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Programs that offer alternative arrangements for repayment of student loans under specified circumstances when borrowers are having trouble making their regular payments. Included are deferment programs which allow the individual to postpone repayment of the loan for an agreed period of time, generally with no interest accrual; forbearance arrangements which involve temporary postponement of payment on the principle but continued payment of the interest or capitalization of the interest (folding it into the principle); loan repayment programs under which the individual's employer (often the military or federal employer) or another organization makes loan payments on behalf of the individual up to a specified limit; and loan forgiveness programs which involve cancellation of all or a portion of the loan amount in exchange for military service, volunteer work, teaching in schools that serve low-income families, work in a public interest law firm or meeting other criteria specified by the forgiveness program. Individuals in the U.S.who are employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or nonprofit organization might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), a federal effort that forgives student loan debt for nonprofit employees after 120 qualifying payments. For a limited period of time, people eligible for the PSLF program may receive credit for past periods of repayment on loans that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Borrowers can also make other arrangements with the lender including more affordable payment plans and loan consolidation.