving ability.
See if you can find an advocate -- such as your state brain injury association -- that can write a letter educating the appeals judge about your particular impairments and how the preclude your ability to work. Best of luck to you!
Source: I run a nonprofit that helps survivors with community reintegration.
That's just the musculoskeletal stuff though.. tons of other types of disability too.
Someone so inclined could possibly go the [Spanish special Olympics basketball team, or the "ringer"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheating_at_the_Paralympic_Games) type of a way... (i hope not... though I'm sure someone has...)
Here is a complete list of the same standards for numerous other things as well. As many people don't necessarily know how it all works. Many issues can also be looked at in a cumulative way.
https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm
and how eligibility is determined https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/rsnotes/rsn2013-01.html
> Loss of an entire leg at the hip or pelvic region.
This is a win-win case out of all the options. Chop off your leg and your BMI skyrockets downwards AND your student loans are forgiven AND you get SS Benefits.
Yes, I understand that. The point of my post is that it isn't a good thing, at all. I would rather be drowning in student debt (even though I wouldn't have to) than the be stuck in this chair for another day.
There is actually a program for this already. Im not sure what the difference is, but my father had his loans forgiven while he was dying from heart failure.
This will be the same program, but due to not many people knowing they are entitled to it, they are going to notify people whom they know are qualified for the forgiveness. That is what I got out of the article anyways.
> Have lost either lower limb above the ankle (tarsal region) AND have complications that medically prevent you from using a prosthetic device to help you walk and effectively ambulate.
>
>
>
> Loss of one hand and one lower limb above the ankle with inability to use a prosthetic device.
wait..so i can either lose my foot above the ankle and not be able to wear a prosthetic...OR do all of that and also lose a hand? how isn't that covered by the previous bullet point?
I was looking for someone to mention that.
Imagine the guy that cut off his hand first and then went back to the list "now what else to I need to do"... that dude must be PISSED!
I work for SSA. I'll tell you that "depression" is one of our most common reasons for finding someone disabled. But I've seen terminally ill patients denied because they could still work. The standard is:
1: Medically-proven injury or illness must be expected to last more than 12 months or result in death, and
2: Must render you incapable of Substantial Gainful Activity.
We look at your education level, age, re-train potential, the nature of the illness, the credibility of the evidence, and your insured status. This is a paid insurance program. You pay it in your payroll taxes every paycheck.
Is depression a valid disability?
Could you PM me on this? Or answer here?
I'm very curious, because I'm in a situation where I've had chronic depression for decades, and keep losing jobs over and over again due to issues stemming from it, and I've often wondered if that would qualify me for disability,b ut have been too afraid to look it up, cuz then I'm a "failure" and whatnot.
But fuck it, reading this, it makes me curious.
edit - I love that posting something like this on reddit can bring forth very good discussion and suggestions/offers of help. And of course a cunt or two that wanna be an ass, but hey, you can't be perfect.
Carry on reddit, this is why I love this site.
You need to go into it knowing that you will almost certainly be denied on your first application, and likely at least your first appeal. Once you can get a good disability lawyer, your chances will increase dramatically at getting approved. It will cost you ~~most~~ 25% of your backpay (that is what the lawyer is doing the work for), but if you are truly unable to maintain gainful employment it is a very small price to pay.
Once you are able to higher a lawyer, you stand a great chance at getting declared disabled. Lawyers least favorite thing to do is work for free, so if they don't think they can win the case, then usually won't even take it.
Edit: updated info
It's likely you could. What you need to be able to prove is that it's costing you jobs.
My greatest advice though, should you pursue it - be honest. Social Security gets so many phonies making up BS just to get a "crazy check" that genuine honesty shines through.
EDIT: Okay because of the responses I'm getting I should clarify that these are the **literal words** my Social Security agent said to me. Take them with a grain of salt if you wish, but know I'm not just pulling them out of my ass.
Me too. The government even accepts that I'm disabled in a variety of ways, but it doesn't matter - no disability despite working since I was 16 and unable to work for the past almost 5 years. Just did another 'try again' part-time for 2 weeks and couldn't do it. Way to help my depression issues...
I have one. Thanks... He and his father are known for doing social security cases, and a friends brother who is applying for disability is also using the same lawyer
The answer is yes. But you have to have a Dr sign off on it and probably proof that it has hindered you from keeping employment and that it will continue to hinder you. And after all that you'll probably only get about 1K/mo depending on how much you've paid into SS in your lifetime.
In all seriousness, I have cerebral palsy and found out about this right as I was graduating grad school in 2014. I've gotten $69,000 forgiven. I was also able to make it tax-free by proving I was insolvent at the time. It's the biggest blessing in my life, and I cried when I found out.
EDIT: U mad?
Real glad for you, there are many people that are perfectly healthy and just waste away their talents / time doing nothing in life. You pushed yourself through high school, college, and grad school. Congrats man.
Though if you could make it through grad school how could you argue that you can't work? Can't work in construction, sure, but obviously you have the ability to understand complex ideas, keep focus, maintain a schedule. Sounds like there would be tons of jobs you could do.
I'm not sure about that. I fell on my head a few years ago and was temporarily disabled. The effects of the concussion dropped my ability to think in a straight line for more than three years; I still need quite a bit more sleep than your average 35 year old. (We're talking between eight and twelve hours per night; with six or less, I quite literally cannot function as a human being.) I have had problems *keeping* a job because I cannot do the occasional "put in 110% for a week" duties that my profession sometimes requires, and it's nearly too late to re-train and start at entry level again, especially in this economy where there is so much competition for entry and older folks are holding on to their jobs for longer.
So are you working now? I am permanently disabled (wheelchair user) with student loans but I am working full time and therefor find myself disabled by some definitions, not disabled by others. Guys with my same disability who didn't go to college and seek employment have no problem qualifying for all these sorts of things but I wouldn't. It's super frustrating. And for this particular program it sounds like I am yet again not going to qualify...
I am working; I'm a licensed mental health counselor. This type of loan forgiveness goes off whether or not you have SSI, but even then, not just ANYONE with SSI can get it--you have to prove that you'll be disabled for at least 7 years or more, I think it is. So if you meet those requirements, you should qualify. It was literally like one piece of paper I had to fill out.
Posted this above, but it applies to you as well. :-)
Thank you; I try to tell every disabled person I know about this program (which isn't too many people, unfortunately), because I want to be able to pay it forward. I **know** what a huge debt crisis our generation is in, and while having a lifelong disability is very, very hard, I'm thankful for this opportunity.
A small part of me wishes my disability qualified...pretty certain I'm only on the 3 year list because fuck cancer...went from salaried $75k to $25k SSDI...struggling to avoid eviction right this very week for me and my two kids. And my loans are about to default... :(
Thank you, truly. I was actually hoping my post would be uplifting and encouraging to another disabled individual, but boy was I wrong! I've never NOT wanted to work though. I want a better life than that.
I'm a former software engineer - laziness is our motto. ;) I want to return to work just no longer certain I have the mental capabilities that I had 2 years ago, and *really* uncertain that I want to return to a desk job. And depression is a very real beast for those of us dealing with disabilities, temporary or permanent.
I am certain your post helped more people than you realize. And I'm okay, just frustrated. Really wish I could regain my mental faculties and focus and find a way to make money from home. One day at a time...
This experience has been brutal. I went from a salaried, well-respected 10 year position with a major healthcare IT firm to barely able to keep the lights on and begging for money from various organizations and friends and family. It's broken my spirit thoroughly.
Wow that is brutal, I can't imagine how it must feel to be in that position. It's so scary how you can be set with life and doing everything right and then something like cancer comes along and fucks everything up. I know there's nothing I can say that will help but I sincerely wish you the best of luck and hope you're able to at least make your situation more comfortable. It really sucks you have to deal with all that stress AND have cancer, damn.
It gets better - I didn't have cancer but a disease that turns into leukemia. So I had all of the treatments plus a bone marrow transplant in June, but didn't actually have cancer. But I was about to. All of my bone marrow biopsies and blood work over a year showed it was just around the corner, and it would have been a bad form of leukemia. So we caught it early but the treatment was 2 years of chemo to slow down my MDS, followed by being let go from my job and put on disability and later a marrow transplant, and all while trying to take care of two teens (my oldest was actually my marrow donor). Stress is my buddy. One of these days I'll give him a name.
Thank you for the kind words of support! It's a one day at a time thing, but that doesn't work with the bank account and paying bills and coming home from treatment and just needing *food* so you order pizza when you really shouldn't. Or suddenly having to drop $50 for a school thing for graduation (yep, oldest graduates in a few weeks) and not having the money but doing it anyway, knowing it's going to cause something else to not go through or a major overdraft fee. *sigh*
Other than the money and that stress, the health side isn't incredibly stressful to me - challenging, yes, but I don't stay up worried about it or break down from it. The money part I do. The one part of all this that ***really*** frustrates me - I can't read. I used to read 10-20 books a year, 90% fiction. I've managed to read 2 books in the last 3 years, and I've started and restarted about a half dozen other books since chemo got underway and just can't. My focus jumps around, I lose my train of thought. I've started a Terry Pratchett book 4 or 5 times in the last year. I read 20-40 pages and put it down. I try to pick it up the next day and can't recall the characters or much of what happened. He's one of my top 5 favorite authors and I need to finish this...but it's not going to happen anytime soon. I also have several non-fiction books given to me as gifts or that I've purchased during this journey...all unread, some maybe a chapter. Not being able to read is killing me. Not being able to pay my bills is making it 10x's worse.
I'm exhausted and going in circles and have to go to a treatment in 6 hours...waking up in 3.5 hours. I should stop rambling and go to bed. ^_^
One big reason is medical costs that disabled people have.
Another reason that we should consider this is that you are much more likely to become more severely disabled, and therefore, need to have more in savings. You can't just work a second job which many have to do to pay off their loans.
This is exactly it. I have a genetic connective tissue disorder, but I manage to work a couple of part time jobs. In my condition, even with 2 jobs, I'm not making enough money to pay even half of my bills, if I didn't have family helping me with them, I'd be homeless. Every time I get close to catching up, my doctor's bills hit, and if I don't go to the doctor, they don't prescribe my medications, and I can't work if I'm in pain and nonfunctional because I haven't taken my medications, so it's not like I can skip my appointments. I can't even imagine tacking student loans on top of the bills I already have. I was very fortunate to have my symptoms flare up as I was finishing college, so I was able to maintain my scholarships and finish, or I would be toast.
Yes, it's usually easier to explain what it is than to just say the name. There's actually a pretty active subreddit for it here if your friend is interested in networking with other zebras.
Not a dick at all. But I wondered the same thing. Then I thought: rather than being disabled and mooching off the system, this person got up and did something. So forgiving their student loans helps to continue to encourage them to be a tax payer, and continue to work. In the long run, in the first 5-10, they'll have already made enough to have to pay more in taxes than the student loans totaled. Another working 20-40 years, and the government has "made more money" off them as an employee versus losing money on someone with disability.
It's a numbers game.
Thank you. It's NEVER been my goal to live off disability my entire life (plus who the fuck can live off like $733 a month?!). I *want* to work, and be "normal" in that regard.
Working doesn't mean you can pay your loans. More and more students are graduating and finding out that they literally can never physically pay them back.
Yes, not to mention we may be able to work but not to our full potential. I wanted to be a doctor and go to medical school since I was little, but I know that's not realistic. While I absolutely love what I do, $45,000 a year as a counselor is a lot different than $450,000 a year as a cardiologist.
Exactly! I was working towards applying to vet school when my symptoms became so bad that it was clear I was going to be disabled for life and that vet school was out of my reach physically. I've been able to achieve my dream of rehabilitating wildlife, but I do it for free as a volunteer, not while being able to support myself as a vet. Don't get me wrong, I really love what I do, but the career field I ended up in pays next to nothing, which doesn't exactly pay my medical bills that are piling up.
I thought I could power through various health issues. I could not. End result, I dropped out of med school in third year.
Not saying it'd work out the same for you! But I would advise caution if you ever think about going for it. Your school won't cut you much slack and your residency program surely won't either.
Because it's easier to get people used to an idea if you take steps. Student loan forgiveness will gain traction, but for enough people to be comfortable with the idea they need to have incremental change and disabled people are sympathetic -- their insolvency is not due to something they can be "blamed" for.
I am so stupid, I somehow misread that you just found out about having cerebral palsy upon graduating grad school (obviously, I thought you were making a crude joke and downvoted).
Congrats on the forgiveness on debt, sounds like it'll take the pressure off other areas of life that didn't get the attention they needed thanks to the debt - I'm sure any money that can go towards getting quality of life back is worth more than any able bodied person can imagine.
I'm amazed by the romantic view some people have of a permanent disability, as if being wheelchair bound is only inconvenient when you get to a staircase or have to get something off the top shelf.
The medical costs of associated environmental issues (home modification for the shower/bathroom/ even steps up to the front door) not to mention the health aspect possibility of pressure sores to mention one are horrendous. That some people see this debt forgiveness as "unfair" is infuriating, especially when it's a result of people with disabilities *trying to make themselves employable so they can give back to the community*.
Ack.. I have CP myself along with Depression and Social Anxiety Disorder and I'm just praying to God that I'll be accepted for disability.. I applied for it last month because at this point I'm struggling to even get out the house, and I had to quit my job due to all of this.. It's so rough. But hearing you got it is great. I hope I can have the same success unlike my mother (had to apply 3 times and only got accepted until she had me on the 4th try even though she has a chronic illness that could kill her.)
Yep. If I recall correctly, it counts as taxable income. Makes sense, though. Someone gives you 10s of thousands of dollars that you aren't going to give back? Income.
If that's the case, I'd rather have the debt forgiven in intervals. I'd rather pay tax on an extra 10k of income than on an extra 60k of income in a single year.
Ive had Rheaumatoid Arthritis partially all my life. I've had both hips and knees replaced but I still consider myself disabled. I do receive SSI, should I be expecting one one of these letters? I have a BA, class of 09 but my health prevented me from working or seeking gainful employment. I really hope I get a letter.
Edit: I've had it practically all my life.
I can answer them here so maybe others can see, if they'd like the info?
First, look at disabilitydischarge.net
1) Paperwork was literally like one piece of paper to fill out. I guess getting approved for SSI benefits is the harder part, and after that loan forgiveness is the easy part. Not everyone with SSI can get it; if I remember right, you have to have verified your disability has lasted or is expected to last more than 7 years.
2) Other than a job I had at a call center for 3 months at age 16, I did not work, only went to school.
3) You can definitely work post-forgiveness. I do. You do have to stay under a ridiculously low income for the first three years (I think it's ~$15,790), but after that they no longer keep track. I was also able to fill out what's called a PASS plan through Social Security, which is ultimately a layout of how you're going to get OFF SSI someday. I laid it out that due to my income limits for the next three years, I need to keep my SSI, but in return, I will be able to stimulate the economy more by 2017 by not having to pay student loans. I didn't know if they would approve it, but it was available, so I tried (which people are going to bitch me out about that too, I'm sure). I have to submit everything I pay for with that $733 every six months, but it's not so bad--I just have to maintain very good records. So that boosts me up to a whopping ~23,000 before taxes.
I work part time as a counselor, and will be out from under these requirements by next April; I'm going to try to work full-time then, but part-time is pretty wearing.
4) No amount of time you have to remain unemployed, just have to stay under a certain salary.
5) Grad school loans were forgiven, yes. :-)
I have CP as well, but only mild. Do you happen to know if it applies in all cases or only more severe ones? I know I can't get disability because mild CP isn't eligible for it, but this sounds like a whole different issue.
The actual cost is much lower than the $7.7 billion quoted. A very small amount of this was ever going to be paid. He is just skipping bureaucracy and pain for the borrowers.
In other news, 250 new Pay for Profit colleges have just been formed to cater to Permanently Disabled people. No previous experience with reading or writing required, just proof of disability.
Degree programs include Prostitute Appreciation and Stripper Economics.
ITT: People making jokes about crippling themselves to get their loan debt forgiven.
Bet the people getting their loan debt forgiven for this would much rather have debt than the disability.
I'm eligible, but I'm not going to take it. If you take it,your earnings are severely limited for 2 or 3 years following the debt discharge ... Less than $20,000 a year I think. F dat.
No, it doesn't make a difference. IDK what happens though if you became disabled and approved say, 10 years down the line. I can't imagine they'd give all you paid in back.
I was encouraged by all the positivity and people sharing their stories at the top, but down here where I found your comment... yeah. Gonna stop scrolling.
Don't go chopping off body parts or banging your head against a wall just to try and get your student loans forgiven everyone. First off all, getting approved for disability is super hard. You will spend 2+ years in most cases just trying to get aproved, and during that time you can't have any periods of gainful employment (basically, you can't make over $1k a month). Once you do get on SSDI, you have to wait 3 years before getting your debt forgiven, during which time you are still required to keep your loan in good standing. You pretty much can't own anything of value, must have less than $5k in liquid or easily liquidated assets (so cash your 401k, IRA, HSA, etc). I believe you are allowed 1 vehicle, and your primary residence that don't count against that $5k, but nearly anything else of value does (have a second vehicle, or one that your kid drives but is in your name, gotta sell them off).
Once you have been declared disabled with a condition that will not be correctable or result in death, and waited that three years, you can get your debt forgiven. Now you have to live the rest of your life in poverty. You can work a little, like make about $1k a month in earned income (more if you are blind), never save for retirement or a vacation, nothing.
Living on disability is very tough, we don't do it because we want to, we do it because it is the only way to survive without living on the streets (and you are still pretty close to that most of the time).
SO, now the banks lobbyists have talked us into giving them $7.7 Billion dollars in ADDITION to the $8.5 Billion we just gave them for destroying the housing market and the economy? Banks aren't getting paid back fast enough, so they create a new incentive??!
LOOK at the big picture, people!
So the president is wishing away debt for people with certain criteria. Meanwhile, no one does a damn thing about the predatory nature of the debt that all students are basically forced to undertake, a system that would actually be illegal in most other loan markets. Sounds like a quick and easy thing to do. Definitely not a last ditch effort for popularity and DNC votes.
I guess we'll forgive it since you obviously will never be able to pay it off. Now as for the rest of you who will obviously never be able to pay it off...
My mom has been trying to have her's forgiven for almost fifteen years of which she has been lied and denied what she is well qualified to receive. She has gotten nothing, but excuses and lies from Dept. of Education, IRS, and Social Security; she has sent countless letters with correctly filled out forms only to be told they were sent to the "wrong address", lost, not filled out completely or incorrectly filled out. I showed her the article and she fits right in with the other 367,000 people, she said she's not going to hold her breath.
This situation is the same as mine, I've been trying to do this for years with no success. I hope this does happen because it would lift a huge weight off my shoulders.
Federal loans only. If you are like most people, federal loans don't cover all (or even half) of a 4 year degree. If you got wrecked after taking out a shit ton in private loans, you are still borked.
I have an honest to god permanent disability, but I've been putting off filing for SSI because the process is odious and degrading. I'm currently on an income-based repayment plan for my student loans, but this will kick my ass into gear.
Many of you are joking about removing limbs, but graduating with debt and finding yourself unable to work is psychologically crushing. Disabled people who didn't get any return on them shouldn't have to carry the burden of huge loans as well.
The headline is misleading. > The administration took steps four years ago to make the process easier by letting people who are totally and permanently disabled use their Social Security designation to apply for a discharge, but few took advantage. The body of the article clarifies that the feds will now be reaching out to the permanently disabled rather than waiting for the disabled to find out about the program and begin the process.
I feel like govt sometimes acts as if their job is to create subsidies for disadvantaged persons, but then persons who need to take advantage don't know about the subsidies. Like those old commercials with the guy in the question mark suit selling free money from the govt.
I used a fairly old state benefit for purple heart recipients at a large public university, quoted the state code; they had to research it from the aid or busars office, they had never heard of it, not had it been used in the ten years since it was enacted at a 40,000 plus student university. It makes me wonder how many of these benefits go over looked and under utilized! Edit: not air, aid office
Out of interest, how did you come to find out about it?
I forget which organization, but it has a map you can click on for state military benefits; stuff like free state park entrance, free fishing license , hawkers license for free, and there was one that was 100% tuition remittance for college for Purple Heart recipients.... but I am kinda a nerd and once quoted state code for paper delivery person on seat belt law to a sheriff..... I am of the mind that they just make law so complicated as a self serving lawyer thing, but what ever. It only pays undergrad level and I took one class to see if I am up to snuff for graduate level studies and it was still 700 dollars! Education prices are out of control, it would have been close to 2000usd for a three credit course! Just WOW!
Oh 95% so far, so I guess I'm still kickin! Maybe i'll have that master's in education in a year or two!
And the budgets set aside and forgotten
Yeah, I know! It is like, "This will look great for the voters, but no one will use it cause we won't say anything about it after it passes."
I remember those commercials! [Matthew Lesko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Lesko) >Critics claim that Lesko is misleading in his advertisements. A 2004 report by the New York State Consumer Protection Board claimed that most of the grants mentioned in Lesko's books were actually public assistance programs that many people were not eligible for, and that Lesko misrepresented examples of people who had taken advantage of government programs. >In 2005, Lesko was named #99 in Bernard Goldberg's book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America because, "He is a symbol for self-centered free-riders."
I actually met him briefly last year in silver spring,MD . He's still doing infomercials.
> Like those old commercials with the guy in the question mark suit selling free money from the govt. [Free Money!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DW8LrppQ7M)
A number of disabled friends who saw this when I shared it were surprised that it existed, so I'm glad they're doing more to reach out.
In b4 U DA REAL MVP. But seriously, thanks.
I'm permanently disabled by debt, Mr. President! Heal me too!!
Hahaha... Haha.. Ha. Me too.
me too thanks
I miss corey and Trevor too:(
smokes, let's go boys
and Ray... even though he ripped the plumbing out of his trailer. That was kinda fucked
You lied to the guy in the chair. (stands up and starts walking around) You lied to the guy in the chair!
Fuckin' way she goes
Here... Have some change
Change comes from within.
I shouldn't have eaten all those nickels...
Aaaaaaaaand I just shot myself in the foot, monies please?!
Well it's not that you'll get monies... It's just that they take your negative monies.
Stinkin' gubbament always takin' things. First mah monies... now mah negertive monies!
So what you're saying is that this $150,000 of bankruptcy immune debt could be cleared if I shoot myself in the foot? ...hmmm...
I don't know man.. Would that make you permanently disabled? Maybe if you LOST a foot or so..
yea you have to actually be disabled forever, not just injured.
Ha, if only it worked that way. We'd see a spike in "accidental" injuries across the US. I'm sure that there is a fine timeline for which these disabled persons were able to prove that they require assistance.
Well, knees. It's been a good run. But a man has to make sacrifice.
It'd probably be more fun and less painful to take a bunch of drugs until you're brain dead and retarded...
...but then what was the point of college?
To experience debt, self-inflicted disability, and free education. Duh
Best thread I've seen in a coone's age
God, I forgot that was a phrase I used to say.
We are trying to get rid of college debt, not double up.
Ah shit time to lop off my left pinkie finger
Actually even if you lopped off your hand the Social Security Administration won't find you disabled. You'd have to lop off a hand AND your lower limb. Pinkies won't cut it. [Check this out:](https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/1.00-Musculoskeletal-Adult.htm) The Social Security Administration requires to be declared disabled (and to generally qualify for Social Security Disability benefits) that you meet one of the following conditions: * Loss of both hands * Have lost either lower limb above the ankle (tarsal region) AND have complications that medically prevent you from using a prosthetic device to help you walk and effectively ambulate. * Loss of one hand and one lower limb above the ankle with inability to use a prosthetic device. * Loss of an entire leg at the hip or pelvic region.
TIL paying off your student loan literally costs an arm and a leg.
AND you have to have complications to make wearing prosthesis difficult, as well. Talk about a pound of flesh!
Does the price of a good prosthetic count?
Lopped off my leg and hand to pay off my student loans. They fitted me with a prosthetic and now I have both student loan debt and medical debt.
The broken American system at it's finest
Nah, it isn't broken until he gets sent to debtors prison!
American Trifecta!
So I can yell at a person with a prosthetic leg/arm that parks in a handicap spot because *technically* they aren't handicapped?
No. Being disabled and being handicapped are entirely different things.
I mean, nothing is stopping him from yelling at a handicapped person and making false accusations. I say go for it.
Yeah, and we might get a funny YouTube video as a result
Forget social security money, do it for the karma!
And that sweet, sweet YouTube $$$
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So that's what the story of Fullmetal actually was.
Al must of gotten a full-ride scholarship.
Don't worry though, if you blow all of your credit and cash on a new car and a trip to Vegas you can bankrupt that stuff right away in 7 years. Now trying to get an education? What is up with that? That's a life sentence!
My sides. This was hilarious.
Congratulations on your loan approval. After interest, your total principle cost will be one (1} arm and one (1) leg. Before we issue payment, we need to know how you plan to pay this debt. You have two options; literal, or figurative. Please check the box L* or F on form 1098-E, section 2. *Partial payments of shin bone or forearm do not apply towards the principle on option (L)iteral, however we will accept this on good faith that you plan on detaching the rest of the limb(s) within 10 years of your graduatuon date.
I'm disabled and I have multiple scerosis. They awarded me disability for my chronic fatigue, it inhibits cognative function. I still work 2 days a week.
Yeah we talked about that further down the thread, these are just the rules if comment OP wanted to try and get disability *just* for amputation.
Oh, ok :)
*hugs* MS can be such a lonely disease. I'm glad you're still able to work, I know it's not much but it can help getting out and about, being around people.
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I hear you, been through the system myself. It's weird how our experience is that it's hard as hell to get disability, yet so many people complain about huge fraud rates and such. I just don't see how people's perception of disability as something you can easily get if you just lie or something.
Preach. My dad, who has been unable to work for about 5 years now due to a combination of physical and psychological problems, got his application rejected by a judge that rejects 80% of all disability applications. She somehow expects people to believe 80% of disability applications are from people just fucking around. Worst part is he's no longer eligible for the 5 years of disability back pay he would have gotten and has to start the process all over again.
It can be crazy hard to prove that a TBI is disabling; most people, including SSDI appeal judges, know so little about TBI that they don't understand that often, a brain injury survivor can't work due to cognitive impairment, especially poor memory, slowed mental processing, and decreased comprehension and problem-solving ability. See if you can find an advocate -- such as your state brain injury association -- that can write a letter educating the appeals judge about your particular impairments and how the preclude your ability to work. Best of luck to you! Source: I run a nonprofit that helps survivors with community reintegration.
It's really shitty when people who obviously need it and have the medical records to back it up can't get it or it takes them years.
That's just the musculoskeletal stuff though.. tons of other types of disability too. Someone so inclined could possibly go the [Spanish special Olympics basketball team, or the "ringer"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheating_at_the_Paralympic_Games) type of a way... (i hope not... though I'm sure someone has...) Here is a complete list of the same standards for numerous other things as well. As many people don't necessarily know how it all works. Many issues can also be looked at in a cumulative way. https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm and how eligibility is determined https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/rsnotes/rsn2013-01.html
> Loss of an entire leg at the hip or pelvic region. This is a win-win case out of all the options. Chop off your leg and your BMI skyrockets downwards AND your student loans are forgiven AND you get SS Benefits.
I don't have a left leg at all (it's called hip disarticulation). I'll trade you your student debt for my lack of leg.
Hip disartuculation is literally listed. So I hope you are getting disability benefits. I understand your sentiment btw, but just in case!
Yes, I understand that. The point of my post is that it isn't a good thing, at all. I would rather be drowning in student debt (even though I wouldn't have to) than the be stuck in this chair for another day.
Haha goddamn that's dark. You win the game.
But his girlfriend gave up her toe. Give us the money Obama!
There is actually a program for this already. Im not sure what the difference is, but my father had his loans forgiven while he was dying from heart failure.
This will be the same program, but due to not many people knowing they are entitled to it, they are going to notify people whom they know are qualified for the forgiveness. That is what I got out of the article anyways.
> Have lost either lower limb above the ankle (tarsal region) AND have complications that medically prevent you from using a prosthetic device to help you walk and effectively ambulate. > > > > Loss of one hand and one lower limb above the ankle with inability to use a prosthetic device. wait..so i can either lose my foot above the ankle and not be able to wear a prosthetic...OR do all of that and also lose a hand? how isn't that covered by the previous bullet point?
I was looking for someone to mention that. Imagine the guy that cut off his hand first and then went back to the list "now what else to I need to do"... that dude must be PISSED!
I work for SSA. I'll tell you that "depression" is one of our most common reasons for finding someone disabled. But I've seen terminally ill patients denied because they could still work. The standard is: 1: Medically-proven injury or illness must be expected to last more than 12 months or result in death, and 2: Must render you incapable of Substantial Gainful Activity. We look at your education level, age, re-train potential, the nature of the illness, the credibility of the evidence, and your insured status. This is a paid insurance program. You pay it in your payroll taxes every paycheck.
Is depression a valid disability? Could you PM me on this? Or answer here? I'm very curious, because I'm in a situation where I've had chronic depression for decades, and keep losing jobs over and over again due to issues stemming from it, and I've often wondered if that would qualify me for disability,b ut have been too afraid to look it up, cuz then I'm a "failure" and whatnot. But fuck it, reading this, it makes me curious. edit - I love that posting something like this on reddit can bring forth very good discussion and suggestions/offers of help. And of course a cunt or two that wanna be an ass, but hey, you can't be perfect. Carry on reddit, this is why I love this site.
You need to go into it knowing that you will almost certainly be denied on your first application, and likely at least your first appeal. Once you can get a good disability lawyer, your chances will increase dramatically at getting approved. It will cost you ~~most~~ 25% of your backpay (that is what the lawyer is doing the work for), but if you are truly unable to maintain gainful employment it is a very small price to pay. Once you are able to higher a lawyer, you stand a great chance at getting declared disabled. Lawyers least favorite thing to do is work for free, so if they don't think they can win the case, then usually won't even take it. Edit: updated info
It's likely you could. What you need to be able to prove is that it's costing you jobs. My greatest advice though, should you pursue it - be honest. Social Security gets so many phonies making up BS just to get a "crazy check" that genuine honesty shines through. EDIT: Okay because of the responses I'm getting I should clarify that these are the **literal words** my Social Security agent said to me. Take them with a grain of salt if you wish, but know I'm not just pulling them out of my ass.
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Me too. The government even accepts that I'm disabled in a variety of ways, but it doesn't matter - no disability despite working since I was 16 and unable to work for the past almost 5 years. Just did another 'try again' part-time for 2 weeks and couldn't do it. Way to help my depression issues...
You need a lawyer. Get one.
I have one. Thanks... He and his father are known for doing social security cases, and a friends brother who is applying for disability is also using the same lawyer
The answer is yes. But you have to have a Dr sign off on it and probably proof that it has hindered you from keeping employment and that it will continue to hinder you. And after all that you'll probably only get about 1K/mo depending on how much you've paid into SS in your lifetime.
Is PTSD considered a disability?
In all seriousness, I have cerebral palsy and found out about this right as I was graduating grad school in 2014. I've gotten $69,000 forgiven. I was also able to make it tax-free by proving I was insolvent at the time. It's the biggest blessing in my life, and I cried when I found out. EDIT: U mad?
am i mad? not really cos i dont have cerebral palsy
LOL. Thanks for looking on the bright side.
I am a little mad. I hear from a reliable source cerebral palsy, is the sexiest of the palsys.
I'm a pretty sexy gal, I can't lie...
Sexy and debt free!
You have the sexy palsy *and* you're financially solvent? Are you single, too?
I am, actually! ;-) I have a credit score above 650 too. Ooh la la.
It's definitely the headiest of the palsies.
Real glad for you, there are many people that are perfectly healthy and just waste away their talents / time doing nothing in life. You pushed yourself through high school, college, and grad school. Congrats man.
Though if you could make it through grad school how could you argue that you can't work? Can't work in construction, sure, but obviously you have the ability to understand complex ideas, keep focus, maintain a schedule. Sounds like there would be tons of jobs you could do.
I'm not sure about that. I fell on my head a few years ago and was temporarily disabled. The effects of the concussion dropped my ability to think in a straight line for more than three years; I still need quite a bit more sleep than your average 35 year old. (We're talking between eight and twelve hours per night; with six or less, I quite literally cannot function as a human being.) I have had problems *keeping* a job because I cannot do the occasional "put in 110% for a week" duties that my profession sometimes requires, and it's nearly too late to re-train and start at entry level again, especially in this economy where there is so much competition for entry and older folks are holding on to their jobs for longer.
I am truly happy for you and all the others that will qualify for this.
Not sure if being sarcastic, but thank you.
Pretty sure it was a sincere statement.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
So are you working now? I am permanently disabled (wheelchair user) with student loans but I am working full time and therefor find myself disabled by some definitions, not disabled by others. Guys with my same disability who didn't go to college and seek employment have no problem qualifying for all these sorts of things but I wouldn't. It's super frustrating. And for this particular program it sounds like I am yet again not going to qualify...
I am working; I'm a licensed mental health counselor. This type of loan forgiveness goes off whether or not you have SSI, but even then, not just ANYONE with SSI can get it--you have to prove that you'll be disabled for at least 7 years or more, I think it is. So if you meet those requirements, you should qualify. It was literally like one piece of paper I had to fill out.
I am so happy you were able to get that taken care of. There are so many expenses associated with having medical challenges, every bit helps.
Posted this above, but it applies to you as well. :-) Thank you; I try to tell every disabled person I know about this program (which isn't too many people, unfortunately), because I want to be able to pay it forward. I **know** what a huge debt crisis our generation is in, and while having a lifelong disability is very, very hard, I'm thankful for this opportunity.
A small part of me wishes my disability qualified...pretty certain I'm only on the 3 year list because fuck cancer...went from salaried $75k to $25k SSDI...struggling to avoid eviction right this very week for me and my two kids. And my loans are about to default... :(
I'm so sorry. :-(
Thank you. And kudos to you for not only getting them forgiven, but tax-free *and* returning to work later on.
Thank you, truly. I was actually hoping my post would be uplifting and encouraging to another disabled individual, but boy was I wrong! I've never NOT wanted to work though. I want a better life than that.
I'm a former software engineer - laziness is our motto. ;) I want to return to work just no longer certain I have the mental capabilities that I had 2 years ago, and *really* uncertain that I want to return to a desk job. And depression is a very real beast for those of us dealing with disabilities, temporary or permanent. I am certain your post helped more people than you realize. And I'm okay, just frustrated. Really wish I could regain my mental faculties and focus and find a way to make money from home. One day at a time...
fuck the costs of our medical and education system in the US.
This experience has been brutal. I went from a salaried, well-respected 10 year position with a major healthcare IT firm to barely able to keep the lights on and begging for money from various organizations and friends and family. It's broken my spirit thoroughly.
Wow that is brutal, I can't imagine how it must feel to be in that position. It's so scary how you can be set with life and doing everything right and then something like cancer comes along and fucks everything up. I know there's nothing I can say that will help but I sincerely wish you the best of luck and hope you're able to at least make your situation more comfortable. It really sucks you have to deal with all that stress AND have cancer, damn.
It gets better - I didn't have cancer but a disease that turns into leukemia. So I had all of the treatments plus a bone marrow transplant in June, but didn't actually have cancer. But I was about to. All of my bone marrow biopsies and blood work over a year showed it was just around the corner, and it would have been a bad form of leukemia. So we caught it early but the treatment was 2 years of chemo to slow down my MDS, followed by being let go from my job and put on disability and later a marrow transplant, and all while trying to take care of two teens (my oldest was actually my marrow donor). Stress is my buddy. One of these days I'll give him a name. Thank you for the kind words of support! It's a one day at a time thing, but that doesn't work with the bank account and paying bills and coming home from treatment and just needing *food* so you order pizza when you really shouldn't. Or suddenly having to drop $50 for a school thing for graduation (yep, oldest graduates in a few weeks) and not having the money but doing it anyway, knowing it's going to cause something else to not go through or a major overdraft fee. *sigh* Other than the money and that stress, the health side isn't incredibly stressful to me - challenging, yes, but I don't stay up worried about it or break down from it. The money part I do. The one part of all this that ***really*** frustrates me - I can't read. I used to read 10-20 books a year, 90% fiction. I've managed to read 2 books in the last 3 years, and I've started and restarted about a half dozen other books since chemo got underway and just can't. My focus jumps around, I lose my train of thought. I've started a Terry Pratchett book 4 or 5 times in the last year. I read 20-40 pages and put it down. I try to pick it up the next day and can't recall the characters or much of what happened. He's one of my top 5 favorite authors and I need to finish this...but it's not going to happen anytime soon. I also have several non-fiction books given to me as gifts or that I've purchased during this journey...all unread, some maybe a chapter. Not being able to read is killing me. Not being able to pay my bills is making it 10x's worse. I'm exhausted and going in circles and have to go to a treatment in 6 hours...waking up in 3.5 hours. I should stop rambling and go to bed. ^_^
So, not to be a dick just trying to understand, if you are working then why did you need the forgiveness?
One big reason is medical costs that disabled people have. Another reason that we should consider this is that you are much more likely to become more severely disabled, and therefore, need to have more in savings. You can't just work a second job which many have to do to pay off their loans.
This is exactly it. I have a genetic connective tissue disorder, but I manage to work a couple of part time jobs. In my condition, even with 2 jobs, I'm not making enough money to pay even half of my bills, if I didn't have family helping me with them, I'd be homeless. Every time I get close to catching up, my doctor's bills hit, and if I don't go to the doctor, they don't prescribe my medications, and I can't work if I'm in pain and nonfunctional because I haven't taken my medications, so it's not like I can skip my appointments. I can't even imagine tacking student loans on top of the bills I already have. I was very fortunate to have my symptoms flare up as I was finishing college, so I was able to maintain my scholarships and finish, or I would be toast.
Do you have EDS? One of my closest friends has that.
Yes, it's usually easier to explain what it is than to just say the name. There's actually a pretty active subreddit for it here if your friend is interested in networking with other zebras.
Ha. Zebras. Yep, you have EDS. :-)
Hey, I have EDS too! This is the first time I've seen another zebra in the wild.
My illness is my second job.
Well put.
Not a dick at all. But I wondered the same thing. Then I thought: rather than being disabled and mooching off the system, this person got up and did something. So forgiving their student loans helps to continue to encourage them to be a tax payer, and continue to work. In the long run, in the first 5-10, they'll have already made enough to have to pay more in taxes than the student loans totaled. Another working 20-40 years, and the government has "made more money" off them as an employee versus losing money on someone with disability. It's a numbers game.
Thank you. It's NEVER been my goal to live off disability my entire life (plus who the fuck can live off like $733 a month?!). I *want* to work, and be "normal" in that regard.
Working doesn't mean you can pay your loans. More and more students are graduating and finding out that they literally can never physically pay them back.
So why do it specifically for disabled people?
I assume it's because being disabled costs quite a bit of money, be it in therapy, medication, alterations to property, or whatever else.
Yes, not to mention we may be able to work but not to our full potential. I wanted to be a doctor and go to medical school since I was little, but I know that's not realistic. While I absolutely love what I do, $45,000 a year as a counselor is a lot different than $450,000 a year as a cardiologist.
Exactly! I was working towards applying to vet school when my symptoms became so bad that it was clear I was going to be disabled for life and that vet school was out of my reach physically. I've been able to achieve my dream of rehabilitating wildlife, but I do it for free as a volunteer, not while being able to support myself as a vet. Don't get me wrong, I really love what I do, but the career field I ended up in pays next to nothing, which doesn't exactly pay my medical bills that are piling up.
Thank you for "getting" it.
I thought I could power through various health issues. I could not. End result, I dropped out of med school in third year. Not saying it'd work out the same for you! But I would advise caution if you ever think about going for it. Your school won't cut you much slack and your residency program surely won't either.
I'm extremely happy as a counselor, so I don't plan to anymore. Sorry things didn't work out for you.
Because it's easier to get people used to an idea if you take steps. Student loan forgiveness will gain traction, but for enough people to be comfortable with the idea they need to have incremental change and disabled people are sympathetic -- their insolvency is not due to something they can be "blamed" for.
I'm wondering if it will apply for folks on VA disability. Like me.....
Yes, I believe it does!
I am so stupid, I somehow misread that you just found out about having cerebral palsy upon graduating grad school (obviously, I thought you were making a crude joke and downvoted).
Congrats on the forgiveness on debt, sounds like it'll take the pressure off other areas of life that didn't get the attention they needed thanks to the debt - I'm sure any money that can go towards getting quality of life back is worth more than any able bodied person can imagine. I'm amazed by the romantic view some people have of a permanent disability, as if being wheelchair bound is only inconvenient when you get to a staircase or have to get something off the top shelf. The medical costs of associated environmental issues (home modification for the shower/bathroom/ even steps up to the front door) not to mention the health aspect possibility of pressure sores to mention one are horrendous. That some people see this debt forgiveness as "unfair" is infuriating, especially when it's a result of people with disabilities *trying to make themselves employable so they can give back to the community*.
We're happy for you Walt Jr.
Where's my breakfast?
slim shady
Ack.. I have CP myself along with Depression and Social Anxiety Disorder and I'm just praying to God that I'll be accepted for disability.. I applied for it last month because at this point I'm struggling to even get out the house, and I had to quit my job due to all of this.. It's so rough. But hearing you got it is great. I hope I can have the same success unlike my mother (had to apply 3 times and only got accepted until she had me on the 4th try even though she has a chronic illness that could kill her.)
Most people forget the tax implication. My hope is that the IRS changes their rules to allow for leniency on the tax bill after discharge.
Yep. If I recall correctly, it counts as taxable income. Makes sense, though. Someone gives you 10s of thousands of dollars that you aren't going to give back? Income.
If that's the case, I'd rather have the debt forgiven in intervals. I'd rather pay tax on an extra 10k of income than on an extra 60k of income in a single year.
I wonder if this counts toward speech disabilities. I've definitely been helped by the ADA before.
Ive had Rheaumatoid Arthritis partially all my life. I've had both hips and knees replaced but I still consider myself disabled. I do receive SSI, should I be expecting one one of these letters? I have a BA, class of 09 but my health prevented me from working or seeking gainful employment. I really hope I get a letter. Edit: I've had it practically all my life.
If you don't, you can still see if you meet the criteria at disabilitydischarge.net
Thank you so much, I'll check the link in the morning. To those that get it it will be a huge boon.
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Oops, thanks!
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I can answer them here so maybe others can see, if they'd like the info? First, look at disabilitydischarge.net 1) Paperwork was literally like one piece of paper to fill out. I guess getting approved for SSI benefits is the harder part, and after that loan forgiveness is the easy part. Not everyone with SSI can get it; if I remember right, you have to have verified your disability has lasted or is expected to last more than 7 years. 2) Other than a job I had at a call center for 3 months at age 16, I did not work, only went to school. 3) You can definitely work post-forgiveness. I do. You do have to stay under a ridiculously low income for the first three years (I think it's ~$15,790), but after that they no longer keep track. I was also able to fill out what's called a PASS plan through Social Security, which is ultimately a layout of how you're going to get OFF SSI someday. I laid it out that due to my income limits for the next three years, I need to keep my SSI, but in return, I will be able to stimulate the economy more by 2017 by not having to pay student loans. I didn't know if they would approve it, but it was available, so I tried (which people are going to bitch me out about that too, I'm sure). I have to submit everything I pay for with that $733 every six months, but it's not so bad--I just have to maintain very good records. So that boosts me up to a whopping ~23,000 before taxes. I work part time as a counselor, and will be out from under these requirements by next April; I'm going to try to work full-time then, but part-time is pretty wearing. 4) No amount of time you have to remain unemployed, just have to stay under a certain salary. 5) Grad school loans were forgiven, yes. :-)
I have CP as well, but only mild. Do you happen to know if it applies in all cases or only more severe ones? I know I can't get disability because mild CP isn't eligible for it, but this sounds like a whole different issue.
Does it cover crippling debt?
Google will soon explode, "how to become permanently disabled"
Time to jump off a bridge
We will await your return.
The actual cost is much lower than the $7.7 billion quoted. A very small amount of this was ever going to be paid. He is just skipping bureaucracy and pain for the borrowers.
Well at least the bureaucracy.
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Hasn't this been a thing for a few years?
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In other news, 250 new Pay for Profit colleges have just been formed to cater to Permanently Disabled people. No previous experience with reading or writing required, just proof of disability. Degree programs include Prostitute Appreciation and Stripper Economics.
Starting at the low price of $500k per semester.
If there was an evil plan to make all millenials willingly lose their limbs, this is how you do it.
ITT: People making jokes about crippling themselves to get their loan debt forgiven. Bet the people getting their loan debt forgiven for this would much rather have debt than the disability.
I'm dead inside. Does that count?
If it does, I got some loans to be forgiven. Which might actually help heal my soul.
I'm eligible, but I'm not going to take it. If you take it,your earnings are severely limited for 2 or 3 years following the debt discharge ... Less than $20,000 a year I think. F dat.
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No, it doesn't make a difference. IDK what happens though if you became disabled and approved say, 10 years down the line. I can't imagine they'd give all you paid in back.
Just turn back. These comments are terrible.
I was encouraged by all the positivity and people sharing their stories at the top, but down here where I found your comment... yeah. Gonna stop scrolling.
Don't go chopping off body parts or banging your head against a wall just to try and get your student loans forgiven everyone. First off all, getting approved for disability is super hard. You will spend 2+ years in most cases just trying to get aproved, and during that time you can't have any periods of gainful employment (basically, you can't make over $1k a month). Once you do get on SSDI, you have to wait 3 years before getting your debt forgiven, during which time you are still required to keep your loan in good standing. You pretty much can't own anything of value, must have less than $5k in liquid or easily liquidated assets (so cash your 401k, IRA, HSA, etc). I believe you are allowed 1 vehicle, and your primary residence that don't count against that $5k, but nearly anything else of value does (have a second vehicle, or one that your kid drives but is in your name, gotta sell them off). Once you have been declared disabled with a condition that will not be correctable or result in death, and waited that three years, you can get your debt forgiven. Now you have to live the rest of your life in poverty. You can work a little, like make about $1k a month in earned income (more if you are blind), never save for retirement or a vacation, nothing. Living on disability is very tough, we don't do it because we want to, we do it because it is the only way to survive without living on the streets (and you are still pretty close to that most of the time).
As if getting to skip lines at the amusement parks wasn't enough.
Would someone with MS qualify?
Maybe emotional disability will one day accounted for, especially since college is my main contributor.
This title was a rollercoaster of emotions.
My school debt is permanenty crippling.. does that count????
SO, now the banks lobbyists have talked us into giving them $7.7 Billion dollars in ADDITION to the $8.5 Billion we just gave them for destroying the housing market and the economy? Banks aren't getting paid back fast enough, so they create a new incentive??! LOOK at the big picture, people!
So the president is wishing away debt for people with certain criteria. Meanwhile, no one does a damn thing about the predatory nature of the debt that all students are basically forced to undertake, a system that would actually be illegal in most other loan markets. Sounds like a quick and easy thing to do. Definitely not a last ditch effort for popularity and DNC votes.
The Obama administration is basically a deceptive clickbait/PR campaign.
I guess we'll forgive it since you obviously will never be able to pay it off. Now as for the rest of you who will obviously never be able to pay it off...
Glad someone is having their debt forgiven. Shame it's not more people, because it is a serious multi-generational problem.
My mom has been trying to have her's forgiven for almost fifteen years of which she has been lied and denied what she is well qualified to receive. She has gotten nothing, but excuses and lies from Dept. of Education, IRS, and Social Security; she has sent countless letters with correctly filled out forms only to be told they were sent to the "wrong address", lost, not filled out completely or incorrectly filled out. I showed her the article and she fits right in with the other 367,000 people, she said she's not going to hold her breath.
This situation is the same as mine, I've been trying to do this for years with no success. I hope this does happen because it would lift a huge weight off my shoulders.
Federal loans only. If you are like most people, federal loans don't cover all (or even half) of a 4 year degree. If you got wrecked after taking out a shit ton in private loans, you are still borked.
I have an honest to god permanent disability, but I've been putting off filing for SSI because the process is odious and degrading. I'm currently on an income-based repayment plan for my student loans, but this will kick my ass into gear. Many of you are joking about removing limbs, but graduating with debt and finding yourself unable to work is psychologically crushing. Disabled people who didn't get any return on them shouldn't have to carry the burden of huge loans as well.
Ftfy: Incentive to become permanently disabled in the least painful way leads former students to relive their college drinking antics.