Please note: new regulations will go into effect on July 1, 2023, and at that time, some of the information below will change. This fact sheet will be updated again in July 2023.
REPAYE Features
Your monthly payment is based on your discretionary income and your household size. REPAYE does not put a cap on your monthly payment amount, so as your income rises, so will your monthly payment. On an annual basis, your servicer will calculate your payment based upon 10% of your household income that exceeds 150% of the federal poverty guideline for your family size.
Since your monthly payment is adjusted annually, you will need to submit income verification and household size information annually. As part of the re-certification process, you will also need to submit the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request. If your household income or household size changes before it’s time to recertify, you can request a payment recalculation at StudentAid.gov.
If you are married, your spouse’s income and loan debt (if applicable) will be used to calculate your monthly loan payment. This is true regardless of your tax filing status.
Graduate/professional loan borrowers can remain in REPAYE for up to 25 years. If the borrower has a remaining loan balance after 25 years, the balance will be forgiven; however, the forgiven amount is taxable.
REPAYE offers an interest subsidy that could lead to lower total repayment costs. If your monthly payment doesn’t cover the full amount of interest that accrues on the loan (negative amortization), then the government will pay 50% of the difference. It should be noted that any extra payments in REPAYE will affect the subsidy on any loan that a borrower overpays; however, the benefit of paying extra means that the borrower could pay a specific loan off faster.
Eligible Borrowers
Any borrower with an outstanding Direct Loan is eligible to repay their loan under this income-driven repayment plan.
Eligible Loans
- Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans
- Direct PLUS Loans (does not include Direct PLUS Loans made to parents)
- Direct Consolidation Loans
- Perkins and LDS Loans (only eligible if consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan)
Benefits of REPAYE
- The REPAYE plan offers one of the lowest monthly payments.
- An interest subsidy is available during periods of negative amortization.
- Unpaid interest won’t capitalize while in REPAYE.
- REPAYE is an eligible plan for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Your Monthly Payment Amount
Use the AAMC’s MedLoans® Organizer and Calculator to estimate your monthly payment amount. Your servicer can provide exact payment information.
| Example of a PGY-1 Resident in Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) |
|---|
| Monthly Adjusted Gross Income (1) | $5,100 |
| (minus) 150% of Poverty Line (2) | - $1,800 |
| Discretionary Income (3) | = $3,300 |
| (multiplied by) (4) | x .10% |
| Monthly REPAYE Payment (5) | = $330 |
1. Based on AAMC estimate for the 2023 first post-D-year median stipend ($61,400).
2. Based on the 2023 federal poverty guideline for a family size of one in the 48 contiguous states.
3. Discretionary income is the difference between income and 150% of the poverty guideline for borrower's state of residence. (This example is based on a family size of one).
4. Based on 2015 federal regulations.
5. Rounded to the nearest $10.
Recertify Your Information
Currently, if you fail to submit annual income and household size information to your servicer, you will be removed from the REPAYE plan and put into a different repayment plan which is not based on your income. If this happens, you will likely see a dramatic increase to your monthly payment. Additionally, outstanding interest will be capitalized. For more information, review the Income-Driven Repayment Plans information on the Federal Student Aid website and talk with your loan servicer.
