Plans›IBR

10–15% of discretionary income · 20–25 yr forgiveness

Income-Based Repayment

34 CFR §685.221·2026-04-22
Formula

10% of (AGI − 1.5 × FPL for family size); capped at Standard payment.

Forgiveness term
20 years (post-July 2014) · 25 years (pre-July 2014)
PSLF-compatible

Best for

  • Borrowers with significant Direct or FFEL Loan balance vs. AGI.
  • PSLF-track borrowers — IBR payments count toward the 120.
  • Borrowers who entered repayment after July 1, 2014 (20-yr forgiveness).

Not for

  • Parent PLUS borrowers (only ICR via Direct Consolidation).
  • High-AGI borrowers — payment can equal Standard.

Run your numbers through the comparator to see IBR next to all alternatives.

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