RAP vs IBR vs Tiered Standard calculator
An independent estimate for federal student loans. Not a government tool.
Swipe the cards for each plan's details.
Official estimate: StudentAid.gov Loan Simulator. Your servicer sets your actual payment.
Household and assumptions
RAP counts only dependents claimed on your tax return. IBR uses household size: you, a spouse if filing jointly, and others you support. We pre-fill it as you + dependents (+ spouse); change it if yours differs.
Thinking about refinancing?
What you give up by refinancing federal loans
Refinancing with a private lender pays off your federal loans for good. It cannot be undone, and you lose:
- RAP, IBR and every other income-driven plan, and their forgiveness
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
- The RAP interest waiver and principal match
- Federal deferment and forbearance options
- Federal death and disability discharge
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How each plan sets your payment
RAP (Repayment Assistance Plan) takes 1% of your whole AGI if it is over $10,000 and up to $20,000, 2% over $20,000 up to $30,000, and so on, up to 10% above $100,000. AGI of $10,000 or less pays $120 a year. Divide by 12, take off $50 for each dependent on your return, and the payment can't go below $10. There is no cap. Each on-time payment has its unpaid interest waived and, if principal drops by less than $50, a principal match. The balance left after 360 qualifying payments is forgiven.
IBR (Income-Based Repayment) takes 15% (or 10% if you had no balance before 1 Jul 2014) of AGI above 150% of the poverty guideline for your household, divided by 12. It is capped at the 10-year standard payment worked out when you joined. Forgiveness comes after 300 (or 240) payments. Only loans made before 1 Jul 2026 can use it.
Tiered Standard is a fixed payment over 10, 15, 20 or 25 years, depending on whether your balance is under $25,000, under $50,000, under $100,000 or higher. It applies once you have a loan made on or after 1 Jul 2026. Borrowers with only older loans keep the 10-year Standard plan (plus graduated and extended plans).
Watch the RAP band edges
RAP uses a percentage of your whole AGI, so crossing a $10,000 line raises the payment on every dollar. $20,000 AGI is 1% ($16.67 a month); $20,001 is 2% ($33.34). A traditional 401(k) or HSA contribution that lowers AGI below a line can lower the payment.
Who can use which plan
| Your loans | Income-driven | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
| Any Direct Loan made on or after 1 Jul 2026 | RAP | Tiered Standard |
| Only loans made before 1 Jul 2026 | RAP, IBR; PAYE and ICR until 30 Jun 2028 | 10-year Standard, graduated, extended |
| Parent PLUS (or a consolidation that repaid one) | Not RAP; see the eligibility page | Fixed plans |
SAVE is closed after a March 2026 court order; borrowers in SAVE forbearance must choose another plan.
Common questions
Is RAP or IBR cheaper? It depends on the numbers. RAP has no cap and uses your whole AGI; IBR only counts AGI above 150% of the poverty guideline and stops rising at the 10-year standard payment. Lower incomes and households with dependents often see a lower RAP payment, and higher incomes with large balances often see IBR hit its cap. Over the long run, RAP's interest waiver and IBR's shorter forgiveness clock both matter, which is why total paid is shown too.
Can I still choose IBR? Only for Direct Loans made before 1 Jul 2026. Taking any new Direct Loan on or after that date limits you to RAP or Tiered Standard.
What is the RAP principal match? If an on-time payment lowers principal by less than $50, the Department reduces principal by the lesser of $50 or your payment, minus what your payment put toward principal. So a $10 minimum payment that all goes to interest earns a $10 match, not $50.
Does filing jointly change my payment? Yes. On a joint return RAP and IBR use the couple's combined AGI, then multiply the payment by your share of the couple's eligible federal balances. Filing separately uses only your AGI. The tax cost of filing separately isn't included here.
Rules: 34 CFR 685.208 and 685.209 as amended 1 Jul 2026 (eCFR up to date as of 20 Oct 2026); HHS poverty guidelines 2026. Forgiven balances may count as taxable income; check current IRS rules.