Starting July 1 2026 SAVE borrowers have 90 days
Heads up if you have federal student loans: starting July 1, 2026, the repayment rules are getting a major update.
If you're still on the old SAVE plan, borrowers who remain in SAVE are expected to hear from their loan servicers around July 1 and have 90 days to pick a new repayment option, so don't ignore that notice.
Borrowers risk higher payments
If you don't choose a plan in time, you could be moved to one with higher monthly payments.
Some popular plans like PAYE and ICR are going away for new borrowers; your main choices will be the Standard Repayment Plan or the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), which will generally range from 1% to 10% of a borrower's adjusted gross income.
Stick with RAP long enough (30 years) and any leftover debt could be forgiven.
Make sure to check StudentAid.gov so you don't get caught off guard.