Repayment
Federal IDR Plans in 2026: IBR, PAYE, ICR, and RAP
Compare IBR, PAYE, ICR, and the Repayment Assistance Plan under the federal rules effective July 1, 2026.
Student Loan Guides Reviewed for 2026 Federal Updates
These educational guides reflect a July 2026 research review. Program eligibility and legal or tax outcomes still depend on current official records and individual facts.
Review scope
Federal repayment and forgiveness guidance was reviewed for SAVE termination, RAP and Tiered Standard implementation, PSLF changes, consolidation credit, and federal taxation after 2025. Other topic clusters remain subject to their own documented review and counsel decisions.
Browse the guides
Forgiveness
IDR Forgiveness in 2026: Timelines, RAP, and Taxes
Learn the current forgiveness timelines for legacy IDR plans and RAP, plus the federal tax treatment of discharges in 2026 and later.
Repayment
IDR Recertification in 2026: Dates, Consent, and Steps
Recertify IDR annually, generally 30 to 90 days before the anniversary date, or use eligible automatic recertification after IRS-data consent.
Repayment
Federal Loan Consolidation in 2026: IDR and PSLF Credit
Federal consolidation can change plan eligibility, interest, and forgiveness credit. Current rules use weighted qualifying-payment credit, not an automatic reset.
Repayment
Parent PLUS Loans and Income-Driven Repayment: The Double Consolidation Strategy
Parent PLUS loans are excluded from most IDR plans. Learn how the double consolidation strategy may unlock IBR and PAYE access — and the risks involved.
Forgiveness
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: The 2026 PSLF Guide
Current PSLF rules for 120 qualifying months, Direct Loans, 30-hour employment, RAP, legacy plans, consolidation credit, and federal tax treatment.
Forgiveness
PSLF Employer Eligibility: Hospitals, Nonprofits, and Government Jobs Explained
For PSLF, it's the employer — not the job — that determines eligibility. Learn which government agencies, nonprofits, and hospitals qualify and how to verify yours.
Forgiveness
PSLF Qualifying Payments in 2026: How Months Count
Learn how loan type, repayment plan, employment, RAP timing, consolidation, and certified records determine the 120 PSLF months.
Repayment
SAVE Ended in 2026: Deadlines and Repayment Options
SAVE ended effective March 10, 2026. Affected borrowers receive a servicer deadline to choose RAP, IBR, or another available legal repayment plan.
Forgiveness
Teacher Loan Forgiveness: Current Eligibility and Amounts
Current Teacher Loan Forgiveness rules for five consecutive complete academic years, eligible schools, loan types, $5,000 and $17,500 tiers, and PSLF.
Disability Relief
Life After TPD Discharge: Current Monitoring, Tax, and Reinstatement Rules
Learn which TPD discharges have a three-year post-discharge period, what can reinstate a discharged obligation, and how current federal tax and refund rules work.
Disability Relief
Medical Certification for TPD Discharge: Current Provider and Filing Rules
A TPD application may be certified by several authorized medical professionals. Learn the federal disability standard, the 90-day filing deadline, and re-evaluation rules.
Disability Relief
Social Security Disability and Student Loan Discharge: Current TPD Routes
SSA documentation may support TPD discharge through five current routes. Learn the qualifying criteria, data-matching process, direct application option, and limited three-year condition.
Disability Relief
Total and Permanent Disability Discharge: Current Federal Guide
A current guide to TPD discharge through VA, SSA, or medical documentation, including matching, applications, post-discharge rules, refunds, denial re-evaluation, and federal taxes.
Disability Relief
VA Disability and Federal Student Loan Discharge: Current TPD Rules
Veterans may qualify for TPD discharge through a 100% disabling service-connected determination or individual unemployability. Learn the current matching and post-discharge rules.
School Misconduct
Borrower Defense: Current Rules, Evidence, and Group Relief
Borrower Defense rules depend on when each loan was made or consolidated. Learn the standards, evidence, deadlines, and exact limits of historical group relief.
School Misconduct
Closed School Discharge: What It Is, Who Qualifies, and How to Apply
If your school closed while you were enrolled or within 180 days after you withdrew without completing your program, you may qualify for a full discharge of your federal student loans.
School Misconduct
How to Document a Borrower Defense Claim
Personal files can help but are not the only possible evidence. Build a truthful, date-specific record that addresses the governing standard, reliance, and harm.
School Misconduct
False Certification Discharge: Current Categories and Proof
False certification includes specific graduation-status, employment, authorization, payment, and identity-theft grounds. The affected loan and proof depend on the category.
School Misconduct
Corinthian, ITT, and DeVry: Exact Federal Relief Scope
Corinthian and ITT have defined historical group determinations. DeVry's common facts support individual applications, while separate FTC actions had different amounts and effects.
Bankruptcy
What Is an Adversary Proceeding and How Does It Discharge Student Loans?
An adversary proceeding is a separate lawsuit filed inside your bankruptcy case to discharge student loans. Learn the step-by-step process, who the parties are, and what you must prove.
Bankruptcy
10 Signs Your Student Loan Situation Qualifies for Bankruptcy Discharge
Under current DOJ guidelines, courts are granting student loan discharge to borrowers with genuine lasting hardship. Here are 10 signs your situation may qualify in 2025.
Bankruptcy
Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 for Student Loans: Which Is Right for You?
Both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 allow student loan discharge through an adversary proceeding, but they differ in speed, eligibility, and asset protection. Here's how to choose.
Bankruptcy
Student Loan Bankruptcy in 2025: The Updated DOJ Guidelines Explained
The 2022 DOJ policy shift made student loan bankruptcy discharge significantly more achievable. Learn how the attestation process works and what courts look for in 2025.
Bankruptcy
The Undue Hardship Standard: How Courts Evaluate Student Loan Discharge
To discharge student loans in bankruptcy you must prove undue hardship. Most courts use the Brunner test — a three-part framework. Here's exactly how courts apply it in 2025.
Settlement
Debt Settlement vs Debt Consolidation for Private Student Loans: Key Differences
Debt settlement actually reduces what you owe on private student loans. Debt consolidation does not. Here's the complete comparison — credit impact, tax treatment, costs, and when each strategy makes sense.
Settlement
FDCPA Violations in Student Loan Collections: Your Rights and How to Use Them
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives private student loan borrowers powerful rights against illegal collection tactics — and violations create real leverage in settlement negotiations.
Settlement
Navient, Sallie Mae, Discover: How Each Private Lender Actually Negotiates
Lender-specific private student loan settlement tactics for Navient, Sallie Mae, Discover, and other major servicers — what they require, how they negotiate, and what to expect.
Settlement
Private Loan Default: What Happens Next and How to Stop the Damage
The complete timeline of private student loan default — what happens at each stage, when lenders can sue, how statute of limitations works, and what options remain at every point.
Settlement
How Attorneys Settle Private Student Loans: A Step-by-Step Inside Look
Learn exactly how attorneys negotiate private student loan settlements — from default assessment through final agreement, tax implications, and credit reporting outcomes.