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Understand and Manage Your Student Loans

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Managing your student loans as a social worker comes with unique challenges. Many social workers have both undergraduate and post-graduate education loans.

And a high percentage of social workers are employed in the public sector or in non-profit agencies. While this can often mean lower salaries than in the private sector, it also means potential benefits from the federal government for student loan repayment.

Manage Your Student Loan Debt with Savi

NASW has partnered with Savi, a student loan technology company, to provide our members with access to expertise so you can better understand, manage, and repay your student loan debt. The Savi Student Loan Tool analyzes repayment and forgiveness programs to help borrowers find solutions. They can also provide digital enrollment and annual re-enrollment.

Members can select a free account to explore options at no cost, or choose a member-discounted premium account to get help enrolling and submitting application paperwork directly to loan servicers, and access one-on-one support with student loan experts. Working with Savi can save you hours in paperwork and anxiety. And Savi tells us that users save an average of $2,064 per year.


Sign up for Savi

Get Started: Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Savi guides you step by step through the PSLF application and enrollment process, working directly with your servicer and employer to ensure you’re on the right track towards student loan forgiveness.

With a free DIY account, members can:

  • Get a personalized estimate: Input your loan info to see all available options.
  • Review options: Compare all your repayment options side-by-side, including potential forgiveness for eligible borrowers.
  • Access resources: Complete forms for your chosen repayment plan and/or forgiveness program, and file them on your own.

With a $29.95 premium Essential account, members can also:

  • Enroll: Pick a repayment plan and/or forgiveness program, and quickly enroll through Savi’s paperless application process
  • Monitor: Ensure you never miss your re-certification deadline with the Savi Student Loan Tool. Get ongoing advice, tools, and information about the status of your loans throughout the year
  • Get Support: Receive unlimited access to one-on-one support with Savi student loan experts

Free Student Loan Aid Tools During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Student Borrower Protection Center

The Student Borrower Protection Center is a nonprofit organization focused on alleviating the burden of student debt for millions of Americans. Get resources for borrowers during the coronavirus pandemic, tips for managing your student loans and answers to frequently asked questions.

Managing Student Loan Debt during COVID-19

There is a lot of new information in the CARES Act for student loan borrowers to understand. In this presentation by the Student Borrower Protection Center, experts talk about how these changes affect the status of student loans.

COVID-19 Student Loan Aid Tool

The COVID-19 Student Loan Aid Tool automates applying for Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, potentially reducing or eliminating student loan payments for up to 12 months at a time if your income has gone down due to the pandemic.

Loan servicers can usually implement the new payment level in about two weeks — but the application process can be confusing, time-consuming, and prone to delays due to data entry and filing errors. The  COVID-19 Student Loan Aid Tool leads borrowers through the process and files the application for you.


NASW Social Work Talks, Public Service Loan Forgiveness: New and Improved? with Lindsay Clark

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver

The limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) waiver is a short-term opportunity for borrowers to seek student loan forgiveness through Oct. 31, 2022.

Listen to the podcast to learn about the PSLF waiver

NASW Policy Efforts on Student Loan Debt Relief