Every payment below is computed from the RAP formula in the final regulations (34 CFR 685.209(f)(5)): annual base = your bracket percentage × your entire AGI (flat $120/year at $10,000 or less), divided by 12, minus $50 per dependent claimed on your return, floored at $10/month. Notes on quirks follow the table; your exact number, including IBR and Standard comparisons, is in the calculator.
Monthly RAP payment by AGI and dependents
| AGI | No dependents | 1 dependent | 2 dependents | Bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 or less | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | flat $120/yr |
| $15,000 | $12.50 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 1% |
| $20,000 | $16.67 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 1% |
| $25,000 | $41.67 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 2% |
| $30,000 | $50.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 2% |
| $35,000 | $87.50 | $37.50 | $10.00 | 3% |
| $40,000 | $100.00 | $50.00 | $10.00 | 3% |
| $45,000 | $150.00 | $100.00 | $50.00 | 4% |
| $50,000 | $166.67 | $116.67 | $66.67 | 4% |
| $55,000 | $229.17 | $179.17 | $129.17 | 5% |
| $60,000 | $250.00 | $200.00 | $150.00 | 5% |
| $65,000 | $325.00 | $275.00 | $225.00 | 6% |
| $70,000 | $350.00 | $300.00 | $250.00 | 6% |
| $75,000 | $437.50 | $387.50 | $337.50 | 7% |
| $80,000 | $466.67 | $416.67 | $366.67 | 7% |
| $85,000 | $566.67 | $516.67 | $466.67 | 8% |
| $90,000 | $600.00 | $550.00 | $500.00 | 8% |
| $95,000 | $712.50 | $662.50 | $612.50 | 9% |
| $100,000 | $750.00 | $700.00 | $650.00 | 9% |
| $110,000 | $916.67 | $866.67 | $816.67 | 10% |
| $120,000 | $1,000.00 | $950.00 | $900.00 | 10% |
| $130,000 | $1,083.33 | $1,033.33 | $983.33 | 10% |
| $140,000 | $1,166.67 | $1,116.67 | $1,066.67 | 10% |
| $150,000 | $1,250.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,150.00 | 10% |
For incomes between listed rows, the math is quick: bracket % × AGI ÷ 12, minus $50 per dependent, never below $10. Each additional dependent beyond two subtracts another $50 (until the floor).
The cliff table: what crossing each bracket boundary costs
RAP's percentages apply to your whole income, so payments jump discontinuously at every $10,000 boundary. This is the raise-that-costs-you-money table — the monthly payment one dollar below and one dollar above each line:
| Boundary | Just below | Just above | Monthly jump |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $16.67 | $33.34 | +$16.67 |
| $30,000 | $50.00 | $75.00 | +$25.00 |
| $40,000 | $100.00 | $133.34 | +$33.34 |
| $50,000 | $166.67 | $208.34 | +$41.67 |
| $60,000 | $250.00 | $300.00 | +$50.00 |
| $70,000 | $350.00 | $408.34 | +$58.34 |
| $80,000 | $466.67 | $533.34 | +$66.67 |
| $90,000 | $600.00 | $675.00 | +$75.00 |
| $100,000 | $750.00 | $833.34 | +$83.34 |
A $1 raise across the $100,000 line costs $83.34/month — about $1,000/year. If a raise, bonus, or side income lands you barely across a boundary, the pre-tax levers that reduce AGI (traditional 401(k)/403(b), traditional IRA if deductible, HSA contributions) can pull you back under it — lowering both your taxes and your loan payment. This is the rare system where a $500 401(k) contribution can save you $500 in loan payments.
Quirks visible in the table
- There is no cliff at $10,000. The flat $120/year works out to $10/month, and just above the line, 1% of AGI is under $10 — so the floor holds the payment at $10 until about $12,000. The first real cliff is at $20,000.
- One dependent zeroes out everything below ~$32,000. Because 2% of $30,000 is $50/month exactly, a single $50 credit drops any income up to the low $30,000s to the floor. Two dependents extend that to about $44,000.
- The $10 floor is universal. No income, however low, pays $0 on RAP — unlike IBR, where sub-$5 calculated payments genuinely become $0. Details in the dependent credit guide.
- Married filing jointly uses combined AGI — a two-income couple reads this table at their joint income, which is exactly why filing separately is worth modeling.
Payment isn't cost
A last reminder before you anchor on your row: this table shows what you'd pay per month, not what the loan costs. In our worked examples, the plan with the lowest monthly payment was the most expensive total path as often as not. Look up your payment here; decide your plan with the full comparison.
Run your own numbers
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