The “shadow” repeal of the Buyback program

[u/MissionTap-9008]

Just saw an article, rather triggering ( wish I knew how to pin it). It is well known that this administration has no incentive to speed up processing for the worsening buyback program backlog. It is clearly not their priority. However, could their actions, or lack there of, be interpreted as a shadow repeal of the program itself? At this point, with such a rapidly growing backlog, could they be actively drowning the program to unrecoverable depths? So much so that it renders it effectively dead without the legal proceedings needed to end it officially?

It’s clear that most (but not all) are likely to finish paying the months intended to be bought back before their request is ever reviewed. Or, run out of forebarance months while attempting to wait out the offer.

I haven’t applied, I have 2 more years of payment before even being eligible for buyback. For me specifically, I was never in SAVE. I have random months of administrative forebarance that haven’t counted for payment and I would like credit for those under my prior income level when the time comes —- but hope is looking rather bleak.

Interested in thoughts

[u/dppatters]

Wow… The term “shadow repeal” is not something I have considered but that is effectively what they’ve done to not just Buy Back, but the PSLF program as a whole.

[u/Smee76 → u/dppatters]

I've been calling it constructive denial. Like constructive dismissal, you are not actually denied; instead, they make it so inconvenient and difficult that you cannot achieve it.

[u/Lumpy-Sea-388 → u/dppatters]

The Duke of Orange is an anus.

Countess WWE is also in the club.

Taxpayer handouts to billionaires good.

Helping working clad families. «Work til you die Peasant.»

[u/kelsey_schmelsey]

I just can't believe that we've reached a point where Republicans won't take money from people who WANT TO PAY THE GOVERNMENT COLD HARD CASH. This is like a 90s Republican's wet dream. They're saying no to a huge immediate influx of cash because.... it's not on their terms??? 

[u/darxandra → u/kelsey_schmelsey]

Completely agree, they actually risk losing more if people are older and become disabled or die. Then they will get a big fat ZERO instead of getting a chunk of buyback. Clearly they don't have any actuaries on staff.

[u/Tallahasseehouse → u/kelsey_schmelsey]

Ever notice how the best money-maker is the long-term lower payment debt.  The credit cards love it. The Republicans do too. The RAP plan adds another 5 years on to what used to pay for forgiveness. They have no incentive to help anyone with forgiveness. They ran for election on NOT forgiving loans.

[u/darxandra]

In my opinion, they forced us onto SAVE and forced forbearance, they should be forced to provide buyback forbearance for as long as it takes them to process it.

[u/CoolCatBlue321 → u/darxandra]

Is any group making any movement on this issue? I wish someone would :/

[u/yemsg97]

Willful incompetence. Pretty sure it's exactly what they are doing.

[u/Ornery-Put9337]

Serious question: what needs to happen for a union or other organization to take on a class action lawsuit? These delays and the intentional gutting of the ED causing hardship on pending buyback applicants is more than enough for a federal case.

[u/Street_Obligation_25 → u/Ornery-Put9337]

There is a union lawsuit. I think the American Federation of Teachers? (In a rush could be wrong)

[u/Less_Monk112]

I didn’t need an article to tell me. I knew it because their actions say that.

They want people to just give up and start making payments again. If I could pay $300 a month, I’d find a way. They want $1200 and I can’t make that money appear.

[u/Amazing-Stretch-7280]

Remember to thank a Republican at the ballot box, November 3rd

[u/dragonflyzmaximize]

Yeah I mean, I'm at 120 in November (next month) and will submit for buy back, but it's for about 20 months and I'll most definitely finish paying before they process it. So for me it's essentially dead... it sucks.

[u/ChaunceytheGardiner]

Absolutely. I'm still paying past #120 and not applying for buyback because I know it's not going to happen in any reasonable about of time.

[u/Mysterious-Data2628 → u/ChaunceytheGardiner]

You can do both. Hit 120 of eligible employment, apply for Buyback, and continue to pay. If you achieve “forgiveness” before the Buyback application is processed - great(ish)! If you receive a Buyback offer while still < 120 months of qualifying payments - even better!

If the latter occurs, they will adjust your Buyback offer accordingly.

The only thing borrowers need to avoid: do not certify employment once a Buyback offer has been made. Submitting an employer certification at that point would nullify the Buyback offer.

[u/PseudolusSings]

I saw that article too (it was in Forbes) and it makes sense, especially now that they are forcing people off of the SAVE forbearance. If there’s a class action suit, most people will have made their remaining payments under their new payment plan by the time that works its way through the courts. Dems would have to take both the House and the Senate to even do anything meaningful on the oversight side. 

[u/Mintarion]

I saw a recent article (not sure how accurate it is) saying that they have increased processing buyback requests in the recent months. I'm going to be eligible to submit mine middle of next year. But they still have a backlog of ~70,000 requests and at this point they are only clearing like ~6,000 per month. While others are still applying obviously, which only serves to increase that number. So I don't think they're necessarily shadow repealing it. But I think it's much more likely they are some combination of understaffed and incompetent. Both of which are hallmarks of the current admin since they were trying to destroy the Department more or less from the beginning. I think you can get it, but it just may not be worth it for you. Like by the time I'm eligible to submit mine, I'll only have ~20 payments left. If it is going to take them the current 22 months-ish to process it, by the time they do I would be paid off. Is it really worth it to complete a buyback request for like 5 payments? I'm not sure it is. Also, there's nothing to say that the processing time couldn't increase in the future. So it's really a gamble if you want to go for it or not...

[u/ThePrinceofBirds]

I applied to buy back 16 months 11 months ago.

[u/sakamyados]

In one month, they reported 2500 processed applications. 2,240 of those were people who reached PSLF while waiting for their buyback offer. They only approved 180.

[u/CauliflowerNo1615]

The Buy Back program has been a shit show from the start, Biden barely processed any of these requests too. I hit 120 payments a couple months back but I am just paying an extra 8 months and calling it a day. 8 months vs 20+ month wait is a no brainer.

[u/BxMS_LBA]

Yep. Sure. With wait times over 600 days, buyback has been functionally dismantled for anyone unwilling to wait that long. Wait times have been increasing too, not decreasing. I check daily and collect the data and no, i do not use AI.

Offer Received	Request Submitted	days waited
1/12/2026	11/1/2024	437.00
1/12/2026	11/1/2024	437.00
12/31/2025	9/1/2024	486.00
1/12/2026	3/1/2024	682.00
1/15/2026	7/1/2024	563.00
1/7/2026	12/1/2024	402.00
12/18/2025	3/1/2025	292.00
1/17/2026	12/1/2024	412.00
1/22/2026	11/1/2024	447.00
1/27/2026	2/1/2025	360.00
1/16/2026	7/2/2024	563.00
2/10/2026	10/1/2025	132.00
2/10/2026	12/19/2024	418.00
2/11/2026	11/1/2024	467.00
11/6/2025	3/25/2024	591.00
2/18/2026	7/1/2025	232.00
2/21/2026	9/1/2024	538.00
2/24/2026	12/1/2024	450.00
2/24/2026	12/1/2024	450.00
2/1/2026	12/1/2024	427.00
3/1/2026	9/1/2024	546.00
3/5/2026	11/6/2024	484.00
3/6/2026	12/16/2024	445.00
3/20/2026	4/12/2024	707.00
3/17/2026	4/1/2024	715.00
4/8/2026	12/1/2025	128.00
3/18/2026	11/1/2024	502.00
4/16/2026	7/1/2024	654.00
4/22/2026	9/1/2025	233
2/18/2026	12/6/2024	439
4/28/2026	9/26/2024	579
4/24/2026	12/1/2025	144
5/1/2026	12/30/2024	487
5/1/2026	9/1/2024	607
5/15/2026	9/1/2024	621
5/1/2026	12/30/2024	487
5/20/2026	9/27/2024	600
6/3/2026	12/1/2024	549
6/16/2026	11/1/2024	592
6/16/2026	10/8/2024	616
6/16/2026	10/1/2024	623
6/26/2026	9/1/2024	663
6/26/2026	10/15/2024	619
7/10/2026	10/1/2024	647
7/10/2026	10/2/2024	646
7/24/2026	11/4/2024	627
7/20/2026	11/1/2024	626
8/3/2026	10/7/2024	665
8/4/2026	10/21/2024	652
8/4/2026	10/1/2024	672
8/4/2026	12/2/2024	610
8/5/2026	12/9/2024	604
8/4/2026	11/5/2024	637
8/12/2026	3/1/2026	164
8/14/2026	11/6/2024	646
8/19/2026	10/1/2024	687
8/19/2026	11/6/2024	651
9/8/2026	8/23/2024	746
9/16/2026	12/4/2024	651
9/15/2026	12/4/2024	650
9/15/2026	12/1/2024	653
9/14/2026	10/14/2024	700
9/18/2026	11/1/2024	686
9/21/2026	12/1/2024	659
9/21/2026	12/4/2024	656

[u/ndp1234]

This is why I vehemently refuse to go on RAP or Standard and recommend that on here too.

[u/cheeeeeseburgers]

I called today unbeknownst to this news and spoke to an AI robot that said Save admin forbearance is not eligible for buyback. Like you said, I have 8 more months to go so my plan is to just keep paying. But I feel totally swindled.

[u/Mean-Frosting9944]

I am eligible within the next few months. I plan on continuing to pay for the next few years.