RAP is the only IDR option for eligible loans
Federal Student Aid states that RAP is the only IDR plan available when all of the borrower’s loans were disbursed on or after July 1, 2026. Parent PLUS histories remain excluded.
Federal IDR Strategy | RAP · IBR · PAYE · ICR
Income-Driven Repayment Help for Federal Student Loans
See which IDR plans your loans may actually qualify for, what the official estimates mean, and which tradeoffs matter before you change your federal repayment strategy.
Federal loans only · Personalized guidance is optional · Borrower keeps FSA credentials · No guaranteed payment or forgiveness outcome
IDR DECISION MAP2026
1LOAN HISTORYType · dates · consolidation · Parent PLUS
↓
RAPIBRPAYEICR
↓
2OFFICIAL ESTIMATESPayment · total paid · horizon · discharge
↓
3YOUR STRATEGYAffordability · PSLF · total cost · 2028
4 Current IDR Plans2026 Loan-Date Divide2028 PAYE & ICR Sunset$0 Federal Tools Available
PAYMENT IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE DECISION
Income-driven repayment help should do more than tell you to pick the lowest monthly payment. In 2026, the right federal IDR path depends on your loan types, disbursement dates, income, family size or claimed dependents, Parent PLUS history, forgiveness goals, and what happens after 2028. FedRepay helps you compare the IDR plans your loans may actually qualify for, understand the payment and long-term tradeoffs, and turn official federal estimates into a practical next-step strategy while you keep control of your StudentAid.gov account and every submission.
01 / THE 2026 RESET
Why Income-Driven Repayment Is More Complicated in 2026
The plan names are only the beginning. Loan dates and loan history now determine which IDR choices even exist.Multiple IDR choices may still exist
Depending on loan type and borrower history, older loans may qualify for RAP, IBR, PAYE, or ICR. That creates a real comparison instead of a one-plan answer.
Different loans may have different eligibility
Federal Student Aid specifically warns that mixed portfolios can be eligible for different IDR plans. This is where a loan-by-loan eligibility map becomes important.
SAVE UPDATE
SAVE is no longer an available IDR plan
Federal Student Aid says a federal court order ended SAVE. Borrowers who were enrolled in SAVE or had a pending SAVE application must select another repayment plan under the current federal process.
02 / THE CURRENT IDR MENU
RAP, IBR, PAYE, or ICR: Which Plans Should You Compare?
Start with eligibility. Then compare payment mechanics, repayment horizon, forgiveness strategy, and whether the plan will still exist when you need it.RAP
Payment: 1%–10% of AGI, reduced by $50 for each claimed dependent, with a $10 monthly minimum.
General horizon: 30-year general qualifying repayment period.
Watch: Parent PLUS histories are excluded. If all eligible loans were disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, RAP is the only IDR plan available.
Read the RAP guideIBR
Payment: 10% or 15% of discretionary income, depending on borrower status, with a 10-year Standard payment cap.
General horizon: 20 or 25 years of qualifying repayment, depending on borrower status.
Watch: Generally applies to eligible Direct and FFEL loans disbursed before July 1, 2026. Parent PLUS history requires special review.
Read the IBR guidePAYE
Payment: 10% of discretionary income with a 10-year Standard payment cap and specific borrower-history requirements.
General horizon: 20-year general qualifying repayment period.
Watch: PAYE ends no later than July 1, 2028, so current eligibility is only half the decision; the replacement plan matters too.
Read the PAYE guideICR
Payment: The lesser of 20% of discretionary income or an income-adjusted 12-year fixed-payment calculation.
General horizon: 25-year general qualifying repayment period.
Watch: ICR ends no later than July 1, 2028 and remains especially important for certain older Parent PLUS consolidation histories.
Read the ICR guideJULY 1, 2028
PAYE and ICR are temporary choices now
Federal Student Aid says both plans end no later than July 1, 2028. If either plan fits today, the comparison should include what happens after the sunset so the borrower is not making a two-year decision in isolation.
03 / WHAT FEDREPAY REVIEWS
What Goes Into a Personalized IDR Recommendation?
FedRepay connects the federal rules and calculator outputs to the borrower’s actual decision instead of treating “lowest payment” as the entire strategy.Loan Type & Dates
We start with the actual federal loan record: Direct vs. FFEL, first-disbursement dates, consolidation history, current plan, and any Parent PLUS history. IDR eligibility is now highly date-sensitive.
Income & Household
We review the income information, marital and filing status, family size or claimed dependents, and spouse federal-loan information that can affect the official calculation.
Current Payment
We compare what you are paying now with the official federal estimates available to the loans you actually have, instead of assuming the newest plan is automatically the best one.
Total Repayment
A lower monthly payment can stretch repayment and increase interest. We compare estimated total paid, repayment horizon, balance behavior, and projected discharge where the federal calculator provides it.
Forgiveness Goal
If PSLF or IDR discharge matters, we evaluate the repayment plan in the context of qualifying payments, employment strategy, existing progress, and the likelihood that the plan remains available long enough to support the goal.
2028 Transition
PAYE and ICR end no later than July 1, 2028. If one of those plans fits today, the analysis should include the next plan now rather than waiting for the sunset.
THE FREE FEDERAL STARTING POINT
Use the Repayment Calculator Before You Pay Anyone
Federal Student Aid’s Repayment Calculator can show the plans your loans may qualify for and compare estimated monthly payment, total amount paid, principal and interest, discharge amount, and end-of-term date. It can also model PSLF and consolidation scenarios.
The calculator is free, and for some borrowers the result is clear enough that no paid guidance is necessary.
Open the Federal Repayment Calculator04 / FROM DATA TO DECISION
How the Income-Driven Repayment Review Works
The goal is not to replace StudentAid.gov. The goal is to make the official information easier to interpret and act on.Map the Loan Portfolio
Review loan types, balances, first-disbursement dates, consolidation history, servicers, current repayment plan, and Parent PLUS history from StudentAid.gov.
Build the Eligibility Map
Identify which loans may use RAP, IBR, PAYE, or ICR under current federal rules. Mixed portfolios can produce different eligibility across different loans.
Run Official Federal Estimates
Use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator with the same verified loan and household information so the monthly payment and long-term estimates can be compared consistently.
Compare More Than the Payment
Record monthly payment, total projected amount paid, payoff or discharge date, interest, plan-specific balance treatment, and any PSLF implications.
Stress-Test the Decision
Model realistic changes in income, dependents or family size, marital status, filing status, employment, and additional borrowing so the recommendation is not based on one static year.
Turn the Comparison Into a Strategy
Choose the strongest federal path for the borrower’s actual goal and identify any deadlines, 2028 transition steps, recertification obligations, or documents that need to be preserved.
Keep the Borrower in Control
The borrower keeps the FSA credentials, makes the final decision, and submits through the official federal channel. FedRepay can support analysis, preparation, and document review within the purchased scope.
READY FOR A PERSONALIZED COMPARISON?
Compare My IDR Options Start with the free Fit Assessment.
We’ll use your situation to point you toward the appropriate level of support, including the free federal route when that is enough.
05 / CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF HELP
Free Federal Tools or Paid FedRepay Guidance?
You should pay only when personalized interpretation or implementation support adds value beyond the free federal process.DIY With Federal Tools
Use StudentAid.gov and your federal loan servicer when the eligible plan and tradeoffs are already clear.
Use the official calculator ↗Strategy Session
Best when you want personalized analysis, scenario comparison, a focused meeting, and a written Strategy Summary.
See the Strategy Session →Complete FedRepay Plan
Best when you want the recommendation plus a written Roadmap™, application guidance, document review within scope, and 60 days of support.
See the Complete Plan →Annual IDR Recertification
Best for an existing IDR borrower whose immediate need is the annual update rather than a full repayment-strategy rebuild.
Get recertification help →06 / FIT CHECK
When Personalized IDR Help Is Worth Considering
Complexity, uncertainty, and long-term consequences are the reasons to seek guidance—not the existence of a federal application.- You have multiple IDR plans available and the payment estimates are close enough that the long-term tradeoffs matter.
- Your loans span different dates or programs and you are not sure whether RAP, IBR, PAYE, or ICR applies to each one.
- Your payment feels too high and you want to know whether an income-driven option may reduce it without ignoring total repayment cost.
- You are pursuing PSLF and want the repayment-plan choice evaluated as part of the forgiveness strategy.
- You are currently on PAYE or ICR and need a plan for the mandatory 2028 transition.
- Marriage, filing status, dependents, Parent PLUS history, consolidation, or changing income makes the calculator results difficult to interpret.
- StudentAid.gov clearly shows one eligible IDR plan and the official estimate fits your goals.
- You understand the repayment horizon, total projected amount paid, recertification requirement, and forgiveness assumptions.
- There is no complicated Parent PLUS, consolidation, FFEL, PSLF, or mixed-date history to interpret.
- You are comfortable applying through the federal process and keeping your own records without individualized guidance.
BORROWER CONTROL
Your StudentAid.gov Account Stays Yours
FedRepay does not need your FSA password to provide repayment guidance. You retain your credentials, make the final repayment decision, and submit through the official federal channel.
07 / COMMON QUESTIONS
Income-Driven Repayment Help FAQs
What is income-driven repayment help?
Income-driven repayment help is personalized decision support for comparing the federal IDR plans your loans may actually qualify for. FedRepay reviews loan history, income and household factors, official federal estimates, repayment horizons, forgiveness goals, and transition issues so the borrower can choose a federal path with more context.
Which income-driven repayment plans exist in 2026?
Current Federal Student Aid guidance lists RAP, IBR, PAYE, and ICR. The plans available to a specific borrower depend on loan type, disbursement dates, consolidation history, and Parent PLUS history. PAYE and ICR end no later than July 1, 2028.
If all my loans are from July 1, 2026 or later, which IDR plan can I use?
Federal Student Aid states that if all of your loans were disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, RAP is the only IDR plan available to eligible loans. Direct Parent PLUS Loans and loans with Parent PLUS history are excluded from RAP.
Can older loans use RAP?
Yes. Current Federal Student Aid guidance allows eligible Direct Loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 to use RAP, so some borrowers with older Direct Loans may have a real RAP-vs.-IBR, PAYE, or ICR decision.
What if I have a mix of older and newer loans?
Federal Student Aid warns that mixed loan types and disbursement dates can create different IDR eligibility across the portfolio. The correct comparison starts loan by loan instead of assuming every loan must use the same plan.
Can an income-driven payment be $0?
Some legacy IDR calculations can produce a very low payment and may produce a $0 payment depending on the borrower’s verified income, household information, and eligible plan. RAP has a $10 monthly minimum. FedRepay does not guarantee any payment amount.
Is the lowest IDR payment always the best choice?
No. The lowest payment can come with a longer repayment period, more interest, a different discharge horizon, or a weaker fit with the borrower’s long-term goal. Compare monthly payment, total paid, repayment horizon, balance behavior, and forgiveness strategy together.
Does income-driven repayment qualify for PSLF?
Most payments made on an IDR plan can count toward PSLF when the borrower also satisfies the current PSLF loan, employer, employment, payment, and other program requirements. A repayment-plan estimate is not a PSLF approval.
When do PAYE and ICR end?
Federal Student Aid says PAYE and ICR will be retired no later than July 1, 2028. Borrowers using those plans should compare the replacement strategy before the deadline rather than waiting for the plan to end.
What happened to the SAVE Plan?
A federal court order ended SAVE, and Federal Student Aid says it is no longer available to borrowers. Borrowers who were enrolled in SAVE or had a pending SAVE application must choose another repayment plan according to the instructions and deadline provided through the federal process.
How does marriage affect an IDR payment?
Marriage and federal tax filing status can affect which income is used in the IDR calculation. Current Federal Student Aid guidance generally uses joint income for joint filers and individual income for separate filers, with special ICR spouse rules. FedRepay does not provide tax-return advice.
Do IDR plans require annual recertification?
Yes. Income-driven plans require periodic updating of the information used to calculate the payment. Federal Student Aid also offers IDR autorecertification for eligible borrowers who provide the required tax-information consent.
Can Parent PLUS loans use income-driven repayment?
Original Parent PLUS loans are not directly eligible for an IDR plan. Certain Parent PLUS loans consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan before July 1, 2026 can have limited legacy IDR pathways, so the exact consolidation history and current federal rules must be reviewed.
Can defaulted loans use an IDR plan?
Federal Student Aid states that defaulted loans are not eligible for an IDR plan while they remain in default. Rehabilitation or an applicable consolidation path may restore access to repayment options, depending on the borrower’s circumstances.
Do I have to pay FedRepay to compare IDR plans?
No. Federal Student Aid provides the Repayment Calculator and federal application process free of charge. FedRepay is optional and is for borrowers who want personalized interpretation, written decision support, or implementation and document-review help within a purchased service.
CURRENT FEDERAL SOURCES REVIEWED AUGUST 27, 2026Federal Student Aid: IDR FAQs ↗Federal Student Aid: Repayment Calculator Guide ↗Federal Student Aid: Marriage & Student Loan Payments ↗
STOP GUESSING BETWEEN PLAN NAMES
Turn Your IDR Options Into a Clear Federal Repayment Strategy.
Start with the free assessment. If personalized help is useful, we’ll point you toward the appropriate FedRepay scope. If the federal tools are enough, use them.