This piece was originally published at CNBC.
It may be getting easier for some disabled veterans to erase their student loan debt.
The Department of Education announced Monday that it will partner with the Department of Veteran Affairs to identify disabled student loan borrowers who are eligible for debt forgiveness. Such borrowers will be notified of their potential eligibility in the mail and will also receive a Total and Permanent Disability Discharge application, the avenue though which borrowers with severe physical impairments are approved to erase their debt.
Such outreach is needed: Many disabled veterans are currently unaware that they can be eligible for student loan debt forgiveness, said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“It’s horrific,” Wofford said “There are disabled veterans who served their country who are financially struggling — and sometimes destitute — who are legally entitled to have their student loans forgiven but it’s not happening.”
Indeed, there are likely “tens of thousands” of severely disabled veterans who aren’t aware of their federal student loan forgiveness options…