Lots of folks who receive Social Security disability benefits also have federal student loan debts. The law says that certain types of federal student loans can be forgiven if you are found to be “Totally and Permanently Disabled”. But being found disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA) is not the same thing as being found totally and permanently disabled.
Question : Is there a way to get the Department of Education to accept an SSA decision of disability as proof?
Answer: Yes. If your decision indicates that you will be reviewed for continuing disability only once every five to seven years, rather than the usual period of three years, the Department of Education will accept an SSA notice of award.
Question: But what if your decision doesn’t assign a review schedule? What if it’s silent? What do you do then?
Answer: Request a letter or printout from SSA verifying your review schedule. Note that if SSA doesn’t cooperate, you can point out to them that they are required by their own rules to include a review schedule on Form 831. That should be sufficient to remind them.
For more information, see GAO Report 14-866T; 77 Fed Reg. 21266091; POMS DI 26510.020