Credit & Debt
Student Loan Income-Driven Repayment Calculator: Estimate Your 2026 Payment
Estimate your income-driven student loan payment from income, family size, loan balance, and rate. See IDR math, examples, tradeoffs, and what to check next.
Federal student loan repayment options change, so compare any calculator output with Federal Student Aid’s official repayment plan guidance.
Quick answer: income-driven repayment is based on income, not just balance
Income-driven repayment, or IDR, sets your federal student loan payment from your income and family size. Not just your loan balance.
That matters because two people can both owe $35,000 and get very different bills. One earns $40,000. One earns $90,000. Same debt. Different pressure.
For a simple 2026 planning example, say you earn $55,000, have a family size of 1, owe $35,000, and pay 5.5% interest. A standard 10-year payment is about $379.84 per month.
A 10% income-driven estimate is about $258.83 per month. That is about $121.01 less each month.
That $121 can buy groceries, cover gas, or keep your checking account from doing that tiny horror movie thing before payday. But lower does not always mean cheaper. It may mean longer.
Use the income-driven repayment calculator
Use the embedded CheckMyPayment student loan IDR calculator on this page. Enter your annual income, family size, state guideline, loan balance, interest rate, and plan.
Use gross annual income if you are trying to estimate the federal formula. Gross income means income before taxes. If you know your AGI, use that. AGI means adjusted gross income, the income number from your tax return after certain allowed adjustments.
Your servicer gives the official number. This calculator gives planning math. Planning math is still useful. It lets you see the trap door before you step on it.
How the IDR payment math works
IDR usually starts with income. Then it protects part of your income based on family size.
Protected income means money the formula does not count against you. It is tied to federal poverty guidelines. Poverty guideline sounds cold, because government terms often do. It is just a yearly income line used for benefit rules.
Then the formula looks at what is left. That leftover amount is called discretionary income. Plain English: the income the formula says you can use for payments.
For 2026, the federal poverty guideline for a family size of 1 in the contiguous U.S. is $15,960. At 150%, that protects $23,940.
Here is the math for a $55,000 income.
| Step | Number |
|---|---|
| Annual income | $55,000 |
| 2026 poverty guideline, family size 1 | $15,960 |
| 150% protected income | $23,940 |
| Discretionary income | $31,060 |
| 10% of discretionary income | $3,106 per year |
| Estimated monthly payment | $258.83 |
Nobody mails you a friendly card that says, “Good news, your payment is really a formula wearing a fake mustache.” But that is what is happening.
Once you see the formula, the payment feels less random.
Example: $55,000 income and $35,000 in student loans
Let’s use the page’s default calculator example.
You earn $55,000 per year. Your family size is 1. You owe $35,000. Your interest rate is 5.5%.
Here is what the estimate looks like.
| Repayment option | Estimated monthly payment | Monthly relief vs standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 10-year | $379.84 | $0 | Fixed payoff path |
| IBR old-style 15% estimate | $379.84 | $0 | Payment caps at standard estimate |
| IBR new / PAYE-style 10% estimate | $258.83 | $121.01 | Lower bill, longer path |
| SAVE original-style estimate | $258.83 | $121.01 | Confirm current status before relying on it |
The standard plan is clean. You pay more each month and aim to finish faster.
The income-driven plan gives breathing room. Breathing room is not a luxury when rent, food, and insurance all show up like they coordinated outfits.
But the tradeoff is time. If you pay less for more years, interest can grow. Interest is the fee for borrowing money. It is also proof that time has a billing department.
How family size changes the payment
Family size can lower an IDR payment because it raises protected income.
More protected income means less discretionary income. Less discretionary income usually means a lower payment.
For 2026, the federal poverty guideline in the contiguous U.S. is:
| Family size | 2026 poverty guideline | 150% protected income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $23,940 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $32,460 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $40,980 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $49,500 |
Example: you earn $65,000 and have a family size of 3. The 150% protected income amount is $40,980.
That leaves $24,020 of discretionary income. A 10% estimate is $2,402 per year, or about $200.17 per month.
With a $50,000 balance at 6.39%, the standard 10-year payment is about $564.95 per month. The income-driven estimate gives about $364.78 of monthly relief.
That is real money. That is not “skip one latte” money. That is “my car insurance just renewed and chose violence” money.
IDR payment vs the standard 10-year payment
The lowest payment is not always the best payment.
A lower payment can protect your monthly budget. It can also stretch repayment for years. Both things can be true.
For $35,000 at 5.5%, the standard 10-year payment is about $379.84 per month. Total interest is about $10,581 if you stay on schedule.
If your income-driven payment is $258.83, your monthly bill drops by $121.01. That helps now.
But you need to ask one more question: what happens over the full path?
If your income rises, your IDR payment can rise. If your balance remains after the forgiveness period, rules may decide what happens next. If tax rules change, forgiven debt may have tax effects.
A small payment is a tool. It is not a magic trick.
Does spouse income count?
Sometimes, yes.
If you are married and file taxes jointly, your spouse’s income often matters. Filing jointly means you and your spouse file one tax return together.
If you file separately, some plans may use only your income. Filing separately means each spouse files their own tax return. That can lower a student loan payment, but it can also raise taxes.
This is where the math gets annoying because apparently marriage needed side quests.
Run both numbers before you decide. Compare the student loan savings against any extra tax cost.
The current CheckMyPayment calculator does not ask for spouse income or filing status. Use it for a first estimate. Then confirm with your servicer or StudentAid.gov if marriage affects your plan.
Do private student loans qualify for IDR?
Federal IDR plans are for eligible federal student loans.
Private student loans do not qualify for federal income-driven repayment. Private loans are loans from banks, credit unions, or online lenders. They follow the lender’s rules, not federal IDR rules.
If you have private student loans, ask the lender about hardship options. You can also compare refinancing. Refinancing means replacing a loan with a new loan, usually to change the rate or payment.
Be careful before refinancing federal loans into private loans. You can lose federal benefits. That includes IDR and some forgiveness paths.
What changes after you enroll?
IDR is not a crockpot. You cannot set it once and forget it.
You usually have to recertify your income and family size each year. Recertify means prove the details again.
If your income goes up, your payment may go up. If your income drops, your payment may drop. If your family size changes, your payment may change too.
Example: if your income rises from $55,000 to $70,000 and family size stays 1, discretionary income rises from $31,060 to $46,060. A 10% estimate rises from $258.83 to about $383.83 per month.
That raise still helps. But your loan payment may take a bite. Money has a way of inviting itself to the party.
Forgiveness, PSLF, and the tax question
Some IDR plans may forgive the remaining balance after many years of qualifying payments.
Forgive means cancel what remains. It does not mean the years were free. You still made payments. You still carried the debt.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, is different. PSLF can forgive federal loans faster for qualifying public-service work. Qualifying means your employer, loan type, repayment plan, and payment count all meet the rules.
If you are pursuing PSLF, do not guess. Check your employer and payment count. A wrong assumption here can cost years, which is rude even by student loan standards.
Also check tax rules before planning around forgiveness. Some forgiven balances may be tax-free. Some may not be. Rules can change.
What to check next
Before you choose a plan, gather the numbers that control the estimate.
- Your current federal loan balance
- Your weighted average interest rate
- Your AGI or best annual income estimate
- Your family size
- Your state guideline: standard, Alaska, or Hawaii
- Your spouse income and filing status, if married
- Your PSLF status, if you work in public service
- Your monthly budget after rent, food, transport, and insurance
Then run three views.
First, run the standard 10-year payment. Second, run the income-driven estimate. Third, run your real monthly budget.
If the IDR payment is lower but your budget is still tight, the loan is not the only issue. You may need a broader cash-flow plan.
Use the Budget Calculator next. A student loan payment does not live alone. It lives in your month, with groceries and electric bills and that one subscription you keep meaning to cancel.
Frequently asked questions
How is income-driven repayment calculated?
It usually starts with income, subtracts protected income based on family size, then charges a percentage of what remains. That remaining amount is discretionary income. For example, $55,000 minus $23,940 protected income leaves $31,060. Ten percent is $3,106 per year, or about $258.83 per month.
Can my IDR payment be $0?
Yes, it can happen when income is low enough. If protected income is higher than counted income, discretionary income can be $0. Then a percentage of $0 is still $0. Math can be kind once in a while. Do not get used to it.
Does family size lower my payment?
Often, yes. A larger family size can raise protected income. That can lower discretionary income and reduce the payment. For 2026, family size 3 has a poverty guideline of $27,320 in the contiguous U.S. At 150%, that protects $40,980.
Does spouse income count for IDR?
It depends on filing status and plan rules. Joint filing often includes spouse income. Separate filing may exclude it under some plans, but taxes may rise. Compare both before choosing.
Do private student loans qualify for income-driven repayment?
No. Federal IDR plans apply to eligible federal student loans. Private student loans follow lender rules. Ask your lender about hardship options or compare refinancing carefully.
Is this calculator the official payment?
No. This is a planning estimate. Your servicer or StudentAid.gov gives the official number. Use this calculator to understand the range before you make a formal choice.
What happens if my income changes?
Your payment can change when you recertify. If income rises, payment may rise. If income drops, payment may drop. If family size changes, the formula may change too.
Does IDR forgive student loans?
Some plans may forgive the remaining balance after a set number of qualifying years. The exact timeline depends on the plan and loan rules. If you expect forgiveness, track the rules and keep records.
Is SAVE still available?
SAVE has faced legal and policy uncertainty. Treat any SAVE estimate as a planning number, not a promise. Confirm current options with StudentAid.gov or your servicer before enrolling.
Should I choose the lowest IDR payment?
Not automatically. The lowest payment can protect your budget now. It may also extend repayment and increase interest. Choose the plan that fits both your month and your long-term path.