Maine Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

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Loan Forgiveness Programs

Generally, loan forgiveness programs are intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession.

Under some of these programs, individuals can obtain loan forgiveness provided they’ve met the qualifications and are eligible for forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17,500 in principal and interest on their FFEL and/or Direct Loan program loans.

Now, the biggest opportunity has been reached by officials: move to Maine, and they will help you pay off your student loans.

Maine is home to only 1.3 million residents, but it offers a number of student loan forgiveness services unique to Maine State.

So if you live in Maine and wonder how to make your student loans more manageable, take a look at these student loan forgiveness programs in Maine.

Maine Loan Forgiveness Program for Educators

Educators may be liable for teacher loan forgiveness in Maine for one or two years of loans forgiven and receive up to one or two years of forgiven loan payments.

Firstly, to qualify for the Maine Loan Forgiveness Program for Educators, you need to be approved by the Maine Education Department and work in a qualified school.

Generally, you must be working in certain fields, including but not limited to:

Elementary or secondary school teacher
An employee in a specialized subject or at a vocational school
Industrial arts teacher
Classroom teacher
Counselor
Speech pathologist

Jobs for Maine’s Graduates specialists and some child-care providers are also eligible for this program.

Whether you get one or two years of loans forgiven will depend on working in an underserved subject area. Here are some Maine loan forgiveness programs below:

Maine Dental Education Loan Repayment Program

Forgiveness amount: Up to $80,000

Are you a dentist employed in Maine, in an underserved area? Using the Maine Dental Education Loan Repayment Program you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness. In Maine, dentists have to be licensed to qualify.

In addition, you have to be employed at an underserved area dental facility. You must serve all patients, and not take part in any other National Health Service Corps-funded program.

The dental clinic needs to meet certain requirements, including being in an underserved area. It must also accept sliding-scale payments, as well as through MaineCare.

Undergraduate and graduate loans are both eligible for this program. You must commit to a two-year contract and may receive up to $20,000 each year. The maximum award is $80,000 total.

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Maine Health Professions Loan Forgiveness

Forgiveness amount: Potentially up to a total of $100,000

If you are a health care professional in Maine, you may be eligible through the Maine Health Professions Loan Forgiveness Program for student loan forgiveness.

There are two different provisions based on when you took out your loans— before or after January 1, 2011. For loans made before January 1, 2011, the amount of forgiveness for student loans you qualify for will depend on the type of profession.

For example, doctors who practice in underserved areas may be eligible to receive 50 percent of the original loan amount forgiven during each year of the practice.

On the other hand, health professionals who work in general primary health care or general dentistry (not in a field of shortage) are entitled to either 25% of the original loan amount or $7,500 each year, whichever is greater.

Health professionals who took out a loan after Jan. 1, 2011, may be eligible for $25,000 each year, up to a total of $100,000.

Alfond Leaders

Forgiveness amount: Up to $60,000

Maine residents working at an eligible Maine-based employer in a STEM occupation may be eligible for the student loan assistance program Alfond Leaders Maine.

However, eligible candidates will repay up to half of their credit balance— up to $60,000. The program is available for undergraduate, graduate, and refinanced loans. Loans made by parents do not count.

Maine Veterinary Medicine Loan Program

Forgiveness amount: Up to $100,000

You may be eligible for a forgivable loan through the Maine Veterinary Medicine Loan Program if you are a student who wants to pursue being a veterinarian in Maine.

To qualify, you must be a two-year Maine resident at a veterinary school or currently attending a veterinary school before enrolment.

In addition, those interested in working with veterinary care for livestock may also qualify. After January 1, 2011, you must have started school.

You may qualify for $25,000 each year, up to a maximum of $100,000 over a period of four years. This money is paid directly to your school.

Maine Bar Foundation Loan Repayment

Forgiveness amount: $5,000

The Maine Bar Foundation offers a loan repayment program that offers student loan assistance to lawyers working with legal aid programs in Maine. Also, Prosecutors working at a qualifying organization may be eligible for the program for up to 10 years.

You may be eligible for as little as $5,000. The amount you earn will be based on a percentage of your outstanding debt and may change depending on the funding each year.

Pending Maine Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Legislation was introduced earlier this year to repay student loans for Maine residents who have lived and worked in the state for five years.

The bill was created with the intention of bringing young workers into the state. However, it was only introduced so far and has not passed.

While it’s not exactly forgiveness for student loans, there’s also the Opportunity Maine Tax Credit, which reimburses student loan payments for borrowers residing and working in Maine.

You must have graduated in 2008 or after, with requirements depending on the year, to apply for the credit. How much you qualify depends on your degree and the year you completed your degree.

Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

What if you live in Maine but don’t qualify for Maine student loan forgiveness programs or Maine student loan assistance? There are two other federal student loan forgiveness programs you might qualify for.

Federal student loan borrowers may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program if they work in the public sector for 10 years and make 120 payments. You won’t have to pay any taxes on the forgiven amount, either.

Another option is student loan forgiveness under an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. Under an IDR plan, you pay 10% to 20% of your discretionary income for 20 to 25 years, based on the plan.

If there’s a remaining balance after that, your loans will be forgiven. Unlike PSLF, you’ll be expected to pay taxes on the forgiven amount.

Unfortunately, these programs aren’t available for private student loan borrowers. For private or federal loan borrowers looking to save money, refinancing your student loans is another option.

Through refinancing, you can slash your interest rate and save money in the long run by paying down the principal faster. This can be a good option, but if you have federal loans, you’ll give up protections like forgiveness and income-driven repayment.