Today Is A Banner Day!

Many, many years ago (1999 actually) I went back to college because I broke my arm badly enough to ruin my previous career. I knew nothing about Social Security Disability Insurance or anything else that might have helped me financially so I took out a one semester student loan.

Later my Rehabilitation counselor actually asked me why I wasn’t receiving SSDI and walked me through what to do. I am permanently disabled. Do you think that had any effect on paying back my Student loan? Nope!

But today, yes, TODAY I finally paid my student loan off in full! I actually used my own Federal funding to pay off my Federal Loan. (I haven’t been able to work).

What am I talking about, you ask? Well contrary to some opinions, SSDI is an insurance program that I paid into all of my working years. A sort of savings account that the Federal government collects and uses until a person needs it. Fortunately, most people don’t ever need it. I did.

I tried to convince Sallie Mae that they should waive my loan because I am permanently disabled, but they refused. So what money could I use to pay the Federal government? My Federal savings account, SSDI. My personal Federal money to pay a Federal debit.

It has taken me YEARS to pay it off but I did it! AND I didn’t default on my loan! So today is a banner day for me!! I think I may have to have a little party…