U.S. student loans · Income-driven repayment

Income-driven repayment estimator.

Enter your adjusted gross income and the poverty guideline for your household. See the payment under IBR, PAYE and the Repayment Assistance Plan side by side.

34 CFR 685.209 formulasYou enter the poverty lineEstimate only

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Inputs

Include your spouse’s AGI if you file jointly.
2026 HHS guideline, 48 states and DC: 1 person $15,960; 2 $21,640; 3 $27,320; 4 $33,000; add $5,680 for each person above 8. Alaska and Hawaii are higher. Checked 8 October 2026.
Dependents you claim on your tax return.
IBR and PAYE payments are capped at what you would have paid on a 10-year standard plan when you entered. Leave blank to skip.

Result

Enter your numbers.

The short answer

Under IBR and PAYE your payment is a percentage of discretionary income, which is AGI minus 150% of the poverty guideline, divided by 12. Under the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) it is a base payment set by AGI band, divided by 12, minus $50 for each dependent. Example: AGI $50,000, a guideline of $15,960 and one dependent. Discretionary income is $26,060.00, so IBR for a new borrower and PAYE are $217.17 a month, IBR for other borrowers is $325.75, and RAP is $116.67.

The formulas. From 34 CFR 685.209: IBR for a new borrower and PAYE use 10% of discretionary income divided by 12; IBR for other borrowers uses 15%; discretionary income is income above 150% of the poverty guideline. RAP base payments run from $120 a year at AGI up to $10,000 to 10% of AGI above $100,000, in 1% steps for each $10,000 of AGI. The RAP monthly payment is the base payment divided by 12 minus $50 per dependent, with a $10 minimum. A calculated IBR or PAYE payment under $5 becomes $0, and $5 to $10 becomes $10.

What this does not do. It does not decide which plans you can use. The regulation limits who can enroll in PAYE and ICR and sets dates (some run only through June 30, 2028), and parent PLUS loans are excluded. It does not model the REPAYE or SAVE plan or ICR. Check your servicer or studentaid.gov for the plans open to you.

Frequently asked questions

How is an income-driven repayment payment calculated?

For IBR and PAYE, take your AGI, subtract 150% of the poverty guideline for your household, multiply what is left by 10% or 15%, and divide by 12. This page does that arithmetic.

Which poverty guideline do I use?

The HHS guideline for your household size and state group. This page pre-fills the 2026 figure for one person in the 48 contiguous states. Change it for your household.

Does the Repayment Assistance Plan use the poverty guideline?

No. RAP uses AGI bands and a $50 per-dependent reduction, as written in 34 CFR 685.209.

Is the result my actual bill?

No. Your servicer sets the payment from your certified income, loan types and plan eligibility. This is an estimate to compare plans.

Sources

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Estimate only

Estimate only, not legal or financial advice. Plan rules change; confirm with your loan servicer and studentaid.gov.

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