IDR Plan Comparison
Compare estimates for RAP, IBR, PAYE, and ICR to find your lowest monthly payment.
Your Details
From your last tax return (Line 11 on 1040).
Poverty guidelines are higher in AK/HI.
Standard 10-Year Payment
This is the "Cap" for PAYE/IBR.
RAP
Replaces SAVE. Unpaid interest is waived; payment is not capped.
PAYE
Closed to new enrollment; sunsets July 1, 2028. Payment is capped.
IBR (New Borrower)
Stays available. Payment capped at the 10-year standard amount.
ICR
Sunsets July 1, 2028. Mainly for Parent PLUS consolidations.
(sends these numbers to Ask; we don't keep them)
Methodology
Estimates use the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines: $15,960 for a household of one in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., plus $5,680 for each additional person (higher in Alaska and Hawaii). Source: HHS ASPE (January 2026 guidelines). Assumes all loans are graduate "Direct" loans. RAP treats everyone in your household other than you as a dependent and does not model its $50 principal match. Actual payments determined by your loan servicer.
Clinical Context & Calculation Details
How to Use This Calculator
Input your current loan balance, interest rate, adjusted gross income (AGI), and family size. The tool will calculate your estimated monthly payments under different Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans.
Compare the monthly payment and the interest each plan leaves unpaid under RAP, IBR, PAYE, and ICR.
Why Doctors Need This
For physicians with high debt-to-income ratios, choosing the wrong IDR plan can be a six-figure mistake. Some plans offer better interest subsidies, while others have more favorable payment caps or shorter forgiveness timelines.
SAVE is gone, RAP replaces it, and PAYE and ICR sunset on July 1, 2028. Residents and fellows choosing a plan now are choosing between RAP and IBR.
The Math Behind It
Discretionary Income: IBR, PAYE, and ICR take a percentage (10% to 20%) of your income above a multiple of the HHS poverty guideline for your family size and state: 150% for IBR and PAYE, 100% for ICR. Sources: StudentAid.gov on discretionary income and IDR plan rates (checked Sept. 27, 2026).
RAP: Uses your whole AGI, not discretionary income: 1% to 10% by $10,000 bracket, minus $50 a month per dependent, with a $10 minimum. Unpaid interest is waived, and there is no cap. See our IBR vs. RAP guide.
Pearls & Pitfalls
- Pearl: If you are planning on PSLF, the plan that gives you the *lowest* monthly payment is usually the best, as it maximizes the amount eventually forgiven.
- Pitfall: Forgoing the "Standard Repayment Plan" cap. Some IDR plans like PAYE cap your payment at what it would have been under a standard 10-year plan; others do not.
- Pearl: Recertify your income early if your salary dropped (e.g., transitioning from attending back to fellowship), but delay it as long as possible if your salary jumped significantly.
Worked Example
The calculator's default inputs: a single resident with $65,000 of AGI, a household of one in the lower 48 states, and $300,000 of loans at 6.5%.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 10-year payment | $300,000 at 6.5% over 120 months | $3,406/mo |
| Monthly interest | $300,000 × 6.5% ÷ 12 | $1,625/mo |
| Poverty guideline | Household of 1, 48 contiguous states (2026) | $15,960 |
| RAP | $65,000 × 6% ÷ 12 | $325/mo |
| RAP unpaid interest waived | $1,625 − $325 | $1,300/mo |
| IBR (new borrower) and PAYE | 10% × ($65,000 − 150% × $15,960) ÷ 12 | $342/mo |
| ICR | 20% × ($65,000 − $15,960) ÷ 12 | $817/mo |
At resident income, RAP ($325) and IBR ($342) are close, and RAP waives the $1,300 of interest a month the payment does not cover. With the same loans and $250,000 of attending AGI, RAP rises to $2,083 a month and IBR to $1,884, both under the $3,406 standard payment. ICR shows $3,901, more than the standard payment, because the calculator uses only ICR's 20% formula; the real ICR payment is the lesser of that and a 12-year income-adjusted amount, so it would be lower.
Assumptions & Sources
- 2026 HHS poverty guidelines: $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., plus $5,680 per additional person; Alaska $19,950 and Hawaii $18,360 for one person: HHS ASPE.
- RAP: 1% to 10% of AGI by $10,000 bracket, minus $50 a month for each household member other than you (the calculator treats them all as dependents), $10 minimum, no cap. The $50 principal match is not modeled.
- IBR uses the new-borrower terms (10% of income above 150% of the poverty guideline, capped at the standard payment). Borrowers with loans from before July 1, 2014 pay 15% under the original IBR. PAYE uses the same formula; it is closed to new enrollment.
- ICR is 20% of income above 100% of the poverty guideline. The 12-year alternative, which caps ICR at higher incomes, is not modeled.
- One balance and one average rate for all loans, the standard payment over 10 years, and AGI as reported on your last return. Spousal income rules, tax filing status and forgiveness timelines are not modeled.
Estimates only; your servicer sets the actual payment.
Related Clinical Finance Tools
About the Author
Joshua Dunigan, DO | Family Medicine Resident & Founder
I'm a family medicine resident physician in Des Moines, Iowa (class of 2027). I founded MedMoneyGuide to give physicians specialty-specific financial guidance, with sources you can check.