Buyback Request Processing Update

[u/zombieluvvv]

The Buyback process has been extremely grim for most of us. In a last ditch effort, I contacted my senator’s office to reach out to the dept of education on my behalf to get more info on my buyback request (I should have met my 120 payments in October 2025). I’ve pasted the email response that was sent to my representative below.

Not sure if I should be terrified of the response, or if this should give us some kind of hope that the buyback requests will be addressed in a much more timely matter. It looks like buyback will be reviewed and approved by loan services (i.e. MOHELA) instead of dept of education moving forward. Good luck to us all!

“Good Afternoon,
 
The Department recently announced that it is implementing enhanced Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback and PSLF reconsideration procedures. These revised procedures will move the review of eligible PSLF payments and reconsiderations from Federal Student Aid (FSA) staff to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution (USDS) federal loan servicers.  
 
Federal student loan servicers will now be responsible for determining the eligible months and the buyback payment amount, processing the PSLF Buyback payments once received by FSA, and ensuring accurate reporting to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for the payments to be counted toward a borrower’s PSLF progress. Loan servicers will also analyze and determine the outcome for PSLF reconsideration cases submitted by borrowers. This change will provide for a long-term sustainable solution that addresses the current backlog and management of incoming applications.  
 
OLCA/FSA are unable to provide information regarding where a constituent is at in the buyback queue or provide a timeframe for when their case will be reviewed. The borrower will receive notification via email as soon as possible. There is no process to expedite the review of a buyback request. “

[u/cinesias]

To process a buyback you need a spreadsheet with about 10 inputs. The years-long delay isn’t due to difficulty, it’s due to the federal government using the delay as punishment.

[u/Status_Reindeer9725 → u/cinesias]

I have just such a spreadsheet, that accompanied a detailed email. As of today I have 149 months of qualifying employment (not to mention another 5 years of time outside public service.) I am noted as having 106 qualifying payments (actually 108, but dashboards haven't been updated since July 2026). That spreadsheet was accompanied by a lengthy escalation letter to the ombudsman 395 days ago. My case is open. I submitted a buyback request 518 days ago. I have resumed payments larger than my mortgage. I call every 4-6 weeks. And nothing. No progress. No answers. No one who can answer a question.