Student Loans & Education

Student loan repayment, IDR plan comparison, PSLF, 529 plan, and college cost calculators.

S

Student Loan IDR Comparison — IBR vs PAYE vs ICR Plans

Compare all Income-Driven Repayment plans side by side: IBR, PAYE, REPAYE, and ICR. See monthly payments, total cost, and forgiveness. Free, instant results.
S

Student Loan Refinance Calculator

Compare current student loans vs refinanced terms. See monthly savings, total interest savings, and break-even point.
P

PSLF Calculator (Public Service Loan Forgiveness)

Track progress toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. See payments remaining, forgiveness amount, and total cost.
5

529 Plan Calculator

Project 529 college savings growth. See if you are on track to cover tuition with inflation-adjusted costs.
C

College Cost Calculator

Project total 4-year college costs with tuition inflation. See in-state, out-of-state, and private comparisons.
C

College Comparison Calculator

Compare net cost of two colleges side by side. See 4-year total after financial aid.
S

Student Budget Calculator

Plan your college budget with income sources and expense categories. See monthly surplus or gap.
C

College Savings Calculator

Calculate monthly savings needed for college with tuition inflation. See 529 plan benefits.
S

Student Loan Affordability Calculator

Check if your student debt is affordable relative to expected salary. Uses the 8% rule.
S

Student Loan Interest Calculator

See how much of your payment goes to interest vs principal each month.
S

Student Loan Payoff Calculator

Calculate payoff date and total interest from balance, rate, and monthly payment.
G

Graduate School ROI Calculator

Calculate break-even years and lifetime ROI from graduate degree cost and salary increase.

About Student Loans & Education Calculators

These tools put real numbers behind decisions that Department of Education and IRS rules make hard to read by eye. They matter most at three moments: before you borrow, when repayment starts, and any time a policy change forces you to re-pick a plan.

The Student Loan IDR Comparison tool models how IBR, PAYE, and ICR each set a monthly bill from your income and family size, which is the live question in 2026 as SAVE sits in forbearance and the new Repayment Assistance Plan phases in. The PSLF Calculator tracks progress toward the 120 qualifying payments that erase a remaining Direct Loan balance tax-free for public-service workers. The Student Loan Refinance Calculator shows the rate-versus-protection tradeoff before you move federal debt to a private lender and forfeit forgiveness for good.

On the planning side, the 529 Plan and College Cost calculators project tuition inflation against tax-advantaged savings, while the Graduate School ROI Calculator weighs a degree's price against the earnings bump it actually buys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I refinance my federal student loans to get a lower interest rate?
Refinancing federal loans with a private lender is permanent and irreversible: you give up PSLF, all income-driven repayment plans, and death and disability discharge in exchange for the new rate. It can make sense if you have stable income, strong credit, and no intention of pursuing forgiveness. If there is any chance you will need federal protections, run the Refinance Calculator against your current plan before signing anything.
Which income-driven repayment plan should I use in 2026?
After a 2024 court order, the Department of Education's SAVE plan is closed to new enrollment and existing borrowers sit in forbearance, so the practical choices are IBR, PAYE, and ICR. IBR is the only legacy plan still accepting new enrollees, while PAYE and ICR are scheduled to sunset in 2028, and a new Repayment Assistance Plan is rolling out. Each plan sets your payment from a different share of income, so compare them on your actual numbers rather than the headline percentages.
What does it take to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness?
PSLF cancels your remaining Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full time for a government or eligible nonprofit employer. The payments do not have to be consecutive, but only Direct Loans count, so FFEL and Perkins balances must first be consolidated. Forgiveness under PSLF is not taxed at the federal level, which sets it apart from other discharge programs.
Is money withdrawn from a 529 plan really tax-free?
Earnings grow tax-deferred and come out free of federal tax when spent on qualified expenses such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board at an eligible school. As of January 1, 2026, the annual cap on tax-free K-12 tuition withdrawals rose to $20,000 per student under federal law. State treatment varies, so confirm whether your state conforms before claiming a deduction or taking an expanded withdrawal.
Can I move leftover 529 money into a retirement account?
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, unused 529 funds can be rolled into a Roth IRA in the beneficiary's name, up to a $35,000 lifetime limit. The account must have been open at least 15 years, the specific funds must be seasoned at least five years, and each year's rollover counts against the beneficiary's annual Roth contribution limit and requires earned income. Some states do not treat these rollovers as qualified, which can trigger recapture of prior state deductions.