2026 RAP planning tool
RAP Payment Calculator
Estimate your Repayment Assistance Plan payment, dependent reduction, possible interest waiver, and possible principal match before choosing a repayment plan or comparing RAP vs IBR.
Estimated RAP payment
$150/mo
Based on 4% of AGI, minus $0 per month for 0 dependents, subject to the RAP minimum payment.
Estimated monthly interest
$190
Possible interest waiver
$40
Possible principal match
$50
What this means
If you make a full, on-time payment, this estimate suggests about $50 could go toward reducing your balance after borrower principal and any RAP principal match. The exact servicer result can vary.
RAP calculator assumptions
These tools provide planning estimates only. Your loan servicer and StudentAid.gov determine your final eligibility, payment amount, due date, and forgiveness credit.
Show calculation assumptions
- RAP estimates use adjusted gross income, a 1-10% income tier, a $50 monthly reduction per dependent, and a minimum monthly payment.
- Interest waiver and principal match estimates assume full, on-time monthly payments and are simplified planning estimates.
- Parent PLUS consolidation history, tax documentation, servicer processing, PSLF status, and policy updates can change the final result.
Official sources to verify before acting
- U.S. Department of Education RAP fact sheet
Department guidance on the Repayment Assistance Plan.
- Federal Student Aid repayment plans
Official federal repayment plan overview.
- Federal Student Aid IDR application
Official application path for income-driven repayment.
- Federal Student Aid PSLF Help Tool
Official PSLF employment certification and application tool.
How RAP compares with IBR and PAYE
RAP can look attractive when the AGI tier produces a low payment and the interest waiver or principal match helps your balance move down. But RAP is not automatically better than IBR or PAYE because legacy IDR plans use discretionary income, may have payment caps, and may have shorter non-PSLF forgiveness timelines.
| Plan | Payment base | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| RAP | 1-10% of AGI, reduced by dependents | 30-year non-PSLF forgiveness timeline |
| IBR | 10-15% of discretionary income | Eligibility and timeline depend on borrower history |
| PAYE | 10% of discretionary income | Narrower eligibility rules |
How to use the RAP estimate before you apply
Start with the monthly payment estimate, then check whether the same borrower facts produce a better result under IBR, PAYE, ICR, or Standard repayment. RAP uses AGI directly, so two borrowers with the same loan balance can see very different results if one has dependents or one qualifies for a legacy discretionary-income plan.
The estimate is most useful as a screening tool. Before submitting an IDR request, confirm your loan types, whether any consolidation loan includes Parent PLUS debt, your most recent income documentation, and whether you are trying to preserve PSLF-qualifying payments.
If your RAP estimate is close to another plan, compare the full repayment path rather than just the first bill. A lower payment can help your monthly budget, but forgiveness timing, interest treatment, and servicer processing rules can change the long-term cost.
Parent PLUS and the RAP program
If you are asking whether Parent PLUS loans are eligible for the RAP program, pause before using a general RAP payment estimate. Parent PLUS loans and Direct Consolidation Loans that include Parent PLUS debt can follow different repayment rules, so the better first step is to identify the loan type and compare ICR, Standard repayment, and any PSLF path for the parent borrower.