Income-Driven Repayment Planner

Income-driven repayment (IDR) ties your federal student loan payment to what you earn. This planner does more than show a monthly payment — it projects your balance year by year, estimates when your loan is paid off or forgiven, and adds up the lifetime cost under the two plans available now: the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and Income-Based Repayment (IBR).

Using 2026 federal poverty guidelines (48 contiguous states & DC).

Try a scenario:

Before you rely on these numbers: RAP is a new plan, and its calculations here are based on publicly available legislative summaries and published guidance — they may differ from the U.S. Department of Education's final implementation and from what individual servicers actually bill. IDR rules are actively litigated and periodically rewritten. Forgiveness, tax, and multi-year projections rely on assumptions about your future income and on current law holding steady. Treat every figure as a planning estimate, not a quote.

Income & household

Your annual income (AGI)

High earner? Type any amount in the box — it isn't capped by the slider.

Tax filing status

Family size (household)

Includes you, your spouse if filing jointly, and your dependents.

Dependents claimed on taxes

RAP subtracts $50/month per dependent. Don't count yourself.

Your loan

Current loan balance

Interest rate

Expected annual income growth

A rough estimate. Real raises vary; this just projects the trend.

Plan & forgiveness options

IBR borrower type

I'm pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

RAP — Repayment Assistance Plan

$0/mo

IBR — Income-Based Repayment

$0/mo

Balance over time

RAP IBR

Lifetime cost comparison

"Total paid" is every monthly payment added up. "Forgiven" is whatever balance remains when you reach the forgiveness mark. Forgiven amounts under IDR (not PSLF) are currently taxed as income, so we add an estimated tax bill. Lifetime cost = total paid + that tax.

	RAP	IBR

Year-by-year projection

Year	Income	RAP payment	RAP balance	IBR payment	IBR balance

What this means and what to do next

If this sounds like you…	Often a better fit	Why
Pursuing PSLF (teacher, nurse, public service)	Whichever has the lowest payment	Forgiveness comes tax-free at 10 years, so minimizing payments maximizes what's forgiven.
High income growth expected (resident, associate)	Often IBR	Earlier forgiveness (20–25 yrs) can beat RAP's 30, but compare — high earners may just pay off.
Large family size	Often IBR	IBR protects 150% of poverty per household member, lowering the payment more as family grows.
Low income with dependents	Often RAP	The $50/dependent reduction and interest waiver keep the balance from spiraling.
Planning to pay aggressively	Neither IDR plan	If you can afford more than the IDR minimum, the Standard plan usually costs less overall.

General patterns, not a recommendation for your situation. Your own numbers above are what matter — watch the winner badge and lifetime cost.

RAP protects your balance. Unpaid interest is waived and up to $50/month goes toward principal, so your balance won't spiral. But forgiveness takes 30 years, and a raise that crosses a $10,000 line raises the percentage on your entire income.
IBR can negatively amortize. After the SAVE plan was struck down, IBR no longer fully subsidizes unpaid interest, so on a low income your balance can grow. Forgiveness comes sooner (20 or 25 years), but the forgiven amount may be larger.
The tax bomb is back. The pause on taxing IDR forgiveness expired at the end of 2025. Balances forgiven under RAP or IBR are now treated as taxable income the year they're forgiven — and forgiven balances outside PSLF may also be taxed by your state, depending on federal and state law when forgiveness occurs. PSLF forgiveness stays tax-free federally.
Filing separately can lower an IBR payment by excluding a spouse's income, but it usually raises your tax bill and isn't always worth it. Run both ways before deciding.
Timing matters. A raise won't change your payment until your next annual recertification unless you report it early. If your income drops, recertify early to lower your payment.
SAVE/REPAYE is no longer an option. The SAVE plan was vacated by the courts on March 10, 2026, and is being wound down. If you're still in SAVE forbearance, you'll need to choose RAP or IBR.

This calculator is for educational and informational purposes only. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and on repayment rules as of 2026; RAP figures reflect published guidance and may differ from final servicer calculations. Forgiveness, tax, and projection figures rely on assumptions about future income and law that may not hold. Always confirm current details with your loan servicer or StudentAid.gov, and consult a qualified professional for decisions involving student loans, taxes, or financial planning.