Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans are designed to make student loan payments more affordable by adjusting your monthly payments based on your income and family size. All IDR plans offer forgiveness on your remaining loan balance after making 20 to 30 years of qualifying payments, depending on the specific plan.

Types of IDR Plans and Forgiveness Timelines

Steps to Achieve Income Driven Repayment Forgiveness

1. Assess Whether IDRF Makes Sense

IDR Forgiveness requires making 20-30 years of payments for most borrowers. While you can enroll in an Income Driven Repayment plan at any time, you should know if your goal is to achieve eventual forgiveness. If you expect to pay your loans in less than 20 years, then IDR Forgiveness may not be the strategy for you. For more information on what strategy may be best for you, click here. 

2. Ensure Your Loans Qualify for IDR Plans:

• Federal Loans Only:
  • After June 30, 2026, new loans/consolidations for students are limited to RAP or the new tiered standard plan and are not eligible for PAYE, IBR, or ICR. New loans/consolidations for parents are limited to the new tiered standard plan and will have no access to any IDR plan!
  • For PAYE and ICR- Require you have Direct loans. Both plans are being phased out July 1, 2028.
  • IBR for New Borrowers requires you have Direct loans and will continue to be available to borrowers who do not take new loans or consolidate existing loans on or after July 1, 2026.
  • IBR will continue to be available to borrowers who do not take new loans or consolidate existing loans on or after July 1, 2026. you must have Direct or FFEL Loans except Direct Parent Plus or FFEL Parent Plus both of which had to be consolidated before July 1, 2026 to qualify.
  • Student borrowers with FFEL, Perkins or HEAL loans must consolidate into a Direct Consolidation loan to gain access to the new RAP plan. But in doing so, you will limit ALL your loans to repayment in RAP or the new Tiered Standard Fixed repayment plan and FFEL borrowers will lose any credit accumulated towards IDR Forgiveness.
• Use our Federal Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Tool to see what plans you qualify for.
• Income Verification: Be prepared to have your income verified annually. This is typically done electronically via an IRS Retrieval Tool and based on your previous year’s tax filings–Line 11 (Adjusted Gross Income) of your 1040. If you have not filed taxes in the last two years or your income has significantly decreased , you can provide updated proof of income, like paystubs.

3. Choose the Right IDR Plan

Select the plan that best fits your financial situation:

• If you are pursuing PSLF, choose the cheapest IDR option available to you. PSLF offers a 10-year path to forgiveness regardless of which IDR plan you’re enrolled in.
• PAYE and ICR are being phased out on July 1, 2028. But if you are eligible and they are the cheapest option, you can remain enrolled in them until they are eliminated. If you are still paying your loans at the time they are phased out, you must select another IDR plan.
• Both versions of IBR (the original and IBR for New Borrowers) will be available beyond July 1, 2028, but only to borrowers who do not take new loans or consolidate existing loans on or after July 1, 2026. If IBR and PAYE offer the same payment, choose IBR as that plan will not be phased out.
• In some circumstances, the new RAP plan may be the cheapest option. But if you’re pursuing IDR Forgiveness, you may have to pay 5-10 years longer in RAP than you would in IBR. You may have to choose between cheaper monthly payments versus paying more overall!
• If you need an IDR plan for a limited period of time, but you expect to earn more money in the foreseeable future and pay off your debt entirely, consider the RAP plan as it has interest and principal subsidies which will keep your balance from increasing.
• Parent Plus borrowers must have fully consolidated loans before July 1, 2026, after which they must enroll in the ICR plan, make one payment, and then transition to IBR if that is a cheaper option. Parent Plus borrowers taking new loans or consolidating existing loans on or after July 1, 206 will not have access to any IDR plans.
• Refer to our Repayment Strategies & Plans page to explore your options or use our self-guided tool to determine your strategy and associated plan. 

4. Apply for an IDR Plan

Apply online via the Federal Student Aid Website. You will need to:

• Complete the Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request form.
• Provide proof of income (tax returns, pay stubs, etc.). This can be done by linking to the IRS database or submitting copies of tax returns, pay stubs, etc.
• Update your income and family size annually.

Know that you don’t need your servicer to apply for an IDR plan. 

5. Make Consistent Payments

You only earn credit toward forgiveness by making on-time, monthly payments based on the required minimum payment amount listed in your billing statement provided by your loan servicer. Ensure you make timely payments:

• Enroll in automatic payments to avoid missing due dates.
• Create a budget to manage your finances and ensure you can meet your payment obligations.

6. Recertify Annually

Annual income recertification is required for IDR Plans. You can do this automatically by providing your consent to Federal Student Aid via your studentaid.gov account settings or when you apply for an IDR Plan. This will allow Federal Student Aid to access your federal tax information. Your income-driven repayment (IDR) plan will then be recertified automatically on your loan’s annual recertification date, assuming you file your taxes annually and on-time.

If you opt to do this manually, set reminders to complete this process on time based on your payment plan recertification date to avoid payment increases or being placed on the standard repayment plan.

Know that if your income ever drops or if you become unemployed, you can recalculate your payment on the spot via studentaid.gov.

7. Track your Progress and Achieve Forgiveness

After making the required number of qualifying payments (20-30 years), your remaining loan balance will automatically be forgiven. Currently there is no IDRF tracker available, however, the Department of Education plans to bring it back and it should be displayed on your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at studentaid.gov. In the meantime, reach out to your loan servicer if you believe you are approaching or have reached the required number of qualifying payments for forgiveness.

---

• 

  Student Loan Forgiveness Options

• 

  Understanding Student Loans: Strategies & Repayment Plans

• 

  Determine Your Student Loan Repayment Strategy Tool