LoanPlanCompare

The SAVE Plan Is Ending: What to Do in Your 90 Days

The SAVE plan was struck down and repealed, and starting July 1, 2026, servicers began sending its roughly 7.4 million borrowers notices giving them 90 days to choose a new repayment plan. Do nothing and you're placed on a standard plan automatically — usually the most expensive monthly option. Meanwhile, interest has been accruing on SAVE accounts since August 2025, and forbearance months don't count toward forgiveness.

The three moves that cover almost everyone:

  1. IBR — if you're deep into repayment, chasing PSLF, or your income is low for your family size (20/25-year forgiveness).
  2. RAP — if IBR would let interest snowball, you have dependents, or your IBR payment comes out higher (interest waived, 30-year forgiveness).
  3. Standard — if you can afford it and want out fastest with the least total interest.

Decision tree: which plan should I switch to?

1. Are you pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?

YES → Pick an income-driven plan and keep certifying employment. Compare RAP vs IBR monthly payments in the simulator — for PSLF the cheaper monthly payment usually wins, since forgiveness arrives at 120 qualifying payments either way.
NO → Continue to question 2.

2. Have you already been in IDR repayment for 15+ years (roughly 180+ qualifying payments)?

YES → IBR is usually the move: your existing qualifying payments count toward its 20- or 25-year clock, so forgiveness may be just a few years away. Switching to RAP could stretch you toward a 30-year horizon.
NO → Continue to question 3.

3. Would your IBR payment fail to cover monthly interest (balance stalls or grows)?

YES → RAP fixes exactly this: interest your payment doesn't cover is waived, and the government adds up to $50/month to principal, so your balance falls every month you pay. Compare total cost — RAP's 30-year horizon can still mean paying longer.
NO → Continue to question 4.

4. Is your RAP payment lower than your IBR payment (common with dependents or mid-range incomes)?

YES → RAP likely wins on cash flow — the $50/dependent deduction and AGI brackets often undercut IBR. Check the forgiveness horizon trade-off in the simulator before committing.
NO → Continue to question 5.

5. Can you comfortably afford the 10-year Standard payment?

YES → Standard (or simply paying extra) minimizes total interest and gets you debt-free fastest — forgiveness plans only help if you'll actually reach forgiveness with a balance left.
NO → Take the lower of RAP vs IBR for breathing room now, and revisit yearly at recertification. Run both side by side in the simulator.

Don't guess — simulate all three plans on your numbers.

Monthly payment curves, interest subsidies, forgiveness timing, and total cost, computed month by month.

Open the RAP vs IBR vs Standard simulator →

Before you submit the switch

Frequently asked questions

When is my SAVE deadline?

Loan servicers began sending notices on July 1, 2026, and notices continue rolling out in waves into 2027. Your personal deadline is 90 days from the date on YOUR notice, not a single national date — check your servicer message center and mail. If you haven't received a notice yet, you still can (and usually should) switch proactively rather than wait.

What happens if I ignore the 90-day notice?

You'll be moved automatically into a standard repayment plan (the classic 10-year Standard or the new tiered standard plan, depending on your loans). Standard payments are typically the highest of your options and earn no forgiveness credit toward IDR forgiveness. You can still switch to RAP or IBR afterward, but you may face a payment shock in between.

Is interest accruing while I'm in the SAVE forbearance?

Yes. The 0% interest period ended, and interest has been accruing on SAVE accounts since August 1, 2025. Months spent in the SAVE forbearance also do NOT count toward PSLF or IDR forgiveness. That's the core reason waiting is expensive: you're accruing interest without making forgiveness progress.

Do my old SAVE/REPAYE payments count toward IBR or RAP forgiveness?

Months of qualifying payments made under previous IDR plans generally carry over toward IBR's 20- or 25-year forgiveness clock. RAP starts its own 360-payment (30-year) count, though time in repayment is expected to be credited per Department of Education implementation guidance — confirm your payment counts on studentaid.gov before choosing, because being 15+ years into repayment strongly favors IBR.

Can I still pick PAYE or ICR instead?

For loans disbursed before July 1, 2026, PAYE and ICR remain temporarily available, but both are being phased out as repayment options under the 2025 law — new enrollments end and borrowers are consolidated toward IBR and RAP. Most SAVE borrowers' realistic long-term choices are IBR, RAP, or a standard plan, which is what this site simulates.