As IDR account adjustments continued processing through spring, many public service workers saw their qualifying PSLF counts leap forward. By April 27, 2025, the DOE highlighted in a press release that over 400,000 borrowers had already hit the 120-payment mark through these new credits.
Business Insider (April 28, 2025) ran profiles of borrowers, like teachers and city employees, who suddenly received notifications that their remaining balances were wiped out—tax free. This underlined how effective the IDR adjustment program, started in 2023 and accelerated in 2024, had become by early 2025.
May brought further good news. On May 9, 2025, the DOE shared that another wave of adjustment data had completed, promising more automatic PSLF progress. Borrowers were encouraged to log into studentaid.gov to view updated payment histories.
Financial counselors stressed the importance of still filing fresh ECFs for 2025. Even with the DOE’s automatic reviews, having your own up-to-date certifications meant faster confirmations when balances zeroed out.
The period also saw local governments hosting celebratory “debt freedom days” for employees, recognizing how these large-scale fixes transformed individual financial futures. For many, spring 2025 became the moment decades of payments finally ended.