This may be a question that more job seekers ask of future employers as pioneering companies begin to offer this benefit and proposed legislation could make it even more prevalent. Here are some recent articles:

• From Bloomberg:

“Imagine a world in which the standard benefit package at work includes health insurance, 401(k) contributions, and a few thousand dollars to pay off your student debt. More companies than ever are offering that last perk, but it’s still a fringe benefit. Two bills making their way through Congress could change that, by giving companies a tax incentive to help employees repay their student loans…The new policy would treat up to $5,250 per year in employer contributions toward student debt as nontaxable income, a change could make the student debt benefit go from a niche offering to one that’s more common than parental leave.”

• From Time:

“Fidelity announced Tuesday that full-time employees at the manager level or below will be eligible to receive $2,000 a year paid toward their student loan balance, for a total of up to $10,000, the Boston Globe reported. The benefit will affect nearly 5,000 Fidelity employees, the company said. It will automatically deliver the payments using technology developed by California-based Tuition.io Inc., a student loan management company that will automatically direct payments to the employee’s loan provider.”

• From Washington Post:

“…a small but growing number of firms that are helping ease the pain of student loan debt for their growing population of millennial employees — while at the same time offering benefits that aren’t as permanent as a bump up in workers’ salaries. Pricewaterhouse Coopers announced in September it would extend a similar benefit to its workers. Smaller companies such as Chegg andLendEDU offer the perk, and third-party vendors say many more are expected to announce the benefit in the coming months.”

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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