SAVE Plan Exit Planner Spreadsheet
The short answer
On US$32,000 at 5.5%, Standard costs US$347 a month and US$9,674 of interest. IBR and RAP both land near US$200. This planner runs your own loans.
A SAVE plan exit planner spreadsheet runs your own loans through every plan still open to you, on your own income, before your servicer's deadline forces a default choice: on US$32,000 of federal loans at 5.5%, the Standard plan costs US$347 a month, while IBR and RAP both land near US$200, with very different endings.
Educational information, not financial advice. Plan rules changed in July 2026 and servicers apply them case by case; confirm your own figures with your servicer and at StudentAid.gov before you choose.
What do the four paths cost on the same loans?
State the borrower in full: US$32,000 across three federal loans at a 5.5% average rate, an adjusted gross income of US$48,000, single, no dependents. Here is what each path does to that same borrower:
| Plan | Monthly payment | Interest or horizon |
|---|---|---|
| Standard, 10 year | US$347 | US$9,674 total interest, done in 10 years |
| Extended, 25 year | US$197 | US$26,952 total interest |
| IBR | US$204 | Forgiveness horizon at 20 years |
| RAP | US$200 | 30 year horizon, unpaid interest waived |
The Standard plan is the cheapest in total and the hardest each month: US$9,674 of interest, and the loans are gone in a decade. Stretching to the Extended plan drops the payment to US$197 but nearly triples the interest, to US$26,952. That gap, about US$17,000, is the real price of a smaller monthly bill.
The income driven plans land close together on payment and far apart on rules. IBR, at the new borrower rate, charges 10% of the income above 150% of the poverty line, which is US$23,475 here: that gives US$204 a month and a 20 year forgiveness horizon. RAP, at 5% of AGI for this income under the July 2026 brackets, gives US$200 a month over a 30 year horizon, and under RAP rules the unpaid interest is waived rather than piling onto the balance. Same wallet, different risk. That is why the choice cannot be made from the payment alone.
How does the planner run your own loans?
The SAVE Exit Bundle 2026 US pairs two pieces built for this exact decision:
- The RAP Exit Playbook (PDF) explains the July 2026 rules and the choice, in plain words.
- The SAVE Exit Planner workbook runs your loans through every plan still open to you: RAP, IBR and Standard.
- The 90 day servicer notice window is kept in view, so the plan is made against your real deadline, not a vague someday.
- Each plan's payment is shown on your own loans, so the comparison is your numbers, not a national average borrower's.
Start with the wider picture in our guide to the SAVE plan ending, which covers who got which notice and what the deadline means. Then run your loans here, while the window is still open.
Who is this for, and who should skip it?
This fits a federal borrower leaving SAVE who has to pick a plan inside the notice window and wants each plan priced on their own loans first. Skip it if your loans are private: none of these plans apply to private loans, and no planner can change that. Skip it, too, if your servicer has already confirmed your new plan in writing and the payment fits your budget. In that case the decision is made, and your money is better spent on the first payments.
FAQ
Is RAP or IBR cheaper for the example borrower? On payment, they are nearly tied: US$200 for RAP against US$204 for IBR. The difference is the rules behind the payment: IBR's forgiveness horizon is 20 years, RAP runs 30 years but waives unpaid interest under its rules. Which one wins depends on how your income moves, and the planner tests both on your loans.
What happens if I miss the 90 day window? Your servicer moves you to a default placement rather than the plan you would have picked. The exact placement depends on your loan type, which is why the planner treats the notice date as the deadline that matters. Confirm your date with your servicer as soon as the notice arrives.
Does the planner cover the Standard plan too? Yes. RAP, IBR and Standard are all run on your loans, because the Standard plan is the honest baseline: highest payment, lowest total interest, finished in 10 years. For some incomes it is the right answer, and the comparison should say so when it is.
Where should I confirm the rules before I switch? At StudentAid.gov, which carries the current plan rules, and with your loan servicer, who applies them to your account. This page and the bundle are educational information, not financial advice, and the servicer's figures govern your account.
What if the file does not work for us? Digital downloads are not refunded, and that is stated plainly before you buy. What stands instead is our fix-it promise: if the workbook will not open or a formula is broken, we fix it or replace it until it works. The playbook PDF is covered the same way.
How the numbers were run
Standard and Extended payments are standard amortization on US$32,000 at 5.5%: 120 monthly payments for the 10 year plan and 300 for the 25 year plan, with total interest as payments minus principal, rounded to the nearest dollar. IBR uses 10% of the income above 150% of the poverty line: US$48,000 minus US$23,475, times 10%, divided by 12 months. RAP uses 5% of AGI at this income under the July 2026 brackets, divided by 12.
About Kollaz
Kollaz: Smart financial tools for modern money. We build spreadsheets that answer real money decisions with real math. Browse the shop: etsy.com/shop/kollaz. Get the bundle: SAVE Exit Bundle 2026 US.