TCO Analysis
23 articles
IBR vs PAYE vs ICR on a $66K Loan at $48K Income: Total Cost After the Forgiveness Tax Bill
Same $66K loan, same $48K income, five plans: the all-in cost runs from $84,800 to $140,300 once you add the tax on forgiveness. Here's the math, plus the income level where the best plan flips.
Read more →PAYE Ends in 2028: IBR vs Standard vs 1.94% Refinance on a $78K Loan at $64K Income
PAYE ends by July 1, 2028. We model total cost on a $78K loan at $64K income across IBR at 10% and 15%, standard repayment, and a 1.94% or 5.5% refinance, including the auto pay discount, the $2,500 interest deduction, and the tax bomb.
Read more →IBR vs PAYE on a $95K Loan: Does the 20-Year vs 25-Year Forgiveness Clock Cost You $30,000?
On loans that mix undergrad and grad school debt, IBR and PAYE can produce the exact same monthly payment but wildly different total costs — because one forgives at 20 years and the other at 25. Here's the math on a $95,000 balance.
Read more →Should You Consolidate $80K in Perkins, FFEL Stafford, and Grad PLUS Loans? Total Cost on IBR vs Standard vs Refinancing
A worked $80K example shows how loan type decides PSLF eligibility, and how IBR, standard repayment, and refinancing land $9,000 to $73,000 apart. Run the math before you consolidate, because refinancing can't be undone.
Read more →Student Loan Forgiveness on an $85K IBR Balance: What a Credit Report Error or Servicer Delay Actually Costs You
On an $85K balance at $60K income, IBR forgiveness, PSLF, and standard repayment land $40K+ apart in total cost. Here's the math, plus how to audit your records after a lawsuit alleging $4.6B in cancelled loans still on credit reports.
Read more →Refinance at 3.65% vs IBR vs Standard Repayment: Total Cost on an $85K Loan at $70K Income
A 3.65% refinance quote looks great, but the cheapest path on an $85K loan depends on your income, employer, and forgiveness eligibility. See the total-cost math for standard, refinance, IBR, and IBR with PSLF, plus what a 4.35% CD does to extra payments.
Read more →Refinance at 1.94% Variable or 5.5% Fixed vs Stay on IBR: Total Cost on a $90K Student Loan
A $90K federal loan modeled three ways: a 1.94% variable refi, a 5.5% fixed refi, and staying on IBR at $70K, $45K, and nonprofit income. The cheapest option flips depending on your income and employer.
Read more →Should You Consolidate $84K in Stafford, Grad PLUS, and Perkins Loans? IBR Total Cost With and Without PSLF
Consolidating a mixed $84K Stafford, Grad PLUS, and Perkins portfolio can save $75,000 on PSLF or add a $26,000 tax bill without it. Here's the total-cost math for each path.
Read more →Refinance at 5.75% Variable or 6.25% Fixed vs IBR: Total Cost on a $92K Loan After the Fed's September 2026 Rate Hike
The Fed's September 2026 quarter-point hike changes the refinance math on a $92,000 student loan — here's how fixed, variable, and IBR total costs actually compare when you run the numbers.
Read more →PSLF on a $103K Nonprofit Loan: Does Side-Gig Income Change Your IBR Payment in 2026?
A worked example shows how freelance and 1099 income get added to your AGI and raise your IBR payment on the road to PSLF — and why the total-cost math still favors forgiveness over standard repayment on a $103K nonprofit loan.
Read more →RAP vs IBR for Married Couples: Total Cost on $105K in Combined Student Loans When Filing Jointly vs Separately
Married borrowers with $105K in combined student loans often assume filing separately lowers their IDR payment — but RAP and legacy IBR treat spousal income very differently, and the tax trade-off can erase the savings.
Read more →Refinance at 3.65% or Stay on RAP: Total Cost for Married Borrowers With $150K in Combined Student Loans
When both spouses have student loans, RAP bills the household once based on joint income — not twice based on loan balance. Here's the worked math on refinancing at 3.65% versus staying on RAP for a couple with $150K combined debt and one nonprofit job.
Read more →Refinance at 1.94% vs PAYE vs IBR: Total Cost on an $80K Student Loan in 2026
With refinance rates as low as 1.94% and national student debt at $1.86 trillion, we run the total-cost math on an $80K loan across PAYE, IBR, standard repayment, and refinancing — and show how income, PSLF eligibility, and the tax bomb flip the winning answer.
Read more →IBR vs PAYE vs Standard Repayment on an $80K Student Loan: What the SIMPLE Act's 'Lowest Payment' Rule Could Cost You
A new bill would auto-enroll delinquent borrowers into whatever IDR plan has the lowest current monthly payment — but on an $80K loan, the 'lowest payment' plan can cost $77,000 more over the life of the loan than just paying it off on schedule.
Read more →Refinance Fixed at 6.49% or Variable at 5.35% vs Staying on IBR: Total Cost on a $95K Loan With No PSLF
A $95K loan at $72K income with no PSLF eligibility: here's the exact math comparing a 6.49% fixed refinance, a 5.35% variable refinance, and staying on federal IBR — including the tax bomb IDR doesn't warn you about.
Read more →Refinance at 3.65% or Stay on PAYE: Total Cost on a $92K Grad School Loan With No PSLF
A $92,000 grad school borrower with no PSLF eligibility compares today's 3.65% refinance rate against PAYE, IBR, and ICR — modeling negative amortization, the tax bomb, and total cost to find the cheapest path.
Read more →Should You Consolidate Your $81K Student Loans in 2026? What It Does to Your PSLF Clock on IBR vs RAP
Consolidating federal student loans in 2026 can wipe out years of PSLF and IDR progress — see the exact math on an $81K nonprofit worker's loan comparing consolidation, IBR, and the new RAP plan.
Read more →Refinance at 5.65% Fixed vs Stay on IBR for PSLF: Total Cost on a $98K Nonprofit Loan After the July 2026 Rule Change
A federal judge just struck down the PSLF employer rule and SAVE is winding down — here's the actual dollar math on refinancing a $98K nonprofit loan at 5.65% versus staying federal for forgiveness.
Read more →Refinance at 5.49% Fixed or 3.67% Variable vs IBR: Total Cost on $88K in Grad Loans at $65K Income in 2026
If you have $88K in grad school loans at 8.05% and no path to PSLF, should you refinance at 5.49% fixed, gamble on 3.67% variable, or stay on IBR for 20 years? We model all three with full lifetime dollar costs.
Read more →Private Refi vs IBR vs Standard Repayment on $112K in Grad School Loans: Total Cost Math at $68K Income (No PSLF)
If PSLF isn't on the table, IBR's low $371 monthly payment can cost you $34K more than private refinancing over 20 years. Here's the full total cost math on a $112K grad school loan at $68K income — before the new OBBBA borrowing caps reshape what's even available.
Read more →Refinance at 5.49% Fixed or Stay on IBR: Total Cost on a $95K Grad School Loan When PSLF Isn't an Option
For grad school borrowers without PSLF eligibility, refinancing can save over $49,000 compared to 25-year IBR — but the math flips completely if your employer ever qualifies. Here's the full cost model.
Read more →PAYE vs IBR vs Standard Repayment on $78K in Student Loans: What Each Plan Actually Costs at $56K Income
Choosing between PAYE, IBR, and Standard repayment on $78K in student loans at $56K income isn't a monthly payment decision — it's a $40,000+ lifetime cost decision. Here's the full math on every plan available to you in 2026.
Read more →Refinance at 3.67% Variable vs. 5.49% Fixed vs. IBR: Which Costs Less on $92K With No PSLF Eligibility?
For private sector borrowers with $92K in federal loans and no PSLF eligibility, the difference between staying on IBR and refinancing to today's lowest rates can exceed $150,000 in total repayment cost. Here's the math.
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