Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans can set federal student-loan payments according to a borrower’s income and household information. The plan available to you depends on details such as loan type, when each loan was first disbursed, consolidation history, and whether a loan is in default. As of October 13, 2026, Federal Student Aid lists Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP); SAVE ended in March 2026. Check your own loans and current options through StudentAid.gov before choosing.
How do income-driven repayment plans work?
An IDR plan calculates a federal student-loan payment using income and household information. The exact calculation depends on the plan. That makes IDR different from a fixed-payment arrangement: a borrower’s payment is tied to a formula that considers financial circumstances rather than being set solely by a fixed schedule.
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“Income-driven repayment” is a category, not one universal plan or one eligibility rule. Plans can use different percentages, definitions, conditions, and repayment periods. Two borrowers with similar incomes may therefore have different available plans or calculated payments if their loan histories differ. A general description of a formula is not an individualized estimate; use Federal Student Aid’s current repayment calculator and review your account to see what applies to your loans.
Federal Student Aid’s current plan descriptions include four options: IBR, ICR, PAYE, and RAP. Their payment formulas differ, and some options are scheduled to end for new use no later than July 1, 2028. Plan availability is changing, so a list of plans is not a promise that any particular borrower can enroll in each one.
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Which IDR plans are currently described by Federal Student Aid?
The following are broad descriptions from Federal Student Aid’s guidance current as of October 13, 2026. They explain how the formulas differ, not which plan is best or available for a particular loan.
| Plan | Broad payment description | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| IBR | A percentage of discretionary income, with a cap at the 10-year Standard Plan amount for eligible borrowers. | The percentage and repayment period depend in part on borrower history. |
| ICR | The lesser of 20% of discretionary income or an income-adjusted amount based on a 12-year fixed repayment schedule. | Federal Student Aid says ICR ends no later than July 1, 2028. |
| PAYE | 10% of discretionary income. | Eligibility includes a condition that the calculated payment be below the applicable 10-year Standard Plan amount. PAYE ends no later than July 1, 2028. |
| RAP | 1–10% of adjusted gross income divided by 12, with a $50 monthly reduction for each dependent claimed on the federal tax return. | Direct PLUS Loans made to parents are not eligible for RAP. |
Do not treat the percentages in this table as a payment quote. The terms “discretionary income,” the conditions for entering a plan, and a borrower’s loan mix matter to the calculation and eligibility. Use the official calculator for estimates based on your circumstances, then review the plan terms and your account before submitting a request.
Who qualifies for income-driven repayment?
Eligibility is loan-specific. Federal Student Aid says that borrowers whose loans were all first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, have RAP as their only IDR option. For loans first disbursed before that date, borrowers may have access to IBR, ICR, or PAYE depending on loan type and other eligibility conditions; RAP may also be relevant. A borrower with loans from different periods may see different options across those loans.
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That means the date of a loan and the program that made it are not minor details. Do not assume a plan is available because a friend with a different loan history can use it, or because the plan appears in a general list. Federal Student Aid’s current eligibility table and the loan details in your StudentAid.gov account are the appropriate starting points for an individual decision.
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Loan type, disbursement date, and consolidation history
Check each loan, rather than relying on a single total balance. The relevant questions include what type of federal loan it is, when it was first disbursed, and whether it has been consolidated. Consolidation circumstances can affect access to a plan, and the rules depend on the specific loan and timing. The available information does not support a universal rule that consolidation makes every loan eligible for every IDR plan.
Mixed histories may require comparing options loan by loan. A borrower can have loans that qualify for different plans, or loans for which the same plan is not available. Use the account’s loan record and current agency eligibility information before assuming that a plan choice will apply uniformly to the entire balance.
Parent PLUS loans and loans in default
Direct PLUS Loans made to parents are not eligible for RAP. Parent PLUS borrowers may have access to a repayment plan only in qualifying consolidation circumstances, and the applicable plan and timing requirements matter. Check the current rules for the particular loan instead of treating consolidation as an automatic route to every plan.
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A loan in default is not eligible for an IDR plan while it remains in default. Federal Student Aid describes rehabilitation or consolidation pathways that may restore eligibility under specified conditions. The pathway and its effect depend on the borrower’s circumstances; first confirm the loan’s status and review the agency’s instructions rather than submitting an IDR request as if default did not matter.
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How to find your options and apply
Federal Student Aid provides the online IDR request at StudentAid.gov/idr. The process is also a way to surface missing information: the application may require income details, and the account’s “My Activity” page can show the status of a request or actions still required.
- Sign in to StudentAid.gov and review your loans. Check the loan types, first-disbursement dates, consolidation history, and status. Note any loans in default and identify loans that may have different eligibility.
- Compare current options using Federal Student Aid’s repayment calculator. Review which plans are available for your loans, the estimated monthly payments, total amount paid, repayment duration, and potential discharge timing. If you are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), check whether the plan and loans fit that goal.
- Open the IDR request at StudentAid.gov/idr. Follow the prompts for income information and the plan options shown for your circumstances. The agency’s information is the controlling guide if plan availability has changed.
- Provide income information. You can authorize secure access to federal tax information to streamline processing and future annual recertification, or provide documentation manually. Examples Federal Student Aid gives include a recent tax return; if you did not file taxes, pay stubs or an employer letter are examples of acceptable documentation.
- Track the request in “My Activity.” Check whether it is pending, complete, or waiting for an action. Respond to any request for additional information and read messages from your servicer about the resulting plan or payment.
Applying for a federal repayment plan does not require paying a third party. Federal Student Aid says, “You never have to pay a company to apply for a repayment plan or manage your federal student loans.” Use the official application and servicer communications for account-specific help.
How to choose among plans you can use
A lower estimated payment is only one part of the decision. Compare plans using the same assumptions in the official calculator, then consider how each result fits your repayment objective. The right comparison is between options actually available for your loans, not every plan named in a general article.
- Eligibility by loan: Confirm the option for each loan, including differences in type, disbursement date, and consolidation history.
- Monthly payment: Compare the calculator’s estimates using accurate income and household information. A percentage in a plan description is not itself a personalized payment.
- Total paid and repayment duration: Look beyond the first monthly bill. Compare the projected amount paid over the repayment period as well as how long repayment may last.
- Potential discharge: Review whether and when a remaining balance may be discharged under the plan’s terms. Do not assume that every borrower will reach discharge or that the outcome will be tax-free.
- PSLF: If you are pursuing PSLF, verify that your loans, employment, and payments qualify and that the repayment plan is eligible. A payment that is affordable is not necessarily a qualifying PSLF payment.
- Plan availability over time: Factor in announced end dates and notices that apply to your account, particularly for PAYE, ICR, or borrowers affected by the end of SAVE.
Federal Student Aid’s calculator is an estimate, while eligibility and terms are governed by the current program rules and the details of the account. If estimates or plan labels appear inconsistent with your records, check the loan information and contact your servicer through its official channel before relying on a choice.
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What happened to SAVE?
Federal Student Aid says a court order ended the SAVE plan in March 2026. Its October 2026 guidance says borrowers affected by the change should select another eligible plan after receiving a notice from their servicer. Servicers began sending notices on July 1, 2026. Affected borrowers generally have 90 days after the notice, followed by a final 30-day notice if they have not selected a plan.
Those periods run from the borrower’s notice; they are not one universal calendar deadline. Check the servicer inbox and current StudentAid.gov instructions to find the applicable notice date and required action. If a borrower does not choose a plan by the final deadline, Federal Student Aid says the servicer will place them in a fixed-payment plan based on loan timing.
Not everyone needs to take action just because SAVE ended. Federal Student Aid says borrowers who were never enrolled in or applied for SAVE because they were in school, in a grace period, or had a loan first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, do not need to act solely because of the plan’s end. Borrowers with pending applications should check their account and servicer communications for their own next step.
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Federal Student Aid’s current SAVE-transition guidance identifies IBR, ICR, PAYE, and RAP as IDR plans that qualify for PSLF. It warns that payments under the Tiered Standard Plan do not count toward PSLF. That distinction matters if you are pursuing loan forgiveness through public-service employment: switching plans without checking the effect on qualifying payments could undermine your plan.
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Before changing repayment plans for PSLF, verify that the loans are eligible Direct Loans, that your employment qualifies, and that the payment count shown by official PSLF tools is accurate. Treat your servicer’s plan information and the current Federal Student Aid guidance as essential checks; do not infer that every federal loan, job, or payment qualifies just because it is connected to an IDR plan.
Tax treatment of a future discharged balance is not established as a single outcome for all borrowers. It depends on applicable law and individual circumstances. Do not count on a balance being tax-free without checking current IRS guidance for the circumstances and time when discharge occurs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming all federal loans qualify for all IDR plans: Eligibility can differ by loan type, first-disbursement date, consolidation circumstances, and default status.
- Using a general formula as a personal estimate: Plan percentages and payment descriptions do not replace an estimate generated with your actual information.
- Ignoring a servicer notice about SAVE: The transition deadline depends on the date and instructions in the borrower’s notice. Check the inbox and account rather than using a deadline copied from someone else.
- Choosing only by the lowest monthly amount: Compare total paid, repayment duration, possible discharge timing, and PSLF effects alongside monthly affordability.
- Paying for help with a free federal application: Federal Student Aid says applying for a plan and getting help managing federal loans do not require paying a company.
- Assuming a payment counts for PSLF or a future discharge is tax-free: Confirm PSLF eligibility and payment counts with official tools, and check current tax guidance for any discharge.
A practical decision sequence
- Inventory the loans. Review type, first-disbursement date, consolidation history, and status for each loan.
- Separate the available options from the general plan list. Use the current eligibility table and your StudentAid.gov account to identify plans that may actually apply.
- Model the trade-offs. Use the repayment calculator to compare monthly payment, total paid, duration, and possible discharge timing using current information.
- Check program goals. If pursuing PSLF, confirm eligible loans, qualifying employment, payment counts, and plan treatment before switching.
- Submit and monitor. Complete the official IDR request, supply the requested income information, and follow “My Activity” and servicer messages until the request is resolved.
Because federal repayment rules and transition deadlines are changing, the authoritative answer for a particular borrower is the current StudentAid.gov guidance paired with the loan details and notices in that borrower’s account.
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