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Compare an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan with Standard repayment on two separate measures: the monthly payment you can manage and the estimated amount you will pay over the full repayment period. IDR payments depend on income and family size or dependents, while Standard payments are fixed using the loan balance, interest rate, and term. First confirm which plans your federal loans qualify for, then compare each eligible plan’s estimated payment, term, interest, total paid, and any potential discharge in the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator. A lower IDR payment can mean more interest over time; any projected discharge is conditional, not guaranteed.
This guide reflects Federal Student Aid guidance available in November 2026. It covers federal student loans, not private-loan refinancing or private lender repayment terms.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income-driven repayment (IDR) | Borrowers whose payment needs to account for income and family size or dependents, if they qualify for an available plan | Formula and term vary by plan; current examples range from 20 to 30 years | Nov 2026 |
| Standard repayment | Borrowers who want a fixed payment and a defined payoff schedule, if eligible | Generally up to 10 years for non-consolidation loans; consolidation terms may differ | Nov 2026 |
What is the difference between IDR and Standard repayment?
IDR adjusts the payment calculation to income and family size or dependents under the rules of the particular plan. Standard repayment calculates a fixed amount from the loan balance, interest rate, and repayment period. Those different inputs affect both what you owe each month and how quickly the balance is scheduled to be paid off.
There is no single IDR payment formula. Federal Student Aid’s current guidance describes several plans with different formulas, eligibility conditions, and repayment periods. Standard is also not necessarily identical for every borrower: the applicable schedule depends on loan details, and consolidation loans can have different terms from non-consolidation loans.
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For a borrower who qualifies for both types, IDR may offer a more income-responsive payment, while Standard is structured around a fixed payment schedule. Neither label alone tells you which plan will have the lower total cost. The comparison depends on your eligible plan options, loan balances and rates, income, family circumstances, repayment period, and any discharge for which you may qualify.
Should I compare monthly payment or total cost first?
Check both, because affordability now and cost over time are different questions. A monthly amount that fits your budget may still result in more interest if it extends repayment; a larger fixed payment may be difficult to manage even if the loan is scheduled to be paid off sooner.
For each available plan, compare the estimated monthly payment alongside the repayment period, principal paid, interest paid, total amount paid, potential discharge, and estimated end date. The Federal Student Aid calculator displays these estimates. Do not choose based only on the smallest monthly figure or only on a projected lifetime total: the first can obscure the time and interest involved, while the second may obscure whether the payment is manageable in your circumstances.
Interest is a key part of the tradeoff. Federal Student Aid says Standard repayment usually results in less total interest than plans with longer repayment periods. But a calculator’s estimate is tied to the information and assumptions entered, and a potential discharge can change the projected comparison if you meet the relevant plan conditions. Treat the results as a way to compare scenarios, not as a promise of the amount you will ultimately pay.
Which plans can I actually compare?
Check eligibility before comparing payments. Loan type and disbursement date affect plan access, and borrowers with parent PLUS loans or loans from different date ranges may face special restrictions. A plan described in an older article or a comparison tool may not be available for your loans now.
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Sign in to your StudentAid.gov account and review the loan details for each loan, including its type, balance, interest rate, and disbursement date. Do not assume that every loan in a portfolio has the same plan options: one borrower may have loans with different types or dates and therefore different eligibility. The official repayment-plan guidance distinguishes loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 from loans disbursed on or after that date. It describes a different fixed-plan framework for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, and legacy fixed plans and certain IDR options may apply to earlier loans depending on loan type.
Current Federal Student Aid guidance describes the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) across the transition, but that does not mean every borrower qualifies for every option. Use the eligible-plan results associated with your own loan information and check the live rules if you are making a decision. In particular, parent PLUS and mixed-date situations should not be assessed by applying a general rule to the entire portfolio.
How do the current IDR payment formulas differ?
The current Federal Student Aid FAQ describes the following plan rules. They are general program descriptions, not personalized quotes; your eligibility and estimated payment depend on your own details and the rules in force when you apply.
| Plan | Payment description in current Federal Student Aid guidance | Listed repayment period |
|---|---|---|
| RAP | 1–10% of adjusted gross income divided by 12; reduced by $50 per claimed dependent, with a $10 monthly minimum | 30 years |
| Income-Based Repayment (IBR) | Generally 15% of discretionary income, or 10% for new borrowers; payment is capped at the amount under the 10-year Standard plan | 25 years, or 20 years for new borrowers |
| Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) | The lesser of 20% of discretionary income or a monthly payment based on a 12-year fixed plan adjusted for income | 25 years |
| Pay As You Earn (PAYE) | 10% of discretionary income; eligibility requires the payment to be below the applicable 10-year Standard amount | 20 years |
These figures come from Federal Student Aid’s current IDR FAQ. “Discretionary income” and adjusted gross income are not interchangeable terms, and each plan has its own rules. Do not use the percentages in the table to calculate a personal payment without confirming the applicable definition, eligibility criteria, and other plan requirements. The calculator is the more useful starting point for a borrower-specific estimate.
Plan availability is also changing. Federal Student Aid says ICR and PAYE are scheduled to end no later than July 1, 2028. That timetable and the rules for older and newer loans make it especially important to use current official eligibility information rather than rely on a comparison written under earlier rules.
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How do I use the Federal Student Aid calculator?
Gather your current loan and household information first, then use the calculator to compare only plans shown as available for your situation. A logged-in account can populate loan information and display eligible plans, but the servicer determines final terms after processing an application.
- Review your loans. In your StudentAid.gov account, note each federal loan’s type, balance, interest rate, and disbursement date. Check whether you have a consolidation loan, parent PLUS loan, or loans disbursed in different periods, because those details can affect plan availability.
- Open the official calculator. Use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator. If you sign in, the tool can use your loan information to show plans for which you may be eligible. Without relying on populated information, verify that the inputs match your current records.
- Enter or confirm household and income details. The estimate can depend on income, family size or dependents, tax filing status, and state as well as loan details and eligible plans. Use accurate, current information; changing an input can change the estimate.
- Compare each eligible plan across the full set of outputs. Record monthly payment, repayment period, principal paid, interest paid, estimated total paid, potential discharge, and end-of-term date. If a plan is not listed, do not assume that you can enroll in it based on an old article or a calculation for a different loan.
- Check the tradeoff against your budget and horizon. Decide whether the monthly amount is sustainable and whether the projected repayment length and interest fit your priorities. If discharge appears in the projection, treat it as conditional and review the relevant plan rules rather than counting it as certain savings.
- Confirm before changing plans. Review the application and plan details with your loan servicer. The calculator provides estimates; it does not set the binding terms, approve an application, or replace a servicer’s final determination.
For a useful comparison, keep the inputs consistent across scenarios wherever they should be the same. If a plan requires different eligibility assumptions or the tool shows a different set of loans, note that difference rather than treating the outputs as a perfectly controlled comparison. Save the date of the estimate and revisit the official guidance if your income, family information, loan status, or available plan rules change.
Will the lower monthly payment cost more over time?
It can, but the monthly payment alone cannot answer that. A lower payment may stretch repayment over a longer period, which can increase interest. On an eligible IDR plan, a remaining balance may potentially be discharged after the applicable repayment period, but only if the borrower satisfies the plan’s conditions. Compare the estimated interest, total paid, term, and potential discharge together.
Standard repayment is generally designed to pay the loan in full by the end of its schedule, while IDR’s repayment period and outcome depend on the plan. Federal Student Aid says total interest is usually lower on Standard than on plans with longer terms. That is a general comparison, not a guarantee that Standard is cheaper for every borrower under every circumstance: eligibility, loan structure, and a borrower’s actual payment path matter.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Potential discharge is particularly easy to misread. A projected discharge amount is not a cash credit or a guaranteed reduction in what you will owe. It depends on being in a plan that offers the applicable discharge, remaining eligible, and meeting the conditions over time. The calculator can show a projected amount, but the projection should be considered alongside the rules and your realistic ability to maintain the plan—not treated as a certain outcome.
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A practical way to read the results is to separate three questions: Can I make this payment now? How much interest and how long does the estimate show? Does the plan include a potential discharge, and what conditions would have to be met? The answers may point in different directions. A manageable payment can be more important than minimizing projected interest if a higher payment would be unsustainable, while a borrower able to make Standard payments may value its defined payoff schedule.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed in 2026, and what should SAVE borrowers do?
Federal Student Aid says a court order ended the SAVE Plan in March 2026. Borrowers enrolled in SAVE or with a pending SAVE application should check their StudentAid.gov account and servicer notices, then compare plans for which they currently qualify. Do not base a decision on older pages that still describe SAVE as an available option.
The policy transition affects more than SAVE. The current official guidance says ICR and PAYE are scheduled to end no later than July 1, 2028, and plan rules distinguish loans by disbursement date, with additional restrictions in some parent PLUS and mixed-date cases. Those dates are material to eligibility, so confirm the live official information before submitting an application or relying on an estimate.
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Federal Student Aid’s SAVE borrower FAQ covers the transition and choosing another plan. The repayment plan page is the place to check current plan descriptions and eligibility. If a notice and an older calculator result appear inconsistent, use current account and servicer information to resolve the discrepancy rather than assuming the prior estimate still applies.
What should I verify with my servicer?
Use the calculator to narrow your comparison, then confirm the final plan terms with your servicer before acting. Ask which of your loans are covered by the application, which plan is being processed, what payment and term will apply, and when any change would take effect. The final terms come after the servicer processes the application, so a calculator estimate is not a binding approval or payment notice.
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Also confirm that the loan facts used in the estimate match the servicer’s records, especially if you have consolidated loans, different disbursement dates, or loans with different types. Check any notice related to a pending or former SAVE enrollment and verify which current alternatives are available to you. Keep the estimate and the final servicer terms distinct in your records; if the amounts differ, ask which inputs or eligibility rules explain the difference.
For an ongoing decision, revisit the comparison when material inputs change or official policy changes. A result generated from one income or family circumstance is not a permanent quote. Likewise, a plan that looked suitable under an earlier rule set may no longer be available, or its terms may be different, so recheck StudentAid.gov rather than relying indefinitely on a saved comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does income-driven repayment apply to private student loans?
This comparison uses Federal Student Aid guidance for federal student loans; it does not establish repayment options for private loans. For a private loan, check the loan agreement and contact the lender or servicer for the options that apply to that account.
What if I have both older and newer federal student loans?
Do not assume a single plan rule applies to the whole portfolio. Review each loan’s type and disbursement date in your account, because those details can affect which plans are available; use the official calculator and ask the servicer how an application would treat the loans.
Can I rely on a calculator result as my approved payment?
No. The calculator provides an estimate based on the information entered or populated from the account, while final terms are set after the servicer processes an application. Use the servicer’s processed terms and payment notice when planning for the amount due.
