What stayed the same and what changed
The central PSLF target remains 120 qualifying payments. The repayment landscape around that target changed: SAVE was terminated, RAP launched July 1, 2026, and qualifying RAP and IBR payments can count toward the 120-payment requirement. Borrowers should focus on whether each payment is qualifying rather than assuming every month on any plan automatically enters the count.
For existing borrowers, RAP and IBR remain the main income-driven paths in this comparison. New loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026 are restricted to RAP or Tiered Standard. PAYE and ICR stop taking new enrollments from existing borrowers on July 1, 2027 and are eliminated July 1, 2028, which makes the RAP-versus-IBR comparison increasingly important for current PSLF seekers.
These plan rules do not replace the rest of PSLF. Employment, loan type, payment history, and required certification must still be confirmed through Federal Student Aid. The calculator deliberately labels its output as a 120-payment summary, because it cannot authenticate an employer or read the government's qualifying-payment count.
How RAP calculates the monthly amount
RAP assigns a percentage from the borrower's AGI band. Income at or below $10,000 uses the $10 flat amount; the next $10,000 band uses 1%, and each later band rises by one percentage point until income above $100,000 uses 10%. The annual percentage result is divided by 12, then reduced by $50 for each dependent, subject to a $10 monthly floor.
This tier design means that crossing into a band changes the percentage applied to the AGI used by the formula. It is not a marginal tax bracket in which only dollars above the boundary receive the higher rate. Dependents are then a separate monthly subtraction, which can be especially visible when the percentage result is modest.
RAP also waives unpaid interest monthly. That feature can keep unpaid interest from being added while the required payment is low, but it does not turn a 30-year RAP forgiveness schedule into PSLF. A qualifying public-service borrower may reach the separate 120-payment PSLF target earlier if every program condition is satisfied.
Worked example: teacher with two dependents
Assume a teacher has $52,000 of AGI, two dependents, eligible federal loans, and qualifying full-time public-service employment. The RAP engine places $52,000 in the 5% tier. The base monthly calculation is $52,000 × 5% ÷ 12 = $216.67.
The dependent reduction is 2 × $50 = $100. After that subtraction, the estimated RAP payment is $116.67 per month. The result is above the $10 floor, so the floor does not change it. These assumptions use AGI, not gross salary, and treat both household members entered as dependents under the RAP input.
If all 120 payments qualified and the amount never changed, a simple planning total would be $14,000.40 over ten years. That is not a promise of the amount paid or forgiven: AGI, dependents, required recertification, employment, and account status can change. The official PSLF count, rather than this multiplication, controls progress.
| Teacher example step | Assumption or result |
|---|---|
| AGI | $52,000 |
| RAP income tier | 5% |
| Base monthly amount | $216.67 |
| Two-dependent reduction | $100.00 |
| Estimated RAP payment | $116.67 |
| PSLF planning horizon | 120 qualifying payments |
A recordkeeping workflow for current PSLF seekers
First, compare the repayment plans using current AGI and household facts. For an existing borrower, run both RAP and IBR. A lower monthly estimate may help cash flow, but the result should be considered alongside the applicable forgiveness horizon, interest treatment, and eligibility. New post-July 1, 2026 loans should be compared under RAP and Tiered Standard instead.
Second, verify that the employer and loans appear correctly in the official PSLF system. Submit or refresh employment certification on the schedule described by Federal Student Aid, and save the confirmation. When a servicer transition or forbearance affects a month, preserve the statement and the official explanation instead of deciding from the calculator whether it counts.
Third, reconcile the official qualifying-payment count periodically. A plan selection and a payment receipt answer different questions. If the count does not match the borrower's records, use the Federal Student Aid correction process and retain the response. This habit matters more than an unofficial forecast because PSLF is awarded from the official account history.
- Use RAP or IBR only after confirming that the borrower and loan can use the plan.
- Treat 120 as a qualifying-payment count, not merely ten calendar years.
- Keep employment certifications, monthly statements, and plan approvals.
- Use the calculator's PSLF tab as an estimate and StudentAid.gov as the official record.