If approved for Social Security Disability benefits, there are several valuable benefits to collect, such as a lumpsum backpay of retroactive benefits, monthly disability payments through full age of retirement, and health insurance . For individuals with outstanding federal student loans, perhaps one of the most lucrative benefits is a pathway to having hefty student loans completely discharged. After all, student loans are intended to pay for college or post-graduate school, but what good are the loans if the graduate later becomes disabled according to SSA and unable to work? 

This was the case for Lynn, a 65-year old chiropractor who ironically developed a back condition of her own. She had taken out substantial loans to pay for school which left her in sizable debt. As her back condition progressively worsened and she became unable to handle the physical demands of chiropractic work, she retained Desert Disability® to represent her in her disability claim in May 2022. Our office promptly collected from her the necessary information and filed her initial application for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits in June, and we were able to give her the great news that she was fully approved just 3 months later. 

Recently, Lynn reached out to us to share the amazing news that she was able to have her student loans completely discharged, clearing her of $206,000 of debt! 

Lynn agreed to be interviewed by her attorney representative, Jeffrey Herman, about her experience with the student loan discharge process with hopes that it could benefit others who may find themselves in a similar situation as she was in. 

Jeffrey: Where and when did you go to school and what did you go to school for?   
Lynn: I enrolled at Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2000 to become a Chiropractor.  (I was 44 when I started my education.)

Jeffrey: When did you apply to have your student loan discharged?  
Lynn: About a month after I contacted your office for representation, I learned that people who were disabled could get their loans discharged.  I filled out the application about two months after that.  At that time my school loan was in deferment, so I needed to send the application in before I’d be required to pay anything on an Income Based payment plan.

Jeffrey: When did you receive good news that your student loans would be discharged?   
Lynn: About 4 months later in November 2022.

Jeffrey: What was the process like in having your student loans discharged?  
Lynn: Nelnet, the company that consolidated my loans, sent me the paperwork.  I included a copy of the letter from you stating that I was accepted for disability (which I think was very helpful).

Jeffrey: Overall, how difficult of a process was it to have your student loans discharged?
Lynn: It wasn’t difficult at all, and definitely worth a little effort.

Jeffrey: How has this loan discharge affected your life?
Lynn: At 66, and now not working, having to pay an Income Based payment plan would be 10-15% of my expendable income and would have come from my social security payments which would have been a hardship.  This debt also impacted my credit rating.  As this was the only debt I had, having that relief means my credit will improve and I’ll have a much more comfortable life with less financial pressure.   With my regular social security payments and income from disability, I will have financial security for the rest of my life.

Jeffrey: Do you have any recommendations for anyone else who owes student loans and is dealing with a disability that is affecting their ability to work?  
Lynn: Yes…..first hire Desert Disability®.  (I have heard that getting a disability acceptance can often take a couple years.  I got mine in three months.)    I think the letter from Desert Disability® had a significant impact on my school loan forgiveness process. 


A big thanks to Lynn for agreeing to participate in an interview and sharing her experience. Not only was she fortunate to gain an early approval from SSA (which is not very common), she was able to have her federal student loans completely discharged by the government. 

For more information about the student loan discharge process, please visit www.desertdisablity.com/student-loan-discharge

SSDI & SSI Payments

Once someone is approved, monthly payments from Social Security can be directly deposited into the claimant’s bank account each month or mailed to the claimant in the form of a check. The claimant must call Social Security ahead of time or provide their banking information during the application process to have the benefits processed into their account automatically each month. VA compensation and disability benefits are entirely separate and will be processed depending on how the claimant wishes to receive them.

Additional Benefits

Veterans and their families may also qualify for Survivor’s Benefits, Retirement, and Medicare health coverage. TRICARE is a health care program for service members, retirees, and their family members and is available to those Veterans who qualify for Medicare. TRICARE is a program provided by the United States Department of Defense Military Health System and is not offered through the Social Security Administration. 

Please see the links below for more information on Survivor’s Benefits & Medicare.

Why Choose Desert Disability®?

Desert Disability® is proud to serve our disabled Veterans and win them the benefits they deserve. All veterans who retain our services are entitled to 50% off the initial retainer fee. We look forward to providing our service members with extra care, and ensuring they are entitled to the compensation they have earned.