Repayment plans / RAP payment by income
Rules verified Oct 17, 2026 · 2026 poverty guidelines, 48 states
RAP payment on $25,000 income: married filing jointly with two children
RAP: $10.00 a month in year one. IBR: $0.00 (10% version).
How the numbers come out
- $25,000 falls in RAP's 2% band, so the yearly base payment is 2% of the whole amount: $500.00 a year, or $41.67 a month.
- Subtracting $50 for each of the 2 dependents would take the payment below $10, so RAP's $10 floor applies.
- IBR protects 150% of the poverty line for a household of 4 ($49,500 in 2026), which is more than this income, so the IBR payment is $0.
- In year one, IBR's payment (10% version) is $10.00 a month lower than RAP's.
- For a married couple filing jointly, the income is the couple’s combined AGI. If both spouses have federal loans, each pays a share in proportion to their part of the combined debt.
- With $80,000, IBR leaves about $184,320 to be forgiven after 20 years under these assumptions; forgiveness outside PSLF may be taxed.
By loan balance
Loans at 6.52%, income rising 3% a year, every payment on time. "Standard" is the 10-year plan for loans from before July 1, 2026; Tiered Standard applies if any loan was paid out on or after that date (IBR is then not available).
| Balance | RAP | IBR (10%) | Standard (10-yr) | Tiered Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $10.00/mo $15,826 total, $8,951 forgiven after 30 yr | $0.00/mo $0 total, $46,080 forgiven after 20 yr | $227.30/mo $27,276 total | $227.30/mo $27,276 total over 10 yr |
| $40,000 | $10.00/mo $15,826 total, $30,166 forgiven after 30 yr | $0.00/mo $0 total, $92,160 forgiven after 20 yr | $454.60/mo $54,552 total | $348.88/mo $62,799 total over 15 yr |
| $80,000 | $10.00/mo $15,826 total, $70,166 forgiven after 30 yr | $0.00/mo $0 total, $184,320 forgiven after 20 yr | $909.20/mo $109,104 total | $597.40/mo $143,376 total over 20 yr |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Not financial or legal advice. These are estimates from the published formulas for this household (married filing jointly with two children) with $25,000 of adjusted gross income. They assume all loans are unsubsidized Direct Loans just entering repayment and no tax on forgiveness. Methodology.
Same household, other incomes
$25,000 · $35,000 · $45,000 · $55,000 · $65,000 · $75,000 · $90,000 · $110,000 · $130,000 · $160,000