Why RepayMath exists

In July 2026, federal student loan repayment changed more than it had in a decade. The SAVE plan ended, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) launched, and roughly eight million borrowers were told to pick a new plan — a choice worth tens of thousands of dollars over a loan's life, explained mostly in dense policy documents.

The tools available for that choice were either single-plan payment widgets that don't answer the real question — which plan costs me less overall? — or "free calculators" that exist to capture your email for a sales funnel.

RepayMath is the tool we wanted to find: a side-by-side comparison of RAP, IBR, and the Standard plan that models the details that actually move the answer — RAP's per-dependent credit and principal match, IBR's payment cap, interest treatment, forgiveness timelines, and what forgiveness may cost you in taxes. No signup, no email gate, no lead selling. It runs entirely in your browser; your financial details never leave your device.

How we keep it accurate

Every formula and constant is documented on the methodology page with a source — statute, Federal Register, or studentaid.gov. When program rules change, we update the math and note the change. If you find a number that looks wrong, please tell us — accuracy reports are the most useful mail we get.

What RepayMath is not

It is not financial advice, and it doesn't know your full situation. Estimates here are a starting point for a conversation with your loan servicer or a fee-only financial planner — not a substitute for one. Final payment amounts are always determined by your servicer and the U.S. Department of Education.