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US · Federal & private · FreeMonthly payments, amortization, and a side-by-side look at the plans offered now: RAP, Tiered Standard, IBR, Standard and PSLF. Rules checked October 14, 2026 — SAVE has ended.
Estimates update as you type.
Payment math is the same; federal loans may offer IDR and forgiveness (see Repayment Plans tab).
Monthly payment
$397
| Year | Balance | Principal paid | Interest paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32,430 | $2,570 | $2,199 |
| 2 | $29,689 | $2,742 | $2,027 |
| 3 | $26,763 | $2,925 | $1,844 |
| 4 | $23,642 | $3,121 | $1,648 |
| 5 | $20,312 | $3,330 | $1,439 |
A single borrower earning $50,000 with $35,000 of loans would pay about $167 a month on RAP, $217 on IBR and $398 on the 10-year Standard plan.
| Income (AGI) | Standard 10-yr | IBR (10%) | RAP | RAP: left to forgive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $398/mo | $51/mo | $50/mo | $17,000 |
| $50,000 | $398/mo | $217/mo | $167/mo | $15,733 |
| $75,000 | $398/mo | $398/mo | $438/mo | paid off |
| $100,000 | $398/mo | $398/mo | $750/mo | paid off |
Single, no dependents, all loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 (IBR for borrowers whose first loan was after July 1, 2014). Income held flat; RAP and IBR payments are recalculated every year in practice. SAVE has ended and is not shown.
This calculator provides estimates for education only and is not financial, legal, or tax advice. Actual federal program rules, servicer calculations, and court outcomes may differ. Cashsembly is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education.
For Direct Loans first disbursed from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 the fixed rates are 6.52% for undergraduates, 8.07% for graduate and professional unsubsidized loans, and 9.07% for PLUS loans (10-year Treasury high yield of 4.468% plus the statutory add-on). Private loan rates vary by lender and credit score.
It depends on when your loans were disbursed. Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026 can only use the new Tiered Standard plan (10, 15, 20 or 25 years depending on balance) or the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). If all your loans were disbursed before July 1, 2026 you can keep Standard, Graduated or Extended, use IBR, or switch to RAP. PAYE and ICR close no later than July 1, 2028. PSLF still forgives the remaining balance after 120 qualifying payments.
No. A federal court order ended the SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) plan, and it is no longer available. Borrowers who were in SAVE or had a pending SAVE application must choose a new plan — their servicer emails a deadline. For most former SAVE borrowers the choice is between IBR and RAP.
RAP takes 1% to 10% of your adjusted gross income — 1% for AGI between $10,000 and $20,000, rising one point per $10,000 up to 10% above $100,000 — divides it by 12 and subtracts $50 for each dependent. The minimum is $10 a month. If an on-time payment doesn't cover the month's interest, the rest of the interest is waived, and the Education Department adds a matching principal payment so your balance falls by at least the amount you paid (up to $50). Any balance left after 30 years (360 qualifying payments) is forgiven.
PSLF forgives the remaining federal student loan balance after 120 qualifying payments (10 years) while working full-time for a government or non-profit employer. On-time RAP payments count as qualifying payments. PSLF forgiveness is not subject to federal income tax; by contrast, IDR forgiveness after December 31, 2025 is federally taxable.
Making extra monthly payments reduces your principal faster and saves significant interest. Even $50–$100 extra per month can shorten a 10-year loan by 1–2 years and save thousands in interest.