Are you having trouble paying your student loans and worried about defaulting? Do you want to change your payment plan but don’t know where to start? There may be free options available to you that can make repayment easier!

The Office of the Attorney General has developed this resource page to help borrowers understand their repayment options. The opportunities available to you depend on the type of student loans you have and your individual circumstances. Learn about your options:

  • Find Your Loans: Get a complete online list of your loans. You can also call the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243 or (800) 730-8913 (TDD).
  • Repayment Plans: Compare payment options and find out which plan is the best for you.
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Learn more about a federal program that allows borrowers who make 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years) while working in the public service field to apply to have the balance of their federal student loans forgiven.
  • Repayment Estimator: Enter your loan information and estimate your monthly payments under various repayment plans.
  • How to Consolidate: Learn if consolidating your loans into a single monthly payment is right for you and how to start the consolidation process.
  • Consumer Alert—Student Loan Scams: Repaying your student loans can be an overwhelming, complicated, and an intimidating experience. As many former students find themselves struggling with rising debt, there has been an increase in student loan debt relief scams. Learn the warning signs of a student loan scam and how to protect yourself!
  • Submit a consumer complaint: To report a possible student loan debt relief scam, contact the Office of the Attorney General by phone at (202) 442-9828, by email at Consumer.Protection@dc.gov, or by filling out our web form. You can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  • You can also visit the Department of Education’s website to learn more about your options or you can call (877) 557-2575 to speak to an Ombudsman.

Information on Repayment Plans


Repayment Plan		 Eligible Loans Monthly Payment and Time Frame Eligibility and Other Information
Standard Repayment Plan
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • All PLUS Loans
  • All Consolidation Loans (Direct or FFEL)
  • Payments are a fixed amount.
  • Up to 10 years (up to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
  • All borrowers are eligible for this plan.
  • You'll pay less over time than other plans.
Graduated Repayment Plan
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • All PLUS Loans
  • All Consolidation Loans (Direct or FFEL)
  • Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years.
  • Up to 10 years (up to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
  • All borrowers are eligible for this plan.
  • You'll pay more over time than under the 10-year Standard Plan.
Extended Repayment Plan
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • All PLUS Loans
  • All Consolidation Loans (Direct or FFEL)
  • Payments may be fixed or graduated.
  • Up to 25 years.
  • If you're a Direct Loan borrower, you must have more than $30K in outstanding Direct Loans.
  • If you're a FFEL borrower, you must have more than $30K in outstanding FFEL Program loans.
  • Your monthly payments will be lower than under the 10-year Standard Plan or the Graduated Repayment Plan.
  • You'll pay more over time than under the 10-year Standard Plan.
Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (REPAYE)
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Direct PLUS loans made to students
  • Direct Consolidation Loans that do not include PLUS loans (Direct or FFEL) made to parents
  • Your monthly payments will be 10 percent of discretionary income.
  • Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income and family size.
  • If you're married, both you and your spouse's income or loan debt will be considered, whether taxes are filed jointly or separately (with limited exceptions).
  • Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven't repaid your loan in full after 20 or 25 years.
  • Any Direct Loan borrower with an eligible loan type may choose this plan.
  • Your monthly payment can be more than the 10-year Standard Plan amount.
  • You may have to pay income tax on any amount that is forgiven.
  • Good option for those seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE)
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Direct PLUS loans made to students
  • Direct Consolidation Loans that do not include (Direct or FFEL) PLUS loans made to parents
  • Your maximum monthly payments will be 10 percent of discretionary income.
  • Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income and family size.
  • If you're married, your spouse's income or loan debt will be considered only if you file a joint tax return.
  • Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven't repaid your loan in full after 20 years.
  • You must be a new borrower on or after Oct. 1, 2007, and must have received a disbursement of a Direct Loan on or after Oct. 2, 2011.
  • You must have a high debt relative to your income.
  • Your monthly payment will never be more than the 10-year Standard Plan amount.
  • You'll pay more over time than under the 10-year Standard Plan.
  • You may have to pay income tax on any amount that is forgiven.
  • Good option for th ose seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR)
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • All PLUS loans made to students
  • Consolidation Loans (Direct or FFEL) that do not include Direct or FFEL PLUS loans made to parents
  • Your monthly payments will be 10 or 15 percent of discretionary income.
  • Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income and family size.
  • If you're married, your spouse's income or loan debt will be considered only if you file a joint tax return.
  • Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you h aven't repaid your loan in full after 20 or 25 years.
  • You may h ave to pay income tax on any amount that is forgiven.
  • You must have a high debt relative to your income.
  • Your monthly payment will never be more than the 10-year Standard Plan amount.
  • You'll pay more over time than under the 10-year Standard Plan.
  • Good option for those seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Income-Contingent Repayment Plan (ICR)
  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Direct PLUS Loans made to students
  • Direct Consolidation Loans
  • Your monthly payment will be the lesser of: 1) 20 percent of discretionary income, or 2) the amount you would pay on a repayment plan with a fixed payment over 12 years, adjusted according to your income.
  • Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans.
  • If you're married, your spouse's income or loan debt will be considered only if you file a joint tax return or you choose to repay your Direct Loans jointly with your spouse.
  • Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven't repaid your loan in full after 25 years.
  • Any Direct Loan borrower with an eligible loan type may choose this plan.
  • Your monthly payment can be more than the 10-year Standard Plan amount.
  • You may have to pay income tax on the amount that is forgiven.
  • Good option for those seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
  • Parent borrowers can access this plan by consolidating their Parent PLUS Loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan.
Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • FFEL PLUS Loans
  • FFEL Consolidation Loans
  • Your monthly payment is based on annual income.
  • Up to 15 years.
  • You'll pay more over time than under the 10-year Standard Plan.
  • The formula for determining the montly payment amount can vary from lender to lender.