Federal student loans · rules checked Oct 17, 2026
The rules changed on July 1, 2026.
Here’s where you stand.
The law, the regulations, StudentAid.gov and your servicer each tell part of the story. We put it together: who you are, which plans you can pick, what each one costs, and what to do next.
Compare RAP, IBR and Standard Interest deduction for 2026 Find your situation
Start with your situation
- I was on the SAVE planSAVE ended in March 2026. You have 90 days from your servicer’s notice to pick a new plan.
- I borrowed on or after July 1, 2026Every Direct Loan you have can now only use RAP or Tiered Standard.
- I’m working toward PSLFRAP payments count. Tiered Standard payments don’t.
- I have parent PLUS loansNot eligible for RAP. New limits and a 2028 deadline for older loans.
- My loans are all from before July 1, 2026You keep IBR and the 10-year Standard plan, and you can also pick RAP.
- I’m about to start repayingGrace period, first bill, and the plan you’re placed on if you don’t choose.
- My loan is in defaultRehabilitation, consolidation, and where garnishment stands in 2026.
Calculators
- RAP vs IBR vs StandardMonthly payment, total paid and forgiveness date for each plan you can use.
- Student loan calculatorFixed payment and total interest for any balance, rate and term.
- Payoff calculatorWhat paying extra saves, and how extra payments work on RAP.
- Interest deduction for 2026Up to $2,500 off your income; the phase-out worked line by line.
- PSLF calculatorPayments left, buyback, and the amount forgiven.
- Refinance mathTotals compared, and what a private loan doesn’t carry. No lenders listed.
- Parent PLUS calculatorThe plans left for parent loans, with the 2026 ICR factors.
- Wage garnishment and offsetHow much of a paycheck or benefit can be taken in default.
The new plan in one line
AGI × 1–10% ÷ 12 − $50 per dependent
That is the Repayment Assistance Plan. Pay on time and unpaid interest is waived, principal falls by up to $50 a month, and what’s left after 30 years is forgiven.
Guides
- How RAP calculates your monthly payment, step by step
- RAP vs IBR: how the two income-driven plans differ
- The SAVE plan ended: your 90-day deadline and your options
- Borrowed on or after July 1, 2026? You have two plans, for all your loans
- The Tiered Standard Plan explained
- RAP's interest waiver: why your balance shouldn't grow
- The RAP principal match: how the government helps cut your balance
- How dependents lower your RAP payment
How this site works
Every rule here is quoted from the law (Public Law 119-21), the federal regulations (34 CFR part 685), StudentAid.gov or the Department of Education, with a link and the date we last checked it. On the cases we tested, our calculator matches StudentAid.gov’s own Repayment Calculator to the dollar for RAP and the standard plans; for IBR the monthly payment matches and long-run totals differ by 1–3% because of one stated assumption. We don’t tell you which plan to choose, and we don’t collect what you type. Methodology · All rules and sources · About