A lot of borrowers are wondering how to get their loans forgiven without getting crushed by taxes later, especially with that 2026 tax-free forgiveness deadline creeping closer. In this episode, I walk through the lesser-known ways forgiveness can be tax-free, how timing affects whether you owe anything, and what thoughtful planning looks like if you're headed toward taxable IDR forgiveness.

You'll also hear several listener questions that tie directly into PSLF quirks, marriage and income decisions, and whether refinancing really makes sense for high earners.

Key moments:

(01:35) Employer lump-sum PSLF mess and how to escalate when servicers contradict themselves

(08:11) Acupuncturist's loans, marriage stress, and married-filing-separately trade-offs

(16:57) Should high earners refinance or keep federal protections and flexibility

(26:03) What happens if PSLF rules get blocked, and who should actually worry

(29:11) Tax-free forgiveness strategies, tax bomb planning, and smart moves before 2026

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