StudentLoan.help: federal repayment plan calculator

Estimates each federal repayment plan on the borrower's own numbers (RAP, IBR, 10-year Standard, Tiered Standard under the 2026 rules): first monthly payment, total paid, years to payoff or forgiveness, amount forgiven, which plans are open given loan dates, the cheapest plan, PSLF timing for government or 501(c)(3) workers, and Parent PLUS options. Same math as the studentloan.help calculator. Estimates only.

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "loans": {
      "type": "array",
      "minItems": 1,
      "maxItems": 20,
      "description": "Each loan: type, balance in dollars and annual interest rate in percent, e.g. [{\"type\":\"direct\",\"balance\":38000,\"rate_pct\":6.39}]. Direct includes Grad PLUS and Direct Consolidation loans.",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "type": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "direct",
              "ffel",
              "parent_plus",
              "private"
            ],
            "description": "direct, ffel (FFEL or Perkins), parent_plus (or a consolidation of one), or private."
          },
          "balance": {
            "type": "number",
            "minimum": 0,
            "maximum": 5000000,
            "description": "Current balance in dollars."
          },
          "rate_pct": {
            "type": "number",
            "minimum": 0,
            "maximum": 25,
            "description": "Annual interest rate in percent, e.g. 6.39."
          }
        },
        "required": [
          "type",
          "balance",
          "rate_pct"
        ],
        "additionalProperties": false
      }
    },
    "agi": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 10000000,
      "description": "Borrower's adjusted gross income in dollars per year."
    },
    "loan_dates": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "owed_before_2014_07_01",
        "first_loan_2014_to_2026",
        "loan_on_or_after_2026_07_01"
      ],
      "default": "first_loan_2014_to_2026",
      "description": "owed_before_2014_07_01 (IBR at 15%), first_loan_2014_to_2026 (IBR at 10%), or loan_on_or_after_2026_07_01 (only RAP and Tiered Standard)."
    },
    "filing_status": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "single",
        "married_joint",
        "married_separate"
      ],
      "default": "single",
      "description": "single (or head of household), married_joint or married_separate."
    },
    "spouse_agi": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 10000000,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Spouse's AGI in dollars; counted only when married_joint."
    },
    "spouse_federal_loan_balance": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 5000000,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Spouse's federal loan balance; prorates the payment when married_joint."
    },
    "household_size": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 1,
      "description": "Household size (borrower, spouse, dependents); sets the poverty line for IBR."
    },
    "dependents": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Dependents claimed; RAP subtracts $50 a month for each."
    },
    "region": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "contiguous_48_or_dc",
        "alaska",
        "hawaii"
      ],
      "default": "contiguous_48_or_dc",
      "description": "Poverty guideline region: contiguous_48_or_dc, alaska or hawaii."
    },
    "employer": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "for_profit",
        "government",
        "nonprofit_501c3",
        "nonprofit_other"
      ],
      "default": "for_profit",
      "description": "for_profit (or self-employed), government, nonprofit_501c3 or nonprofit_other. Government and 501(c)(3) add the PSLF projection."
    },
    "pslf_payments_made": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 120,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "PSLF qualifying payments already counted, 0 to 120."
    },
    "full_time": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": true,
      "description": "Works at least 30 hours a week for a qualifying employer (needed for PSLF)."
    },
    "income_growth_pct": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 3,
      "description": "Assumed yearly income growth in percent (calculator default 3)."
    },
    "poverty_growth_pct": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 2.5,
      "description": "Assumed yearly poverty guideline growth in percent (calculator default 2.5)."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "loans",
    "agi"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false
}

Given an APR and term a lender has offered, returns the refinanced monthly payment and total, compares it with the cheapest federal plan (or with PSLF, which refinancing would end), and lists the federal protections lost. Same math as the studentloan.help calculator. It shows no lender rates of its own.

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "loans": {
      "type": "array",
      "minItems": 1,
      "maxItems": 20,
      "description": "Each loan: type, balance in dollars and annual interest rate in percent, e.g. [{\"type\":\"direct\",\"balance\":38000,\"rate_pct\":6.39}]. Direct includes Grad PLUS and Direct Consolidation loans.",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "type": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "direct",
              "ffel",
              "parent_plus",
              "private"
            ],
            "description": "direct, ffel (FFEL or Perkins), parent_plus (or a consolidation of one), or private."
          },
          "balance": {
            "type": "number",
            "minimum": 0,
            "maximum": 5000000,
            "description": "Current balance in dollars."
          },
          "rate_pct": {
            "type": "number",
            "minimum": 0,
            "maximum": 25,
            "description": "Annual interest rate in percent, e.g. 6.39."
          }
        },
        "required": [
          "type",
          "balance",
          "rate_pct"
        ],
        "additionalProperties": false
      }
    },
    "agi": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 10000000,
      "description": "Borrower's adjusted gross income in dollars per year."
    },
    "loan_dates": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "owed_before_2014_07_01",
        "first_loan_2014_to_2026",
        "loan_on_or_after_2026_07_01"
      ],
      "default": "first_loan_2014_to_2026",
      "description": "owed_before_2014_07_01 (IBR at 15%), first_loan_2014_to_2026 (IBR at 10%), or loan_on_or_after_2026_07_01 (only RAP and Tiered Standard)."
    },
    "filing_status": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "single",
        "married_joint",
        "married_separate"
      ],
      "default": "single",
      "description": "single (or head of household), married_joint or married_separate."
    },
    "spouse_agi": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 10000000,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Spouse's AGI in dollars; counted only when married_joint."
    },
    "spouse_federal_loan_balance": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 5000000,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Spouse's federal loan balance; prorates the payment when married_joint."
    },
    "household_size": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 1,
      "description": "Household size (borrower, spouse, dependents); sets the poverty line for IBR."
    },
    "dependents": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "Dependents claimed; RAP subtracts $50 a month for each."
    },
    "region": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "contiguous_48_or_dc",
        "alaska",
        "hawaii"
      ],
      "default": "contiguous_48_or_dc",
      "description": "Poverty guideline region: contiguous_48_or_dc, alaska or hawaii."
    },
    "employer": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "for_profit",
        "government",
        "nonprofit_501c3",
        "nonprofit_other"
      ],
      "default": "for_profit",
      "description": "for_profit (or self-employed), government, nonprofit_501c3 or nonprofit_other. Government and 501(c)(3) add the PSLF projection."
    },
    "pslf_payments_made": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 120,
      "default": 0,
      "description": "PSLF qualifying payments already counted, 0 to 120."
    },
    "full_time": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": true,
      "description": "Works at least 30 hours a week for a qualifying employer (needed for PSLF)."
    },
    "income_growth_pct": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 3,
      "description": "Assumed yearly income growth in percent (calculator default 3)."
    },
    "poverty_growth_pct": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 20,
      "default": 2.5,
      "description": "Assumed yearly poverty guideline growth in percent (calculator default 2.5)."
    },
    "offered_apr_pct": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0.01,
      "maximum": 30,
      "description": "APR the lender actually offered, in percent, e.g. 5.5."
    },
    "term_years": {
      "type": "integer",
      "enum": [
        5,
        7,
        10,
        15,
        20
      ],
      "default": 10,
      "description": "Refinance term in years: 5, 7, 10, 15 or 20."
    },
    "refinance": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "everything",
        "private_only"
      ],
      "default": "everything",
      "description": "everything (federal and private) or private_only."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "loans",
    "agi",
    "offered_apr_pct"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false
}

The published rules behind each federal student loan plan as studentloan.help states them: RAP, IBR, Standard, Tiered Standard, PSLF, Parent PLUS, the end of SAVE and the 2026 poverty guidelines. Returns the formulas, dates and limits with the statute or regulation and a page link. Omit topic for the list of topics.

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "rap",
        "ibr",
        "standard",
        "tiered_standard",
        "pslf",
        "parent_plus",
        "save_ending",
        "poverty_guidelines"
      ],
      "description": "One of: rap, ibr, standard, tiered_standard, pslf, parent_plus, save_ending, poverty_guidelines. Omit for a one-line summary of each."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}