STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Previously, an individual’s gross income didn’t include cancellation of debt income that was attributable to the discharge of all or part of any student loan if the discharge was made under a provision of the loan – that all or part of the indebtedness would be discharged if the individual worked for a certain period of time in certain professions for any of a broad class of employers.

New Law: The law has been amended to include amounts received by an individual in tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2008; the gross income exclusion for amounts received under the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program or certain State loan repayment programs is modified to include any amount received by an individual under any State loan repayment or loan forgiveness program that is intended to provide for the increased availability of health care services in underserved or health professional shortage areas as determined by the State.