Question:
Do we need to give maaser on school loan? What if down the line the loan is forgiven (federal loan)? Thank you
Answer:
You do not have to give maser on a loan, because it has to be paid back and it isn’t a financial gain. Even if the loan will eventually be forgiven, in this case you still don’t have to give maser because the loan is being given for a specific purpose and isn’t being given to you as cash for you to use. Therefore you do not have to give maser on it.
Sources:
B’orach Tzedakah 9-25, 34 in the name of R Eliyashiv zt”l. Also see pg. 364 from R’ N. Karelitz shlit”a.
