What Happened to SAVE
On March 10, 2026, a court order ended the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. Borrowers who enrolled in SAVE, or who applied for it, must now choose a different repayment plan. Federal Student Aid and loan servicers sent notices to affected borrowers between July and September 2026, asking them to choose a new plan within 90 days of the notice.
The fastest way to compare and switch plans is the Repayment Calculator in your StudentAid.gov account. If you have not chosen a plan, you should receive a final notice before you are moved.
If You Don't Choose a Plan
Borrowers enrolled in SAVE who don't choose a new plan will be placed automatically in either the Standard Repayment Plan or the new Tiered Standard Plan, depending on when their loans were disbursed. Borrowers with a pending SAVE application may be moved back to the plan they were in before they applied.
Plans Open Now
The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and the Tiered Standard Plan became available on July 1, 2026. Under the current rules (34 CFR 685.209), any Direct Loan borrower with eligible loans can use RAP or IBR. PAYE and ICR stay open only to limited groups, mostly borrowers already enrolled on July 1, 2024, and both end June 30, 2028. Compare the income-driven plans.
If you work in public service, the 10-year Standard plan, RAP, and the income-driven plans all count toward PSLF (34 CFR 685.219(b)).
Sources: Federal Student Aid servicer notice "End of the SAVE Plan" (MOHELA, StudentAid.gov) and 34 CFR 685.209 and 685.219, checked October 28, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm on the SAVE plan. What do I need to do?
A court order ended the SAVE plan in March 2026, so you must choose a new repayment plan. Log in to StudentAid.gov and use the Repayment Calculator to compare plans and apply.
What happens if I don't choose a new plan?
Borrowers enrolled in SAVE who don't choose a new plan will be placed automatically in either the Standard Repayment Plan or the Tiered Standard Plan, depending on when their loans were disbursed. Borrowers with a pending SAVE application may be moved back to the plan they were in before they applied.
Which plans can I choose instead?
Most Direct Loan borrowers can choose the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) or Income-Based Repayment (IBR), both income-driven, or a standard plan. PAYE and ICR are open only to limited groups through June 30, 2028. See the IDR forgiveness guide for the rules of each plan.
Check your bankruptcy discharge eligibility with our free screening tool.
Free Discharge Screener