Student Loan Employment Benefits Act of 2016

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of an employee up to $5000 per year of the amounts paid by an employer under a student loan payment assistance program.

The student loan payment assistance program must be a separate written plan of an employer to provide employees with student loan payment assistance which meets specified requirements.

The bill defines "student loan payment assistance" as the payment of principal or interest on any indebtedness incurred by an employee solely to pay qualified higher education expenses which are paid or incurred within a reasonable time before or after such indebtedness was incurred and are attributable to education furnished during a period in which such employee was a student eligible for federal financial assistance. "Student loan payment assistance" also includes the payment of principal or interest on debt used to refinance the debt described above.