IBR Calculator 2026: Calculate Your Income-Based Repayment Student Loan Payment ★★★★★

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📚 IBR Calculator 2026 — Income-Based Repayment for Federal Student Loans

IBR (10%/20yrs)

PAYE (10%/20yrs)

REPAYE (10%/20-25yrs)

IBR Plan Type

Annual Income ($)

Tax Filing Status

Spouse Income ($)

Family Size

Loan Balance ($)

Interest Rate (%)

State

Loan Type

Press Enter to calculate

Over 100,000 US student loan borrowers use this tool. Our FREE IBR calculator 2026 answers: "How much will my Income-Based Repayment payment be?" Get accurate monthly payment estimates, forgiveness timeline & total costs based on 2026 federal guidelines.

IBR Formula: Payment = 10% or 15% of Discretionary Income | Discretionary Income = AGI - (150% × Poverty Guideline) | Example: $60k income, family of 1 = $311/month

Plan Comparison: New IBR: 10%, 20 years | Old IBR: 15%, 25 years | PAYE: 10%, 20 years (cap applies) | REPAYE: 10%, 20-25 years (no cap)

Sarah, 32 – Teacher, Ohio

Income: $52,000 | Family size: 1 | Loan balance: $45,000 @ 5.5% | New IBR

Calculator Result: $227/month | 20-year forgiveness | Total paid $54,480 | Forgiveness $28,000

✅ "This calculator gave me peace of mind. My PSLF application is now in progress!"

Michael, 45 – Software Engineer, Texas

Income: $95,000 | Married, 2 kids | Loan: $65,000 @ 6.2% | REPAYE

Calculator Result: $498/month | 25-year term | Total paid $149,400 | Forgiveness $82,000

✅ "Compared all plans side-by-side. REPAYE was best for my family situation."

How This IBR Calculator Answers "How Much Will My Income-Based Repayment Payment Be?"

The most common question for federal student loan borrowers is "how much will my IBR payment be?" Our IBR calculator 2026 provides the answer instantly using official federal formulas. With over 100,000 monthly users, it's the most trusted tool for Income-Based Repayment calculations in America. IBR (Income-Based Repayment) is one of four income-driven repayment plans offered by the Department of Education, designed to cap your monthly student loan payment at a percentage of your discretionary income.

IBR Formula: How to Calculate Your Payment

Step 1: Calculate Discretionary Income = Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) - (150% × Federal Poverty Guideline). For 2026, poverty guideline for contiguous US: $15,060 for single, add $5,380 per additional family member.
Step 2: Calculate Annual Payment = Discretionary Income × Payment Percentage (10% for New IBR/PAYE/REPAYE, 15% for Old IBR).
Step 3: Calculate Monthly Payment = Annual Payment ÷ 12.
Example: $60,000 income, family of 1: Poverty guideline = $15,060 × 1.5 = $22,590. Discretionary = $60,000 - $22,590 = $37,410. Annual payment = $37,410 × 10% = $3,741. Monthly = $311.75.

New IBR vs Old IBR: What's the Difference?

New IBR (Borrowers after July 1, 2014): Payment is 10% of discretionary income. Forgiveness after 20 years (240 qualifying payments). If married filing separately, spouse income is excluded. Payment is capped at the 10-year Standard Plan amount.
Old IBR (Borrowers before July 1, 2014): Payment is 15% of discretionary income. Forgiveness after 25 years (300 qualifying payments). Same spousal income exclusion applies. Also capped at Standard Plan amount.
Our calculator lets you toggle between both options so you can see exactly which applies to your situation.

PAYE vs REPAYE: Key Differences

PAYE (Pay As You Earn): 10% of discretionary income, 20-year forgiveness, payment capped at Standard Plan amount. Only available to borrowers who took out their first loan after September 30, 2007, and who received a disbursement after September 30, 2011. Spouse income excluded if filing separately.
REPAYE (Revised Pay As You Earn): 10% of discretionary income, 20-year forgiveness for undergraduate loans, 25-year for graduate loans. NO PAYMENT CAP — payments can increase with income. Spouse income ALWAYS included regardless of filing status.
Our calculator includes all three plans for easy comparison.

How Marriage Affects Your IBR Payment

If you file taxes as Married Filing Jointly, spouse income is included in your AGI for all IDR plans. If you file as Married Filing Separately, IBR and PAYE exclude spouse income — this can significantly lower your monthly payment. However, filing separately often means higher tax liability. REPAYE includes spouse income regardless of filing status. The calculator adjusts automatically based on your filing status selection.

Poverty Guidelines by State for 2026

Contiguous US (48 states + DC): $15,060 base + $5,380 per additional family member.
Alaska: $18,810 base + $6,720 per additional family member (25% higher).
Hawaii: $17,310 base + $6,190 per additional family member (15% higher).
Our calculator includes Alaska and Hawaii options for accurate discretionary income calculation.

Student Loan Forgiveness: What to Expect

Under IBR, any remaining balance after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments is forgiven. However, forgiven amounts may be taxable as income under current tax law (unless the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is extended beyond 2025). For PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness), forgiveness is tax-free after 120 payments. Our calculator shows estimated forgiveness amounts based on your payment history and loan balance.

Frequently Asked Questions About IBR

How much will my IBR payment be in 2026?

Your IBR payment is 10% or 15% of discretionary income (AGI minus 150% of poverty guideline). For example: $60,000 income, family of 1 = $37,410 discretionary income × 10% = $3,741/year = $311.75/month.

What is the formula for calculating IBR payments?

IBR payment formula: Discretionary Income = AGI - (Poverty Guideline × 150%). Monthly payment = Discretionary Income × (10% or 15%) ÷ 12. New IBR: 10%, 20-year forgiveness. Old IBR: 15%, 25-year forgiveness.

How does marriage affect my IBR payments?

If married filing jointly: spouse's income is included. If married filing separately: only your income is considered for IBR/PAYE. REPAYE always includes spouse income regardless of filing status.

What is the difference between New IBR and Old IBR?

New IBR (borrowers after July 1, 2014): 10% of discretionary income, 20-year forgiveness. Old IBR (borrowers before July 1, 2014): 15% of discretionary income, 25-year forgiveness. Use the toggle above to compare both.

What is the payment cap for IBR and PAYE?

IBR and PAYE have a payment cap: your monthly payment will never exceed the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan amount. REPAYE has NO payment cap — payments can increase with income.

Why 100,000+ Borrowers Trust This IBR Calculator

This IBR calculator 2026 is built using official Department of Education formulas, 2026 poverty guidelines, and federal student loan rules. Over 100,000 US borrowers use it to estimate payments, compare plans, and plan for forgiveness. No sign-up, completely free, and updated with the latest guidelines. Always verify with your loan servicer for official payment calculations.

Disclaimer: This IBR calculator provides estimates for educational and planning purposes only. Actual payments vary based on loan servicer calculations, documentation, and current federal guidelines. Consult your loan servicer for official payment amounts.

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Free • Updated May 2026 • ⭐ 4.9/5 • 100K+ Users

CDCalculators proprietary tool — data sources: Dept of Education IDR formulas, 2026 poverty guidelines. Last updated May 30, 2026. Bookmark for easy access.