Free Student Loan Calculator
Compare RAP, ICR, IBR, PAYE & Standard repayment plans. Estimate PSLF forgiveness & tax bomb. Analyze refinancing & in-school interest. All 100% private — your data never leaves your browser.
Amortization Calculator
Monthly payment, total interest, extra payments, in-school interest & deferment simulation.
5-Plan Comparison
Compare RAP, ICR, IBR, PAYE & Standard side-by-side with NPV and tax bomb.
PSLF Calculator
Estimate Public Service Loan Forgiveness: qualifying payments & tax-free benefit.
Refinance Calculator
Breakeven analysis: refinance savings vs the federal protections you would lose.
Debt Payoff Strategies
Avalanche vs snowball: which pays off debt fastest with the least interest.
Loan Log & Tracker
Save scenarios, export CSV and track payoff progress in your browser.
Interest Tax Deduction
Estimate your federal student loan interest deduction (up to $2,500) and tax savings.
Understanding Student Loan Repayment in 2026
Federal student loan repayment changed dramatically in 2026. The SAVE plan was set aside by the courts, and RAP (Repayment Assistance Plan) became the new income-driven default. If you borrowed federal student loans, your monthly bill now depends almost entirely on which repayment plan you choose — and the difference between plans can mean tens of thousands of dollars in total cost and years of extra payments.
Broadly, you have two families of options. Fixed plans (like the Standard 10-Year plan) give predictable payments and the lowest lifetime interest. Income-driven plans (RAP, ICR, IBR, PAYE) tie your payment to your income and family size, then forgive the remaining balance after 20–30 years — but that forgiven amount may be taxable. Choosing blindly is risky: a low payment today can quietly become a large "tax bomb" decades later.
That is why StudLoanCalc exists. Every tool on this page runs 100% in your browser — no account, no upload, no tracking. Enter your loans once and compare RAP vs ICR vs IBR vs PAYE vs Standard side by side, see the net present value of each path, and model the eventual tax on forgiven debt. The guides below explain the trade-offs in plain language so you can act with confidence.
Compare the 5 Main Repayment Plans
| Feature | RAP | ICR | IBR | PAYE | Standard 10-Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment basis | 1%–10% of full AGI (11 brackets) | 20% of discretionary income | 10% or 15% of discretionary income | 10% of discretionary income | Fixed, split over 10 years |
| Floor / cap | $10/mo floor; $50 off per dependent | None | Capped at 10-yr Standard amount | Capped at 10-yr Standard amount | None |
| Forgiveness term | 30 yrs (10 yrs if principal < $12k) | 25 yrs | 20 or 25 yrs | 20 yrs | None (paid in full) |
| Best for | Most borrowers in 2026 | Parent PLUS (after consolidation) | Older borrowers / high debt | Newer borrowers, low income | Lowest total interest |
| Tax on forgiveness | Taxable (federal + state) | Taxable | Taxable | Taxable | N/A |
PSLF forgiveness is tax-free at the federal level. Use the 5-Plan Comparison tool to see NPV and the projected tax bomb for each path. Read our full IDR comparison →
Which Calculator Should You Use?
"I just want my payment & total interest"
Use the Amortization Calculator for a month-by-month schedule, extra-payment savings, and in-school or deferment impact.
"Which plan saves me the most?"
Open 5-Plan Compare to rank RAP, ICR, IBR, PAYE & Standard by NPV and total cost.
"I work in public service"
The PSLF Calculator estimates tax-free forgiveness after 120 qualifying payments.
"Should I refinance?"
The Refinance Calculator weighs savings against the federal protections you would lose.
"How do I pay off fastest?"
Debt Payoff compares avalanche vs snowball across multiple loans.
"I have several loans to track"
The Loan Log saves scenarios and exports a CSV — all locally.
From Our Blog
State-Specific Student Loan Guides
Student loan rules are federal, but state tax treatment, 529 plans, and forgiveness programs vary by state. We have written a guide for all 50 states covering 529 plans, state tax deductions on 529 contributions, and local forgiveness or refinance programs.
How We Calculate — Methodology & Sources
Every estimate on StudLoanCalc is derived from 2026 U.S. Federal Student Aid regulations, including the poverty-guideline tables used for IDR discretionary income and the RAP bracket structure. Policy parameters live in a single configuration file that we update when the rules change.
We are an independent, ad-supported site with no affiliation with the U.S. Department of Education or any loan servicer. Our calculators are educational tools, not financial, legal, or tax advice. For the official rules and your actual account, always confirm with studentaid.gov and your servicer. See our methodology and references for the full source list.
Frequently Asked Questions
RAP (Repayment Assistance Plan) is the 2026 federal income-driven plan replacing SAVE. Your payment is 1%–10% of your full AGI across 11 brackets, with a $10/month floor and a $50/month reduction per dependent; the government covers unpaid interest. Forgiveness after 30 years (10 years if original principal under $12,000). Read the complete guide →
ICR (Income-Contingent Repayment) is the ONLY IDR plan available to Parent PLUS borrowers (after consolidation). It uses 20% of discretionary income, the highest rate. Best when no other IDR plan fits your loan type.
Subsidized loans: Government pays interest while you're in school, during grace period, and during deferment. Unsubsidized loans: Interest accrues from day one. If you don't pay it, it capitalizes — you pay interest on interest. Use the Amortization tab's loan type selector + in-school calculator.
PSLF: Forgiveness is tax-free. IDR forgiveness (IBR, PAYE, ICR, RAP): Forgiven amount may be taxable as income (federal + state). This "tax bomb" can be substantial. Use our Tax Bomb calculator in the 5-Plan Comparison tab. Insolvency under IRC §108 may reduce liability.
During deferment on subsidized loans: government pays interest. On unsubsidized: interest accrues. During forbearance: interest accrues on ALL loans and typically capitalizes. Use the Amortization tab's deferment simulator.
NPV adjusts future payments to today's dollars. $1 paid 20 years from now is worth less than $1 today. A plan with lower total payments might have higher NPV if payments are front-loaded. The 5-Plan Comparison shows NPV for each plan.
Yes. All calculations happen locally in your browser. No data is ever uploaded, collected, or shared. No accounts, no email collection. Saved scenarios use localStorage — they never leave your device. Privacy Policy →