Student Loan Income-Driven Repayment Calculator
Federal Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans cap your monthly student loan payment at a percentage of your discretionary income. Discretionary income is your Adjusted Gross Income minus a multiple of the federal poverty guideline for your family size. Under IBR (Income-Based Repayment) for borrowers who are new borrowers after July 1, 2014, the monthly payment equals 10% of discretionary income divided by 12, where discretionary income = AGI minus 150% of the applicable federal poverty guideline. Under SAVE, the exclusion rises to 225% for undergraduate debt. Enter your details to estimate your monthly payment under each plan.
IDR payment formula
Discretionary Income = AGI - (FPG Multiplier x Federal Poverty Guideline)
Monthly Payment = (Plan Rate x Discretionary Income) / 12
IBR (new borrowers): FPG Multiplier = 1.50, Plan Rate = 10%
IBR (old borrowers): FPG Multiplier = 1.50, Plan Rate = 15%
SAVE (undergrad): FPG Multiplier = 2.25, Plan Rate = 5%
PAYE: FPG Multiplier = 1.50, Plan Rate = 10%
Federal Poverty Guidelines are published annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 2024 48-state/DC guideline for one person is $15,060.
Choosing an IDR plan
- IBR (new borrowers): 10% of discretionary income; forgiveness after 20 years. Available to borrowers who are new borrowers after July 1, 2014.
- IBR (older borrowers): 15% of discretionary income; forgiveness after 25 years.
- PAYE: 10% of discretionary income; forgiveness after 20 years; payment cannot exceed the 10-year standard amount.
- SAVE: Lowest payments for most borrowers due to the 225% FPG exclusion; forgiveness timelines vary by loan type.
- ICR (Income-Contingent Repayment): Lesser of 20% of discretionary income or the 12-year standard fixed payment amount; forgiveness after 25 years.
Frequently asked questions
How is an IDR monthly payment calculated?
Under most IDR plans, your monthly payment is a percentage of your Discretionary Income. Discretionary Income is your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) minus 150% of the federal poverty guideline for your family size and state. Under IBR for new borrowers after July 2014, the payment is 10% of discretionary income divided by 12.
What is the SAVE plan?
SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) replaced REPAYE. It uses 225% of the federal poverty guideline as the income exclusion for undergraduate loans (10% of discretionary income for grad loans), producing lower payments than older plans. The plan was subject to ongoing litigation as of 2025; check studentaid.gov for current status.
What happens after 20 or 25 years on an IDR plan?
After 20 years (undergraduate loans under SAVE/PAYE/IBR new borrowers) or 25 years (IBR old borrowers, or graduate loans under SAVE), any remaining balance may be forgiven. Forgiven amounts may be taxable income unless a specific tax exemption applies.
Does IDR apply to all federal loans?
Most Direct Loans qualify. FFEL loans generally must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan first. Parent PLUS loans do not directly qualify; they must be consolidated and may only access certain plans.
Is my payment ever $0 on an IDR plan?
Yes. If your AGI minus 150% (or 225% under SAVE) of the federal poverty guideline is zero or negative, your calculated payment is $0. A $0 payment still counts as a qualifying payment toward forgiveness.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Income-Driven Repayment Plans.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.