Borrowing and repayment, in one place.

Before you borrow

How much debt a degree can reasonably carry, and who should hold it. What federal loans offer that private ones don’t. Whether a parent should borrow on a student’s behalf. And what repayment actually looks like, while it’s still a decision and not a surprise.

At repayment

The rules changed this year, and which side of the line a borrower falls on is permanent. Federal loans taken on or after July 1, 2026 may be repaid under only two plans: the new Repayment Assistance Plan or a Tiered Standard schedule. Loans taken before that date keep the older options, though not unconditionally, and ICR and PAYE are closing.

If you already have federal loans, borrowing again can change the repayment options on the loans you already hold. That includes a parent taking a second Parent PLUS loan for another child, and it includes consolidating. Worth a conversation before you sign.

From there the work is comparative. We look at which plan costs less over the life of the loan, not which has the lowest monthly payment. We weigh whether consolidation helps or quietly resets something worth keeping, and whether refinancing is sound given the protections it gives up. Payments also have to fit alongside 529 withdrawals and everything else claiming the same dollars.

Public service work changes the answer. For loans taken on or after July 1, 2026, only the Repayment Assistance Plan counts toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness, so for a student heading into that work the plan choice can decide whether forgiveness is available at all.

We do not originate, broker, or sell loans, and we are not compensated by any lender.