Veteran struggling with student loans... any advice?

I’m a Marine veteran who didn’t qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and ended up with a ton of student loans. I used the older version of the GI Bill, which only gave $1100/month for school instead of covering everything like the Post-9/11 one. They say I could get Post-9/11 benefits if I went back to school, but I’m already drowning in debt from undergrad and grad school loans. Any ideas on what I can do to get some relief? Thanks in advance!

Man, that sucks. Have you tried reaching out to any veteran service organizations? The American Legion or VFW might help navigate this.

Aeron said:
Man, that sucks. Have you tried reaching out to any veteran service organizations? The American Legion or VFW might help navigate this.

Not yet. Do they actually help with stuff like this, or is it more for general support?

Aeron said:
Man, that sucks. Have you tried reaching out to any veteran service organizations? The American Legion or VFW might help navigate this.

They’re pretty good with VA-related stuff. They’ve got people who can help with benefits and loan forgiveness options. Worth a shot!

Have you looked into Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? If you work in a qualifying job, it could wipe out your loans after 10 years.

Micah said:
Have you looked into Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? If you work in a qualifying job, it could wipe out your loans after 10 years.

Yeah, I’m a Prosthetist, so maybe that counts? I’ll have to check. Thanks for the tip!

Micah said:
Have you looked into Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? If you work in a qualifying job, it could wipe out your loans after 10 years.

FYI, Prosthetist sounds like it would qualify. You just need to be on an income-driven repayment plan. Have you done that yet?

Could you try for state programs? Some states have loan forgiveness for veterans in high-need jobs. Prosthetics sounds like it could qualify.

StephieStephie said:
Could you try for state programs? Some states have loan forgiveness for veterans in high-need jobs. Prosthetics sounds like it could qualify.

That’s interesting. I didn’t know states offered programs like that. Any idea where to look for info?

StephieStephie said:
Could you try for state programs? Some states have loan forgiveness for veterans in high-need jobs. Prosthetics sounds like it could qualify.

Check your state’s education or veterans affairs website. Sometimes they list loan forgiveness options for specific professions.

Retroactive benefits might not be an option, but pushing for debt forgiveness could work. Have you talked to the VA directly?

Jaden said:
Retroactive benefits might not be an option, but pushing for debt forgiveness could work. Have you talked to the VA directly?

Not yet. I get so frustrated dealing with them, but I probably need to. Any advice on how to approach it?

Jaden said:
Retroactive benefits might not be an option, but pushing for debt forgiveness could work. Have you talked to the VA directly?

Keep it simple and document everything. Maybe bring in a VFW service officer—they know how to deal with the VA bureaucracy.

Honestly, this is so frustrating to read. You serve your country and then get stuck with debt? Smh. Definitely check into PSLF and service orgs.

Wilder said:
Honestly, this is so frustrating to read. You serve your country and then get stuck with debt? Smh. Definitely check into PSLF and service orgs.

Yeah, it’s rough. Thanks for the support though. I’ll start with the PSLF info and go from there.

Wilder said:
Honestly, this is so frustrating to read. You serve your country and then get stuck with debt? Smh. Definitely check into PSLF and service orgs.

No problem. Good luck, and keep us updated! Someone else might learn from what you figure out.