Paying back student loans

HLN Money Expert Clark Howard.

HELP ME CLARK!
From HLN's Money Expert Clark Howard

KIM:
I have student loans, a Stafford subsidized and Stafford unsubsidized, that were consolidated to lock in a low interest rate. I have heard that after either working for the government or in law enforcement for 10 years you can ask to have your loans forgiven. I work for my state's government and am considered law enforcement. It will be 10 years in November. My loans are current. In fact I pay more than the minimum payment very month. Can I ask for my student loans to be forgiven if they have been consolidated?

CLARK:
Okay, here's the story. Under the income based repayment plan you are eligible for forgiveness of the remainder of your student loans after 10 years of payments if you're working for a non-profit or for government, or 25 years if you work in the traditional private sector. But you have to go in to the income based repayment plan first for the clock to start ticking. Believe it or not the years you've already been paying don't count toward the 10 years so get yourself converted to income based repayment and get that clock running.