August 2026 Student Loan Coaching Results: $89K Avg. Forgiveness and Borrowers Closer to the Finish Than They Thought
Ask most borrowers how far they are from student loan forgiveness and you’ll hear some version of “a long way” or “honestly, no idea.” In August, over and over, the real answer turned out to be: closer than they thought. One borrower had already made every payment she needed and just didn’t know it. Another was 39 certifications away from a zero balance. A third brought us more than $660,000 in defaulted loans and left with a plan to clear them for less than $150 a month. The finish line was already there. They just couldn’t see it.
August by the Numbers
- Customer satisfaction: 100%
- Average monthly payment reduction (when we could lower it): $720/month
- Average projected forgiveness: $89,375 (range: $3,200–$680,000)
- Average timeline to forgiveness shortened (when we could shorten it): 30 months (range: 10–113 months)
But the numbers only tell part of the story.
Closer Than You Think
The most common surprise in August wasn’t how much money was on the table. It was how much progress borrowers had already made without realizing it. Public Service Loan Forgiveness counts qualifying payments, but only if the right employment is certified and the right plan is in place. Miss a step, and years of qualifying work can sit uncounted on a dashboard that says you still have a long way to go.
A few examples from the month, shared anonymously:
- One borrower discovered she’d already made more than 120 qualifying payments. She didn’t need to make a single additional payment. She needed to certify her past employers and apply for forgiveness.
- Another found 37 payments that had never been counted. Adding them pushed her past the 120-payment mark and made her eligible for forgiveness now.
- A third learned she had 82 months of past employment that could be certified, and that certifying just 39 of them would forgive her loans outright.
None of them needed a miracle. They needed someone to find the credit they’d already earned.
Real Borrowers, Real Results
Crystal C.
Crystal came in with a tangle that would stop anyone: a defaulted loan, no income-driven plan, and PSLF she hadn’t started. The defaulted balance was a Perkins loan of four cents. Four cents was enough to put her in default. In one session, we enrolled her in an income-driven plan that lowered her payment, resolved the defaulted Perkins loan, and submitted her first PSLF certification for OMNI. She saved about $200 a month.
In her words:
“This was extremely helpful in clarifying what program is the best option for me. I was able to complete the loan forgiveness application and apply for a repayment plan that is much more manageable moving forward. I saved $200 on my monthly payments. I feel more at ease and confident now with my student loans.”
Ana G.
On paper, Ana’s situation looked closed: more than $660,000 in defaulted student loans. In her session, we chose and activated a plan to bring those loans out of default and into RAP, on a path toward PSLF, for less than $150 a month. The difference between where she started and where she left is the whole reason this work exists.
In her words:
“Kevin was knowledgeable and super helpful. I have encouraged co-workers to utilize this service because it’s amazing. I have given friends and family his link to contact him and get help with their school loans.”
The Feedback Speaks for Itself
A few outcomes from the month, shared anonymously:
- “I learned something new. And that’s given that I was pretty on top of things, so thank you!”
- “Without my coach I would not have fully understood how to navigate the different repayment options available to me. Working with him clearly laid out a path that will help me in the long run, no matter how many questions I asked.”
- “The instructions were clear, and the changes to my account were made within a few days of the initial meeting.”
A Window Worth Watching
Many of the borrowers we coached in August were moving off SAVE forbearance and choosing what comes next. That decision has real consequences for both your balance and your forgiveness timeline, and it isn’t one to put off. If you’ve been sitting in forbearance unsure of your next move, we broke down how to think about it in a recent post.
Why This Work Matters
If you’ve been putting off your student loans, or you’re not sure whether you’re on the right track, you may be closer than you think. Sign up for a free consultation to see where you stand.
And if you’re part of a nonprofit collaborative or school purchasing consortium, mention it, you may be eligible for discounted services.
Because clarity changes everything.
About SavvyFi: SavvyFi is a user-friendly fintech platform that makes it easy for employers to provide college savings and student loan benefits to their employees. Because the company’s platform is “zero-touch” to HR — without any complicated systems, integrations, or paperwork — SavvyFi unlocks education financing capabilities to even the smallest employers that would not otherwise be able to offer these benefits.
Disclosure: Third-party quotes shown may not be representative of the experience of all SavvyFi customers and do not represent a guarantee of future performance or success.
