Education Department Backlog Delays Student Loan Buybacks

The U.S. Department of Education is currently managing a queue of approximately 80,000 buyback applications from borrowers attempting to reach the 120-payment threshold for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This surge in requests follows the collapse of the SAVE repayment plan in March 2026, which resulted from legal challenges brought by Republican attorneys general.

Christine Archer, a prosecutor in Hendricks County, Indiana, is among the borrowers affected by these delays. Archer was placed in administrative forbearance in July 2024, leaving her in a state of uncertainty for over 600 days. To resolve the gap in her qualifying payments, she applied for the buyback program, but the Department of Education has failed to provide her with a definitive response or the correct payment amount required to finalize her forgiveness.

While the Institute of Student Loan Advisors reports that some borrowers have successfully completed buybacks during the SAVE forbearance period, many others remain stalled. Archer has since transitioned to a more expensive payment plan and now expects to reach the required payment mark by late 2026.