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The New Income-Driven Repayment Plan Form Is Here. If You’re Filing for RAP, There’s More to Consider After months of waiting, borrowers can finally move forward with the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). For many SDS borrowers, this is good news. Some of you have been waiting specifically for this option. Others have been sitting in SAVE, waiting to understand what your next payment might look like. And for some borrowers, RAP may offer one of the most affordable monthly

For years, student loan consolidation was often viewed as a simple way to combine federal loans, simplify repayment, or make certain loans eligible for federal programs. Today, I look at consolidation differently. “Consolidation used to be viewed primarily as a way to combine loans. After July 1, it can also be a decision about which repayment system you will live under going forward.” That is something every borrower should understand before submitting a consolidation applic

Student loan borrowers are being asked to make important decisions. SAVE borrowers must select new repayment plans. Payments are being recalculated, and millions of people are trying to understand how the new rules affect them. But there is a growing problem: Borrowers are no longer sure they can trust what they see. In recent weeks, some borrowers pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness discovered that qualifying payments had disappeared from their StudentAid.gov accounts.

Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

July opened with two major student loan headlines: a court win for Public Service Loan Forgiveness borrowers and the official start of the new federal repayment framework. The biggest news for public service workers is that two federal judges blocked the Department of Education from implementing a new PSLF rule that would have allowed certain nonprofit or public-service employers to be excluded from PSLF eligibility based on the government’s determination that the organizatio

The federal student loan system changed on July 1, and SDS has been updating our platform, recommendations, and borrower guidance to reflect the new repayment landscape. Our goal is simple: borrowers should not be guided by outdated repayment assumptions. When federal rules change, plan recommendations must change with them. SDS has updated its review process to better distinguish between borrowers with existing loans, borrowers taking new loans, and borrowers considering con

July 1 is a Major Turning Point. Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

SDS is updating how repayment options are ranked and reviewed to better reflect the decisions borrowers are facing in today’s student loan environment. For many borrowers, the first thing they want to know is simple: “Which plan gives me the lowest monthly payment?” That question still matters. Affordability remains one of the most important parts of any repayment strategy, and SDS will continue to help borrowers identify options that may lower their monthly payment. But as r

Question: My student loan payment is about to change. Should I just pick the plan with the lowest monthly payment? Answer: The lowest monthly payment is important, especially if your budget is tight. But it should not be the only factor in your decision. Student loan repayment is changing quickly, and some choices may affect more than your next bill. Depending on your loan type, current repayment plan, and repayment history, changing plans, consolidating, or waiting too long

Beginning July 1, 2026, borrowers may not realize how the Federal Student Loan changes could affect their future repayment options. Why Consolidation Is Changing One of the biggest issues involves federal student loan consolidation. For years, consolidation was viewed as a simple tool borrowers used to combine loans, lower monthly payments, qualify for forgiveness programs, or get out of default. But under the newly finalized student loan regulations tied to the One Big Beaut

For years, most federal student loan borrowers focused on one goal: “How do I lower my monthly student loan payment?” But major federal student loan changes are now shifting the conversation. The future of student loan repayment may no longer be just about getting the lowest payment or maximizing forgiveness. It may now be about protecting your long-term eligibility before new repayment rules take effect. Under the newest Department of Education regulations, borrowers may soo

The final July 1 student loan rules are here...plan carefully before you switch. Log into Student Debt Solutions to review your loan status, model repayment options, and see recommended next steps.

On April 1st, the U.S. Department of Education issued a major update to borrowers currently enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan. The message was direct: “The SAVE Plan is ending. Borrowers must take action.” While the announcement may seem straightforward, the details behind this transition are critical. Here’s what borrowers need to understand and how to respond. The 90-Day Window: What It Is and How It Works One of the most important parts of the Department’s announc

Not all borrowers are impacted by today’s student loan changes in the same way, but for two groups, the timeline ahead is especially critical. If you are: Transitioning out of the SAVE repayment plan, or Managing Parent PLUS loans and exploring income-driven repayment options The coming months represent a limited window to take action, and the decisions made during this time could significantly impact your long-term repayment strategy. Group 1: SAVE Borrowers - Underst

Q: What happens if I don’t change my repayment plan within the 90-day window? A: If you do not select a new repayment plan within your 90-day window, the Department of Education will step in and automatically place you into a repayment plan. While this ensures you remain in repayment status, it’s important to understand that this placement is administrative, not strategic. The assigned plan will be based on your loan type and general eligibility, but it may not reflect y

For many borrowers, choosing a student loan repayment plan was something they did once—and then rarely revisited. But with the federal student loan system evolving over the past several years, a “set it and forget it” approach may no longer work. One of the clearest examples is the current situation surrounding the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, which has been at the center of ongoing legal challenges. The uncertainty around the viability of SAVE repaym

As we approach the end of December, major student-loan policy changes are coming into focus and one of the most significant involves Income-Based Repayment (IBR) . At the same time, the Department of Education has formally announced the end of the SAVE repayment plan, as part of a settlement being pursued with the State of Missouri. As a result, millions of borrowers who relied on SAVE will now be required to transition into a new repayment plan. Against that backdrop, the

A major step toward long-awaited debt relief has arrived for borrowers in long-term income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. A recent agreement in the case of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) v. U.S. Department of Education marks a concrete move toward resuming loan forgiveness for borrowers enrolled in Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), and other qualifying IDR plans. The settlement also includes a key protection: borrowers who qualify for forgivenes

As of October 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government is in a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass new funding legislation. While many essential operations will continue, several functions within the Department of Education (ED) and Federal Student Aid are being furloughed, raising concerns about potential disruptions for student loan borrowers. Key Impacts to Watch Loan payments remain due. Borrowers must continue making payments during the shutdown. Servicing and s

When borrowers visit Studentaid.gov, they can see their balances and explore repayment options. But what they don’t get is clarity. The federal simulator is limited to static “what-if” numbers that assume every borrower’s situation fits neatly into one model. The reality is—it doesn’t. That’s why Student Debt Solutions (SDS) built a calculator system designed to do far more than show balances. Our calculators are interactive, dynamic, and guided by a real decision framework t