https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans/gr...
I'll be honest, this is a shitty situation for this guy, and maybe he was misled, but this does seem to fall under the "if it's too good to be true" category. The idea of trying to game this situation by paying the minimum possible should have set off alarms bells with everyone involved, like, every month. I'm surprised it took so long for the issue to surface.
Bear in mind that the standard repayment plan is 10 years, and PSLF forgives debt remaining after 10 years. Without a change in repayment plan, there is no benefit to PSLF.
Where the law protects the common good is disallowing graduated payment plans access to PSLF, as it's the only non-standard plan that doesn't factor in income. I donno what Shafer's income is, but his district currently starts licensed teachers with a master's off at 40k[1]. If we assume he accrued 4 years exp while pursuing his Master's, then he's at 45k. But running the numbers, paying back 70k at 8.25 percent interest means a monthly payment of $850, so unless his wife is a doctor, it seems like he'd qualify for some sort of income plan.
Personally, given my modest loan amounts, favorable interest rates, and decent wage I found it difficult to qualify for PSLF without some extreme retirement savings planning -- maxing out both a 403b and a 457b is allowed, but it's rare for folks to have access to both. Deferred income plans like those reduce your AGI, which is what repayment plans are keyed in on. Things that don't reduce AGI include: union dues, mortgage payments, rent, car payments, medical expenses, or dependents.
[1]: http://www.4j.lane.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2016-17-Li...
> Because of his 8.25 percent interest rate, which he could not refinance due to loan rules, even those higher payments weren’t putting a dent in his principal. So the $70,000 or so that he did pay over the period amounted to nothing, and he’ll most likely pay at least that much going forward.