If you cannot work due to a medical condition, you may also be having trouble paying your bills. And as with most financial obligations, student loan debt doesn't wait. Fortunately, if you are approved for Social Security benefits, you may be able to have your student loan forgiven. However, it should be noted that the student loan discharge is not automatic; you must apply for it separately to take advantage of this program. Read below for some information you need to know about how to get your student loan debt forgiven.

The Total and Permanent Disability Discharge

Getting approved for Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits was likely a challenge, but meeting the requirements to have your student loan forgiven through the Total and Permanent Disability Discharge (TPD) program takes those challenges to a new level. While the SSDI program requires that you be unable to work at your job for a year (or that you expect to be unable to work at your job for a year), you must be unable to work at your job for 60 months, or 5 years to qualify for the TPD program. One exception to this rule: if your condition has been placed in the category of Medical Improvement Not Expected (MINE) by the Social Security Administration (SSA), your application for student loan forgiveness is expedited without needing to wait the additional 4 years.

Qualifying Student Loan Programs

The following types of student loans may qualify for the TPD program:

• William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
• Federal Perkins Loans
• Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)
• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Service

Important Points to Consider

1. Each type of loan for which you are applying requires a separate application.
2. Your income will be monitored for a certain period of time, during which you may not engage in what the Social Security Administration calls "substantial gainful activity".
3. Being approved for the TPD program likely means never qualifying for another student loan.
4. Once you contact Disability Discharge, your loan will be suspended for 120 days, allowing you time to submit your required paperwork. During this 120 days, all collection activities relating to your student loan will stop.
5. Veterans with service-related disabilities are eligible for special consideration that doesn't involve the Social Security Administration. With a statement from the Veteran's Administration that verifies the following information, you may have your student loan forgiven:
   1. A disability that has lasted at least 60 months or can be expected to last for 60 months.
   2. A disability that makes you permanently and totally disabled and that you are unable to work at any job. 

Talk with a Social Security attorney for more information about getting your SSDI approved and getting your student loan debt forgiven.