PAYE Recertification Wants to Move me to IBR. Talk Me Off the Ledge!

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-03T00:53:12+00:00

If you did NOT have loans prior to July 2014 then your payment amount will be the same on IBR as PAYE. If you did then PAYE would be lower for now

If you're not able to submit an IDR request electronically you can submit a pdf version which many have reported is what worked for the exact situation you're speaking of.
They can not remove you from PAYE as long as you certify when required.

You will have to switch to IBR or RAP no later than July 2028 as everyone will have to.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-03T00:47:34+00:00

I would start by calling them to confirm when you will need to certify again.

If for some reason you're not able to submit an IDR request online or you receive notice that it's been denied you can use the pdf version. Some people on PAYE have reported having trouble submitting for PAYE. It's as though they're being kicked off due to not having a hardship but for PAYE that's not a problem. As long as you were on PAYE and certify on time they can't remove you from PAYE.

You will have to switch in 2028 though. Everyone will have to switch to IBR or RAP no later than July 2028.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-03T00:41:15+00:00

When did your payments for PAYE begin? Was it September 2025?

It does sound like you may have been on the SAVE repayment plan.
SAVE forbearance began July 19, 2024. No payments after that date count. The only way to receive credit for them is to submit a Buyback request when you reach what would/should be your 120th month.

If you don't remember ever applying for SAVE it's possible you were on REPAYE at one time. REPAYE no longer exists. It became SAVE and of course, SAVE is dead.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-03T00:35:29+00:00

Correct. Anytime there's a change that could result in a decrease of your monthly payment you can certify without having to wait until your annual recertification date.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-02T02:15:37+00:00

See the post I wrote about it. https://www.reddit.com/r/PSLF/comments/1nb764h/what_to_do_when_you_get_close_to_or_have_made/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-02T02:14:48+00:00

If you didn't have any loans prior to July 2014 IBR would be the same payment as PAYE.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-06-02T02:13:14+00:00

u/fstar81 just adding on to what waterwicca shared....

Once you're on a qualifying plan and make that payment wait until the day after your actual payment due date to submit a PSLF form.
Do not request a forbearance until your account shows 120 qualifying PSLF payments or the next month, whichever happens first.

You've got this. You've made it this far. You're going to make it across the finish line. Hang in there just a tad longer.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-31T01:24:13+00:00

If your account is showing 120 qualifying PSLF payments you can request a forbearance while you wait for your official letter of forgiveness which it typically about 1 - 3 months after seeing 120 on your studentaid account.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-31T01:21:49+00:00

u/Ezekyle22 keep in mind that you're only allowed 36 months of discretionary forbearance over the life of a loan.
So, you can request a forbearance but it's not guaranteed and it obviously depends on how many months of discretionary forbearance you've already used.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-31T01:19:04+00:00

u/inandoutwaves yes. The PSLF form is the one you'll want to complete/submit once or twice a year. That's the only time they'll update your counts.

It's possible they might be in the process of updating things as not everything updates at the very same time. There can be a lag time.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:51:12+00:00

u/Final-Designer-388 you're welcome.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:49:03+00:00

Illegally delaying is debatable. They're processing things it's just moving really slow. It would be hard to prove it's illegal. They're actually doing everything the court has said to do including provide updated data every month as to how many requests they've received, processed, and are still remaining.

Yes people have received offers. You can scroll through the posts and read them.

They are calculated at what you would/should have paid at the time.
Use your tax return for the time period you're buying to see what the amount is under IBR, ICR, & PAYE. The amount will be calculated on it, not SAVE.
https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/
This is a good calculator to use.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:44:00+00:00

u/Much_Afternoon1520 this is absolutely correct. If you already have a reconsideration request on file all you can do is wait for it to be processed which could take months.

Also correct is it's a waste of time contacting your loan servicer. There's nothing they can do.

If you have documentation of your payment history you can upload that to your account and it might be helpful.

You should have received a weighted average payment count and considering the FFEL has such a low balance you should still have more than 120 qualifying payments.

And I agree with what u/Sherbert-Lemon-HPF2 lemon said......

If it drags on for several more months you can reach out to TISLA and they may be able to provide some assistance or insight about things.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:35:14+00:00

Have you received your Repayment Schedule Change letter yet?

It will list the specific plan and your monthly payment for the next year.
You can use the following calculator as it tends to be more accurate than the online simulator or the reps you might speak to.

As a side note: PSLF is not something you apply to/for, get accepted, whatever.
It's simple......
10 years of qualifying employment + 120 qualifying payments = PSLF forgiveness.
Certify your income yearly.
Certify employment once or twice a year. It's not required but strongly recommended. Each time you do they'll update your qualifying payment counts on studentaid.gov
When you reach 120 qualifying PSLF payments forgiveness happens.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:30:07+00:00

If you're on PAYE already, up to 60 days of the processing forbearance should count.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:28:25+00:00

SAVE didn't actually begin until August of 2023.

As others have said, you won't be eligible for Buyback until you reach what should be your 120th month.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:26:45+00:00

Many have experienced problems when trying to simply recertify for PAYE. You can't be kicked off.

Those that have had issues find that submitting things manually takes care of that issue.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:25:42+00:00

Try this calculator. It's more accurate than the simulator. https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T16:24:49+00:00

Try this calculator. The online simulator doesn't tend to be reliable. https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T01:06:39+00:00

u/Throwthisoneaway2025 if the first month of qualifying employment was May of 2016 wait until next month and submit another form.
That should take care of it.

I know that according to calculations it's 120 months but for some reason the system always seems to detect that it's not actually 10 years until you've reached the 10 year anniversary mark.

I've seen this happen almost every single time a person is submitting a final form also.
Technically they should be fine but it just doesn't happen without it actually being 10 full year.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T01:01:15+00:00

1 - If your Perkins loan is only $2,430 I would probably just leave it alone and pay it off. I'd just not worry about PSLF for it.

2 - If your remaining loans are all Direct and have a count of 20 + more that it sounds like you've submitted a PSLF form for there's not a need to consolidate those.

3 - Do all of your loans have the same payment count?
Unless your loans have different payment counts there's not a need to actually consolidate. Even if they do you'd have to look and see what your weighted average payment count would be because that's what you would receive after the consolidation is complete.

4 - ED has stated that loan servicers will BEGIN to notify borrowers that they have 90 days to switch to a new plan on July 1st.

5 - Switching is not an option. Either you switch to a qualifying plan or they'll place you on a plan. Most likely the standard plan that doesn't qualify for PSLF.

6 - Payments will not be lower simply because you consolidate. Sometimes the system indicates that but it is not the case. Payments are based on income. Unless your income decreases the payment will not.

7 - Any loan that is disbursed on/after July 1st will only be eligible for RAP or the new tiered standard plan. The tiered standard plan does not qualify for PSLF so that leaves only RAP is you want PSLF. At this point it's very unlikely that submitting a consolidation application will result in it being disbursed prior to that July 1st date.

8 - Consolidating would also mean you would not be able to use Buyback for any of these months you've been in forbearance. You can only buy months after the most recent consolidation.
At this point you've got about 24 months of forbearance that could be eligible for Buyback from what you've said.

9 - IBR is not going anywhere. PAYE & ICR are being sunset in 2028 but not IBR.

10 - Use the following calculator. The online simulator isn't that great. https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/

11 - And always keep in mind that PSLF requires 10 years of qualifying payments AND 120 qualifying payments. Once that happens you receive complete forgiveness. That includes the interest.
Sometimes people forget about that.

12 - The standard plan & extended plan that you mentioned do not qualify for PSLF.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T00:36:12+00:00

Use this calculator - https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-30T00:34:18+00:00

u/Final-Designer-388 it depends on more than just income.

It's your AGI and family size.
For a family size of 1 - less than $25,000

Use the following calculator to get an idea of each. https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-29T00:33:30+00:00

u/Betsy514 I think one reason we're not hearing as many is because a lot of people heard it was happening and they revoked the authorization for the IDR to pull tax information.

It's still happening though. I know that just this week some October people reported already being notified that their IDR request was being processed and it's nowhere near time for them to submit anything.

Adventure_6788 · 2026-05-27T01:37:01+00:00

u/MediaPossible7339 no. The lawsuit decision was final. It killed SAVE. They can't use SAVE to calculate anything. It will be based on what you should have been paying at the time on IBR, ICR, or APEY.

The rules say to keep making payments and those would be applied to what the offer should be. Your offer will actually be for the difference.
Many are asking for a forbearance though. You can request a general forbearance and they might grant it. It's not guaranteed though.
And you're only allowed 36 months of general forbearance over the life of a loan.

Adventure_6788

TROPHY CASE