Complete list of student loan forgiveness, cancellation, discharge, and repayment assistance programs

Key Points

• Most true forgiveness and discharge programs apply to federal student loans, not private loans.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is the best-known program, but many other federal, state, and profession-based programs also provide relief.
• Some programs forgive loans for working in certain jobs (for example, public service, teaching, or health care), while others cancel or discharge debt because of school problems or serious hardship such as disability, death, or bankruptcy.
• States operate dozens of loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs), especially for doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, public defenders, and other public servants, often in rural or underserved areas.
• Private student loan forgiveness is rare; private loans generally do not qualify for federal forgiveness programs and rely instead on contract-based policies, settlements, or bankruptcy in limited cases.
• Many private lenders will consider discharging loans after death or permanent disability, but policies are lender‑specific and sometimes still leave cosigners or estates liable.
• Before making major career, consolidation, or refinancing decisions, borrowers should verify loan type and program rules directly with Federal Student Aid, servicers, and official program administrators.

Forgiveness vs. Cancellation vs. Discharge vs. Repayment Assistance

Federal Student Aid and servicers often say that forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge all mean you no longer have to repay some or all of your student loan, but they use the terms in different contexts.

Forgiveness

• Typically means any remaining balance is wiped out after you meet program requirements, often tied to employment or years of repayment.
• Key examples:
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – forgives the remaining Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying payments while working full‑time for a qualifying public service employer.
  • Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) – forgives up to 17,500 dollars of certain federal loans after five consecutive years of teaching in a low‑income school.
  • Income‑Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness – cancels remaining Direct Loan balances after 20–25 years of qualifying payments under an IDR plan.

Cancellation

• Often used historically for Perkins Loans, where portions of the loan are canceled each year of qualifying service.
• Functions similarly to forgiveness but is tied to specific older loan types and public service professions such as teachers, nurses, law enforcement, and military service.

Discharge

• Usually means the loan is eliminated because of a specific circumstance rather than ongoing work.
• Common discharge categories:
  • Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) – for borrowers unable to work due to severe, long‑term disability.
  • Death discharge – when the borrower dies; for Parent PLUS, also when the student or parent borrower dies.
  • Closed school discharge – when a school closes while you attend or soon after you withdraw and you cannot complete your program.
  • Borrower defense to repayment – when a school misled you or violated certain laws.
  • False certification and unpaid refund – when a school improperly certified your eligibility or failed to return required funds.
  • Bankruptcy discharge – available only if you prove “undue hardship,” under Department of Justice guidance and court standards.
  • Identity theft discharge – when loans were taken out fraudulently in your name.

Loan Repayment Assistance

• A third party pays part of your loan balance, usually while you continue to make payments.
• Examples:
  • National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps loan repayment programs for health professionals in shortage areas.
  • Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program for clinicians serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
  • State LRAPs for doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, and others.
  • Employer student loan repayment benefits under tax‑favored Section 127 plans or taxable benefits.

Terms are often used inconsistently in media and marketing; always check the underlying legal authority to understand what a program truly offers.

Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Programs

This section covers the major federal programs. Rules below reflect federal guidance current for 2026 but can change, so borrowers should confirm details at StudentAid.gov and with their servicer.

For each program, key points include:

• Who qualifies
• Eligible loan types
• How much can be forgiven or discharged
• Main requirements and common mistakes
• Whether Parent PLUS loans qualify
• Whether consolidation is needed
• Where to apply

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

What it does. PSLF forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after you make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full‑time for a qualifying employer.

Who qualifies.

• Must work full‑time (usually 30+ hours per week) for:
  • Government organizations at any level (federal, state, local, tribal), including the U.S. military.
  • 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
  • Certain other nonprofits that provide qualifying public services.
• Job title does not matter; eligibility is based on employer type, not profession.

Eligible loan types.

• Only Direct Loans qualify directly.
• FFEL, Perkins, and other federal loans must usually be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify.

Qualifying payments.

• 120 monthly payments made:
  • Under a qualifying repayment plan, generally an Income‑Driven Repayment (IDR) plan.
  • For the full amount due and no more than 15 days late.
  • While working full‑time for a qualifying employer.
• Payments do not need to be consecutive; switching in and out of public service pauses, but does not reset, the count.

Parent PLUS and consolidation.

• Parent PLUS Loans can qualify only if consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan and then repaid under the Income‑Contingent Repayment (ICR) plan; even then, options are more limited.

PSLF Buyback and account adjustments.

• The Department of Education has implemented one‑time and ongoing account adjustments that can credit some past payments and certain deferment/forbearance periods toward PSLF.
• A PSLF “buyback” process can in some cases allow borrowers to make a lump‑sum payment to count prior periods that otherwise would not qualify, but availability and rules may change; borrowers should review current PSLF guidance.

How to certify and apply.

• Use the PSLF Help Tool at StudentAid.gov to:
  • Check employer eligibility.
  • Generate and submit the PSLF form (employment certification and forgiveness application).
• Best practice is to submit an updated PSLF form annually and whenever you change employers so your qualifying payment count stays accurate.

Common mistakes.

• Making years of payments on non‑Direct loans without consolidating.
• Using ineligible repayment plans (for example, long‑term fixed payments not classified as IDR when required).
• Assuming job title (teacher, nurse, etc.) guarantees PSLF eligibility without confirming the employer.

Tax treatment.

• PSLF forgiveness is not taxable income under federal law.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF)

What it does. TLF forgives up to 17,500 dollars of eligible federal loans after five complete and consecutive years of full‑time teaching at a low‑income school or educational service agency.

Who qualifies.

• Full‑time teacher for five complete and consecutive academic years.
• At least one year must be after 1997–98.
• Must work at a school/agency listed in the Teacher Cancellation Low‑Income (TCLI) Directory or operated by the Bureau of Indian Education.

Amounts.

• Up to 17,500 dollars for:
  • Highly qualified special education teachers.
  • Highly qualified secondary math or science teachers.
• Up to 5,000 dollars for other eligible highly qualified teachers.

Eligible loans.

• Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans.
• Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans.
• PLUS and Perkins Loans are not directly eligible for TLF, though Perkins has its own cancellation rules.

Interaction with PSLF.

• Same years of service cannot be counted for both TLF and PSLF. Years used to earn TLF cannot also count toward the 120 PSLF payments.
• Teachers with large balances and long public‑service careers often benefit more from PSLF, while those with modest balances and five years of low‑income teaching may prefer TLF.

Parent PLUS.

• Parent PLUS Loans do not qualify for TLF.

How to apply.

• Use the official Teacher Loan Forgiveness application from StudentAid.gov and have the chief administrative officer of your school or district certify your service.

Common mistakes.

• Teaching at a school that is not actually listed in the TCLI directory.
• Assuming that part‑time or substitute teaching counts; TLF requires full‑time service.
• Claiming TLF without checking the long‑term opportunity cost of giving up PSLF credit.

Income‑Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness

What it does. IDR plans cap monthly payments based on income and family size, then forgive remaining balances after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, depending on the plan and when loans were borrowed.

Current landscape (2026).

• Federal IDR options include plans such as Income‑Based Repayment (IBR) and Income‑Contingent Repayment (ICR); several legacy plans are being phased out or closed to new borrowers under recent legislation and regulation.
• Borrowers already in certain plans may be grandfathered; new borrowers may have access to a narrower set of IDR options with longer required repayment periods before forgiveness.

Who qualifies.

• Most Direct Loan borrowers with eligible loans can enroll.
• FFEL and Perkins loans must generally be consolidated into Direct Loans for IDR access.

Loan types and Parent PLUS.

• Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans to graduate/professional students, and Direct Consolidation Loans are generally IDR‑eligible.
• Parent PLUS Loans must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan and can then usually only use ICR, the least generous IDR formula, for IDR forgiveness purposes.

Tax treatment.

• Under the American Rescue Plan Act, student loan forgiveness (including IDR) is federally tax‑free through the end of 2025.
• Beginning in 2026, IDR forgiveness processed in that year or later is again treated as taxable income at the federal level unless new legislation changes the rules.
• Some states may also tax forgiven amounts.

How IDR forgiveness differs from PSLF.

• IDR forgiveness is based solely on time in repayment, not employment type.
• Any borrower who makes enough qualifying payments under an IDR plan can reach forgiveness, even in private‑sector jobs.
• PSLF can forgive the balance after only 10 years of qualifying payments, but requires specific public service employment.

Common mistakes.

• Not recertifying income annually, leading to payment increases or capitalization.
• Leaving loans in forbearance instead of entering IDR and earning progress toward forgiveness.
• Failing to plan for a potential “tax bomb” in the year of IDR forgiveness after 2025.

Perkins Loan Cancellation

Status of the program.

• Schools stopped making new Perkins Loans in 2018, but many borrowers still have outstanding Perkins balances serviced by schools or their agents.

What it does.

• Allows cancellation of up to 100 percent of a Perkins Loan over several years of qualifying public service.
• Cancellation typically occurs in increasing percentages each year (for example, 15% for the first and second years, 20% for the third and fourth, and 30% for the fifth).

Eligible professions.

• Teachers (including librarians and counselors).
• Early childhood education providers.
• Nurses and medical technicians.
• Law enforcement and corrections officers.
• Firefighters and members of the armed forces.
• Public defenders and some other legal professionals.
• AmeriCorps VISTA and Peace Corps volunteers (under certain conditions).

How to apply.

• Borrowers apply through the school or its Perkins servicer, not through federal servicers like MOHELA.

Borrower Defense to Repayment

What it does.

• Discharges federal Direct Loans when a school misled the borrower or otherwise engaged in certain violations of law related to the educational services.

Who qualifies.

• Borrowers who can show that the school made substantial misrepresentations regarding job placement, accreditation, or program costs.

Loan types.

• Only Direct Loans qualify; FFEL and Perkins loans must generally be consolidated first.

Evidence and process.

• Borrowers submit an application at StudentAid.gov describing the misconduct. Applications may include a request for forbearance while the claim is reviewed.

Closed School Discharge

What it does.

• Discharges loans used to attend a school that closed while you were enrolled or soon after you withdrew.

Who qualifies.

• You were enrolled when the school closed or withdrew within an eligible look‑back period.
• You did not complete your program at the closed school or through a teach‑out or transfer to a comparable program elsewhere.

Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge

What it does.

• Discharges federal student loans for borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled under federal standards.

Who qualifies.

• VA determination of service‑connected disability.
• Social Security (SSDI/SSI) award with a distant review period.
• Physician certification regarding physical or mental impairment.

Loan types and Parent PLUS.

• All federal Direct, FFEL, and Perkins Loans can be discharged.
• For Parent PLUS, only the parent borrower’s disability qualifies.

Post‑discharge monitoring and tax.

• Current guidance has largely eliminated ongoing income monitoring for most TPD discharges.
• Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, death and disability discharges are permanently excluded from federal taxable income.

Death Discharge

What it does.

• Discharges the balance of federal student loans when the borrower dies.
• For Parent PLUS Loans, the loan is discharged if either the parent or the student for whom the loan was taken dies.

Process.

• Survivors must provide an acceptable proof of death, usually a death certificate.

False Certification Discharge

What it does.

• Discharges loans when a school falsely certified eligibility for federal loans (e.g., ability to benefit, unauthorized signature, or identity theft).

Unpaid Refund Discharge

What it does.

• Cancels the portion of a loan that the school should have refunded to the Department of Education when a student withdrew.

Bankruptcy Discharge

What it does.

• Allows federal student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy if the borrower shows undue hardship.

Current federal guidance.

• The Department of Justice and Education use an attestation form to standardize and potentially increase approval rates for deserving borrowers.

Identity Theft Discharge

What it does.

• Discharges federal loans taken out in your name as the result of identity theft.

Requirements.

• You did not sign the promissory note or apply for the loan.
• You received no benefit from the loan proceeds.
• You can provide documentation such as a court judgment, police report, FTC identity theft report, or creditor investigation records.

How to apply.

• Use the official Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Identity Theft) form and submit it with documentation to your servicer.

Career and Profession Based Programs

Many professions have targeted federal, state, or institutional programs that provide loan forgiveness or repayment assistance in exchange for service.

Health Care Workers

Health professionals often have access to federal and state LRAPs that pay down loans in exchange for working in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or underserved communities.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Programs

• Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
• Provide loan repayment for primary care medical, dental, and behavioral/mental health clinicians who work at NHSC‑approved sites in HPSAs.

Standard NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP).

• Award amounts up to 75,000 dollars for two years of full‑time service for primary care clinicians, and up to 50,000 dollars for eligible dental and behavioral health providers, with proportionally lower amounts for half‑time service.
• Accepts federal and private educational loans that meet program criteria.

NHSC Students to Service (S2S).

• Offers up to 120,000 dollars in loan repayment to fourth‑year medical and dental students who commit to work in HPSAs after residency.

State Loan Repayment Programs (SLRP).

• HRSA funds states to operate their own NHSC‑style LRAPs; many states extend eligibility to additional professions and include both federal and private loans.

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

• Provides loan repayment for registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and nurse faculty working at critical shortage facilities or eligible nursing schools.
• Standard structure: 60 percent of qualifying nursing education loan balance for a two‑year service commitment, with an optional third year for an additional 25 percent (up to 85 percent total).
• Awards are taxable income, with federal income and FICA withheld from payments.

Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program

• Provides up to 50,000 dollars in loan repayment in exchange for an initial two‑year service commitment at health facilities serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
• All health professions may apply, though physicians and nurses often receive priority; participants can extend contracts until all qualifying debt is repaid.

NIH Loan Repayment Programs (Research)

• The National Institutes of Health offers LRPs that repay a portion of educational debt for clinicians and researchers conducting qualifying biomedical or behavioral research.
• Programs typically repay a percentage of debt annually (for example, up to 35,000 dollars per year) for multi‑year commitments; specific program rules vary by discipline.

State Healthcare Workforce Programs

• Many states operate health‑profession LRAPs for physicians, dentists, nurses, mental health providers, pharmacists, and others, usually tied to work in rural or underserved areas.
• Awards can be substantial; for example, some states offer 100,000–300,000 dollars in loan repayment for multi‑year commitments.

Teachers and Education Workers

Teachers may qualify for a stack of programs:

• Teacher Loan Forgiveness (federal) – discussed above.
• PSLF – for teachers in public schools and qualifying nonprofits.
• Perkins cancellation – for teachers (including librarians and counselors) in eligible schools and roles.
• State teacher LRAPs – many states provide additional repayment assistance for educators in high‑need schools or rural districts.

Teachers should carefully compare TLF vs. PSLF:

• TLF offers a smaller, fixed amount (up to 17,500 dollars) after five years.
• PSLF can erase much larger balances after 10 years but requires IDR and qualifying employers.
• Years counted toward TLF usually cannot also count toward PSLF, so strategy matters.

Lawyers

Public interest and government lawyers have several targeted LRAP options.

DOJ Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (ASLRP)

• A recruitment and retention incentive for attorneys working at the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Provides up to 6,000 dollars per year, with a lifetime cap of 60,000 dollars, in loan repayment applied directly to qualifying federal and certain private education loans.
• Acceptance triggers a three‑year service obligation; leaving DOJ early may require repayment of benefits.

John R. Justice (JRJ) Program

• Federal grant program administered by states to support state and local public defenders and prosecutors.
• Typically provides 2,000–10,000 dollars per year in loan repayment assistance, subject to funding caps and re‑application rules.

State and Law School LRAPs

• Many states and law schools run LRAPs that assist legal aid attorneys, public defenders, prosecutors, and other public interest lawyers.
• Awards commonly range from a few thousand dollars per year up to 50,000–60,000 dollars over several years of service.

Military and Veterans

Military service offers a mix of loan repayment, Perkins cancellation, and PSLF‑eligible employment.

• Certain active‑duty members in hostile‑fire or imminent‑danger areas can cancel up to 100 percent of Federal Perkins Loans under military cancellation provisions.
• Branch‑specific loan repayment programs may pay substantial amounts of eligible education debt in exchange for service commitments.
• Military service typically counts as qualifying employment for PSLF, since the U.S. armed forces are federal government employers.
• Veterans with service‑connected disabilities may also qualify for TPD discharge and other benefits.

AmeriCorps and Peace Corps

AmeriCorps – Segal Education Award

• After completing a term of AmeriCorps service, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, generally pegged to the maximum Pell Grant (about 7,395 dollars for 2026–27).
• The award can be used to repay qualified student loans (federal and certain state loans) or pay future educational expenses.
• The award is taxable income in the year used, which can create tax liability, though pending legislation seeks to make it tax‑free.
• AmeriCorps service also counts as qualifying employment for PSLF, so IDR payments made during full‑time AmeriCorps service can count toward PSLF.

Peace Corps

• Peace Corps service is considered qualifying employment for PSLF, allowing volunteers to earn PSLF credit while making IDR payments.
• Many federal loans can be placed in deferment or forbearance during service, but months in deferment usually do not count toward PSLF.
• Volunteers with Perkins Loans may be eligible for 15–70 percent Perkins cancellation based on Peace Corps service.

Other Professions

Several additional professions have specialized programs, often at the state level:

• Social workers and mental health professionals – state and federal LRAPs, often tied to behavioral‑health initiatives.
• Dentists and pharmacists – state programs in dental and pharmacy shortage areas.
• Librarians and early childhood educators – Perkins cancellation and some state teacher LRAPs.
• Law enforcement and firefighters – Perkins cancellation and some state/local LRAPs.

Because these programs change frequently, professionals should search by state + profession + “loan repayment program” and verify current terms with official agencies.

State‑Based Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs

States have created a patchwork of programs to address workforce shortages in health care, education, law, and public service.

How States Use Loan Repayment

• The National Conference of State Legislatures notes that many states use loan forgiveness or repayment programs to reduce borrower debt and attract workers to high‑need fields and locations.
• Research on state programs shows that loan repayment is the most common form of support, often tied to service in rural or underserved communities.

Typical Program Features

Most state LRAPs share common traits:

• Targeted professions: Physicians, nurses, dentists, mental health providers, veterinarians, teachers, public defenders, prosecutors, and sometimes social workers or first responders.
• Service location: Rural communities, HPSAs, low‑income schools, or public interest legal settings.
• Service term: Two to four years, sometimes renewable.
• Award amounts: Ranging from a few thousand dollars per year up to 200,000–300,000 dollars in total for some medical LRAPs.
• Loan types: Many programs allow both federal and private student loans, but details vary.

Example State Programs (Illustrative)

(Amounts and terms above are typical ranges based on recent descriptions but should always be verified with the administering agency.)

How to Search Your State

Because a full 50‑state table would quickly become outdated, borrowers should:

1. Start with the NCSL state student loan forgiveness page, which lists many state programs and links out to official sites.
2. Search for “[Your State] student loan repayment program” along with your profession (for example, “Massachusetts physician loan repayment” or “Texas teacher loan repayment”).
3. Check state health departments, higher education agencies, bar associations, and legal aid coalitions for profession‑specific LRAPs.
4. Confirm whether programs accept private loans, what service is required, and whether awards are taxable at the state level.

Employer Student Loan Repayment Benefits

Employer‑provided student loan assistance has grown as a workplace benefit.

How Employer Benefits Work

• Employers may pay a monthly or annual amount toward employees’ student loans, often 50–200 dollars per month or up to 10,000 dollars or more over several years.[^106]
• Payments may go directly to the loan servicer or be reimbursed to the employee.
• Benefits can typically be applied to federal or private student loans, as long as they meet the definition of a qualified education loan under the tax code.[^107]

Tax Treatment

• Under Internal Revenue Code Section 127, employers can provide up to 5,250 dollars per year in tax‑free educational assistance per employee.
• Pandemic‑era legislation expanded Section 127 so that, through December 31, 2025, employers can use this tax‑free amount to pay employees’ student loans as well as tuition, subject to plan requirements.[^108]
• Recent IRS updates and guidance confirm that employer payments toward qualified student loans up to 5,250 dollars annually remain tax‑free through 2025; amounts over that, or benefits outside Section 127, are generally taxable wages.

After 2025, unless Congress extends the provision, employer student loan payments will likely revert to being taxable income unless delivered under another tax‑favored mechanism.

How Employer Benefits Differ from Forgiveness

• Employer payments are not legal forgiveness; they are third‑party payments that reduce your balance but do not change loan terms.
• You remain the borrower; if the employer stops paying or you leave the job, payments stop.
• Employer assistance can be coordinated with PSLF or IDR; employer contributions simply accelerate repayment or reduce the amount remaining to be forgiven.

Private Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Options

Private student loans operate under contract law, not federal student loan statutes. Relief is generally more limited, but 2026 has brought significant legislative and regulatory changes to how these loans are handled in distress.

What Private Loans Do Not Get

• PSLF does not apply to private student loans.
• IDR plans (including the new 2026 RAP plan) do not apply; income-based options are purely at the lender’s discretion.
• Federal discharges (Borrower Defense, Closed School) do not apply; private borrowers must pursue school claims through state consumer protection laws.

Death and Disability Discharge

• Lender-Specific Death Discharge: Most modern private lenders (loans after 2018) offer contractual death discharges. Under 2026 consumer protection standards, many lenders now also release cosigners upon the death of the primary borrower.
• Disability Discharge: While there is no federal TPD program for private loans, recent “model legislation” adopted in several states now mandates that private lenders mirror federal disability discharge benefits.
• Tax Note: Discharges due to death or total permanent disability remain federally tax-free in 2026, unlike other forms of debt cancellation.

Cosigner Release

• This removes the cosigner’s legal obligation after the borrower meets specific criteria (e.g., 12 consecutive on-time payments and a credit check).
• CRITICAL: As of 2026, the CFPB has increased oversight on “auto-defaults” where lenders previously demanded full payment if a cosigner died or filed for bankruptcy. Most contracts now prohibit this as long as the borrower is current.

Settlement and the “2026 Tax Cliff”

• Borrowers in default can often negotiate a settlement (paying 30%–60% of the balance).
• Tax Implications: The American Rescue Plan’s tax exemption expired on December 31, 2025. For 2026 and beyond, any settled or canceled private debt is again treated as taxable income by the IRS unless the borrower can prove insolvency.

Bankruptcy and Private Loans

• Non-Qualified Loans: Loans that did not go directly to an accredited school for “cost of attendance” (e.g., bar study loans, residency relocation loans, or loans for unaccredited bootcamps) are often dischargeable in bankruptcy like standard credit card debt.
• Qualified Loans: These still require proving “undue hardship” (the Brunner Test). However, 2026 guidance from the CFPB warns lenders against attempting to collect on loans that have been legally discharged but were “mis-flagged” as student debt.

State and Employer Stacking

• State LRAPs: Many state-funded programs (especially in Michigan, Nebraska, and California) now explicitly allow private student loans to be eligible for repayment assistance for healthcare and legal professionals.
• Permanent Employer Benefits: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (2026) made the Section 127 tax-free employer student loan benefit permanent. Employers can now contribute up to $5,250 annually toward your private or federal loans tax-free, and this limit is now indexed for inflation.

Expert Tip: If you are a cosigner seeking release or a borrower seeking a disability discharge in 2026, check if your state has passed a “Private Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights,” which often provides stronger protections than your original loan contract.

Would you like to look at the specific 2026 income requirements for the new federal “RAP” plan to see how they compare to these private options?

Master Comparison Table

The table below summarizes key attributes of major programs. Details are simplified; borrowers must confirm current rules.