Finding Relief from Student Loan Debt

TIAA (MU's 403(b) administrator), has joined forces with Savi, a social impact technology company, to help you navigate federal student loan programs. Their student loan solution will help you identify eligibility for federal income-driven repayment plans and forgiveness programs designed specifically for people who work at eligible public interest employers, that is, at a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit school, university or hospital; in government or approved governmental entities; or at a few other public interest organizations.

This service is designed to make that process easier if you are eligible and applying.

Brought to you by Marquette through TIAA and powered by Savi, this tool helps strengthen your financial footing in the short term and positions you for student loan forgiveness.

  • Reduces your payment based on your income and family size.
  • Frees up funds to direct towards your financial goals, such as retirement or emergency savings.
  • Removes the complexities of forgiveness and handling all of the paperwork, employment certifications and e-file—all for a small fee.

Because Marquette University is a public service organization, you may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). PSLF is a federal program that can provide financial relief to eligible borrowers by forgiving the balance of your loan tax free after 120 qualifying payments.

Visit TIAA to get started.

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How can I learn more?

Attend a Savi webinar:

  • 2 times per month

Or learn more here: Introduction to Savi 

What do I need to get started with Savi?

Go to the TIAA site created for Marquette students. Follow the path to explore your federal forgiveness options.

You’ll need three things to use Savi effectively:

1. Your social security number (format: 123-45-6789).

2. The first page of your most recent tax transcript* or tax return.
*A tax transcript is a summary of your recent tax filings that can be requested from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Each transcript includes important information for applying to new student loan repayment plans, such as your filing status, adjusted gross income (AGI), wages, and more. You can request a copy of a tax transcript in about 5 minutes by visiting the IRS site.

3. Logins to any loan servicers.
Your login information includes username or email, password, and anything else 
required to log into your student loan servicer’s website. Your student loan servicer website is the place you go to make payments on your student loans. This information will be used to import your student loan details into Savi during the account setup process.

What is Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?

The Federal Government has a program specifically for people who work for nonprofit, government or public sector employers. If you work for one of these employers, have Direct Loans, and make 120 monthly on-time payments, you may be eligible to have your remaining federal student loan debt forgiven tax-free. 

Entering into PSLF or another forgiveness program requires a commitment to see it through to the end. Switching to an income-driven repayment plan (required if you are working towards PSLF) may actually cause your student debt to increase over time, which can be problematic unless you get forgiveness at the end. If you know you will not be working fulltime in a non-profit for 120 months, then forgiveness may not be the right path for you. Individuals may want to consult their personal tax or legal adviser before making any decisions regarding the status of their student loans

Who is Eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program?

Eligibility is based on:

  • Employment in public service.
  • Loans through the Federal Direct Loan Program.
  • Enrollment in an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan.
  • Ten years of monthly payments.

Is there a fee to use Savi?

There are two service tiers available to borrowers.

  1. A free calculator to assess their situation and get guidance on the best options available.
  2. For $70 per calendar year, you can enroll in Savi’s Essential service. Savi will administer the program’s ongoing paperwork requirements including annual reenrollment, employer certifications, and filing for PSLF credits with the DOE. This service helps borrowers avoid common and not-so-common errors and to stay in compliance with exacting rules. 

Resources:

Savi Quick Start Guide

Marquette / Savi Flyer

Marquette / Savi PSLF FAQs