Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans base your monthly payment on your income, family size, and tax filing status. The federal student loan system introduced major IDR updates on July 1, 2026, including a new formula and revised forgiveness timelines. This hub explains everything you need to know.

Start Here: Understand the New IDR System

New 2026 IDR Plan

The updated income-driven repayment plan that replaced several older options.

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IDR Payment Estimator

Calculate your monthly payment using the updated 2026 formula.

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IDR Forgiveness Timeline

See how long it will take to reach forgiveness under the new rules.

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IDR Basics

IDR plans are designed to make student loan payments affordable by tying them to your income. Payments may be as low as $0 depending on your financial situation.

How IDR Works

Understand the core principles behind income-driven repayment.

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Discretionary Income Explained

Learn how discretionary income is calculated under the 2026 rules.

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Family Size & Filing Status

See how your household affects your monthly payment.

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The New 2026 IDR Formula

The 2026 overhaul introduced a new formula for calculating IDR payments. This formula determines how much of your income counts toward your monthly payment.

IDR Formula Breakdown

A step-by-step explanation of the new 2026 calculation.

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Poverty Guideline Adjustments

How federal poverty guidelines affect your payment.

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Interest Accrual Under IDR

Understand how interest works under the new IDR system.

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IDR Forgiveness

IDR plans offer forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments. The 2026 updates changed how timelines work and who qualifies.

IDR Forgiveness: What Changed?

New timelines, new rules, and updated eligibility criteria.

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Forgiveness Eligibility Checker

See if you qualify for IDR forgiveness or PSLF.

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How to Track Your Progress

Best practices for tracking qualifying IDR payments.

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IDR Strategy & Optimization

IDR can dramatically reduce your monthly payment — but only if you structure your income, filing status, and loan setup correctly.

How to Lower Your IDR Payment

Strategies to reduce your monthly payment legally and effectively.

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IDR vs. Refinancing

When IDR is better — and when refinancing makes more sense.

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Common IDR Mistakes

How to avoid errors that increase payments or delay forgiveness.

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Tools to Support Your IDR Journey

IDR Payment Estimator

Calculate your income-driven payment under the 2026 formula.

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Repayment Calculator

See your payment under every available repayment plan.

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Forgiveness Eligibility Checker

Check eligibility for IDR forgiveness, PSLF, and other programs.

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Why Trust This IDR Hub?

All IDR information is sourced from:

Federal Student Aid (StudentAid.gov)
Department of Education 2026 regulatory updates
CFPB and Federal Reserve research
Publicly available servicer documentation

We update this hub whenever federal rules change, ensuring accuracy and clarity.

See Our Methodology