07/07/2026
๐จ Student Loan Laws Just Changed
Do These Things NOW ๐ฃ๏ธ
As of July 1, 2026, the biggest federal student loan overhaul in decades is officially in effect. What you do in the next 90 days could save you or cost you $thousands.
โฐ On the SAVE plan? Your clock is ticking
SAVE is gone. 7+ million borrowers are being moved off it. Your servicer will send a notice starting a roughly 90-day countdown to pick a new plan. **Do nothing, and the government picks for you โ likely the least flexible, most expensive option.**
๐ค So which plan SHOULD you pick?
There's no one right answer. It depends on YOUR situation:
๐ฐ Low or unstable income?โ RAP. Payments run 1โ10% of income (as low as $10/month), minus $50/month per dependent. Pay on time and unpaid interest is WAIVED . You balance actually shrinks.
๐ช Steady income, want out fast?โ Standard plan. Higher payments, but the least interest paid overall.
๐๏ธ Working toward PSLF (government/nonprofit)?โ RAP or IBR only. The new Tiered Standard plan does NOT count toward forgiveness.
๐ Coming off SAVE with a $0 payment?** โ Compare IBR vs. RAP before switching. RAP uses your total income, not discretionary income. HIGHER earners may pay MORE on RAP.
๐ Married?โ Run the numbers both ways. RAP counts joint income if you file taxes jointly, so filing separately might lower your payment (weigh the tax tradeoff first).
๐ Borrowing new loans after July 1, 2026?
Your options for that loan shrink to just two: RAP or the Tiered Standard plan (fixed payments over 10โ25 years based on your balance). Grad PLUS is ending for new borrowers, and new caps apply: $20,500/year for grad students, $50,000/year for professional programs, plus new Parent PLUS limits.
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Your action checklist
1. Log in to StudentAid.gov. Update your contact info so you don't miss servicer notices
2. Run YOUR numbers in the Loan Simulator before switching anything
3. Enroll in auto pay by September 30, 2026โ that's a 1% interest rate cut through June 2028
4. Parent PLUS + PSLF? Switch to IBR before July 1, 2028 to protect your forgiveness path
5. In default? Consolidate and get into a plan so you can access these benefits
The worst move right now is doing nothing. Log in, compare, and choose before a plan gets chosen FOR you.
๐ฒ Share this with anyone paying on student loans. Most people have NO idea these changes just hit. Save your CREDIT SCORE.๐