A wave of borrower action in the wake of SAVE and IDR adjustments led to a record-setting month for PSLF. On September 10, 2024, the Department of Education issued a press release celebrating that over 1.6 million borrowers were now actively certified for PSLF—more than at any time since the program began in 2007.
This historic participation was fueled by SAVE’s attractive payment reductions and a newfound confidence in the IDR adjustment program. Across the country, local governments and nonprofits began holding regular “PSLF days,” helping employees complete paperwork and understand their loan dashboards. Many employers even coordinated group submission events to handle the surge of interest.
The DOE also unveiled improved tracking tools on studentaid.gov around September 14, giving borrowers clearer visuals of how close they were to 120 qualifying payments. These enhancements reduced much of the old confusion around payment tallies, showing detailed month-by-month histories that borrowers could download and store.
By late September, publications like Bloomberg (September 25, 2024) were profiling public defenders and community health workers who, thanks to SAVE and fresh IDR credits, saw timelines to forgiveness shrink dramatically. Advisors still urged vigilance—making sure newly consolidated loans aligned perfectly with PSLF rules—but the overall mood was more hopeful than ever. September closed with strong reminders from the DOE to monitor accounts and keep annual certifications up-to-date, ensuring no progress was accidentally lost.