US federal student loans · 2026

Income-Driven Repayment Calculator

Estimate payments under RAP, IBR, or PAYE using current income rules and plan caps.

Rules reviewed November 7, 2026 · Eligibility must be confirmed by Federal Student Aid

Estimated monthly payment

$275

Modeled repayment period: 30 years

Annual payment$3,300

10-year standard payment$555

Monthly interest$250

Discretionary income$0

RAP percentage6.0%

Potential RAP interest subsidy$0

This does not determine eligibility. Loan type, disbursement date, parent PLUS history, marital filing, spouse debt, certification, plan transitions, and servicer calculations can change the result. Confirm in the official StudentAid.gov Repayment Calculator.

Current federal guidance

Federal Student Aid explains current formulas and eligibility in its IDR plan comparison. RAP uses 1%–10% of AGI, reduced by $50 per dependent with a $10 minimum. IBR and PAYE generally use discretionary income and may be capped by the 10-year standard payment.

SAVE ended in March 2026. PAYE and ICR are scheduled to end no later than July 1, 2028. Use the official StudentAid.gov Repayment Calculator for eligibility and application decisions.

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Planning guide

Read the complete guide →

Understand this estimate before using it

Quick answer

What does the Income-Driven Repayment Calculator do?

Estimate current RAP, IBR, and PAYE federal student-loan payments. It applies the selected current federal plan’s income formula, family or dependent adjustments, minimums, and applicable standard-payment cap.

Formula and calculation method

It applies the selected current federal plan’s income formula, family or dependent adjustments, minimums, and applicable standard-payment cap.

The result is only as reliable as the inputs. Use current balances, rates, fees, dates, and documents; then change uncertain assumptions to see whether the conclusion remains stable.

How to interpret the result

Treat the output as a comparison or planning range, not a quote, approval, eligibility decision, tax return, or prediction. Review the breakdown—not only its headline number—and read every stated exclusion.

For current background, review Federal Student Aid repayment guidance. Product documents and official program tools control when they differ from this educational model.

Worked scenario

Put the result in context

For a $40,000 balance, compare the standard payment with any eligible federal income-based estimate and a private refinance quote. Include the monetary value of federal protections before treating a lower private rate as savings.

This scenario illustrates the method; it is not a quote, forecast, recommendation, or substitute for entering your actual facts.

Before you calculate

Gather current information before changing the defaults. A result based on verified records is more useful than a precise answer built from guesses.

your annual income

Check the date, unit, and source of this input before entering it.

your family size and the applicable poverty guideline

Check the date, unit, and source of this input before entering it.

the discretionary-income percentage your plan uses

Check the date, unit, and source of this input before entering it.

your loan balance and rate

Check the date, unit, and source of this input before entering it.

What the result can answer

It can show how the entered assumptions interact, provide a consistent comparison, and reveal whether changing one important input materially changes the estimate.

What the result cannot decide

It cannot confirm approval, eligibility, market pricing, future performance, legal or tax treatment, contract quality, or whether the choice fits every part of your finances.

A practical next-step workflow

01 · Verify
Compare the inputs with current statements, quotes, official rules, and product documents.
02 · Stress-test
Run a second case with a less favorable value for your loan balance and rate.
03 · Confirm
Verify your plan's exact percentage, poverty guideline, and forgiveness and subsidy rules at StudentAid.gov, since programs and figures change before acting.

Frequently asked questions

Does the IDR calculator confirm eligibility?

No. Use StudentAid.gov for current eligibility, enrollment, and official payment estimates.

Can federal loans be refinanced federally?

Federal consolidation and private refinancing are different. Private refinancing generally replaces federal loans with a private loan and removes federal benefits.

What can make this estimate differ from an actual result?

Timing, rounding, rate changes, fees, taxes, eligibility rules, product conventions, and facts not requested by this focused calculator can all create differences.

Which inputs deserve a second scenario?

Retest any input that is quoted rather than fixed, depends on future behavior, or materially changes the result. Conservative and optimistic cases reveal more than false precision.

What should I verify before making a decision?

Verify current statements, disclosures, official rules, taxes, fees, cancellation or prepayment terms, and the consequences of a less favorable outcome.

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Prepared by Loan Lyze Editorial and reviewed under the Loan Lyze editorial framework on November 8, 2026. Educational estimate only. See our methodology, editorial policy, and corrections policy.

Estimate a current federal IDR payment

Current federal guidance