Fill out Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request online
The Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request form allows federal student loan borrowers to apply for a repayment plan that bases monthly payments on income and family size rather than loan balance. After 20-25 years of qualifying payments, any remaining balance may be forgiven.
How to fill out Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request
Select your repayment plan
Choose which IDR plan you want to enroll in: SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education), PAYE (Pay As You Earn), IBR (Income-Based Repayment), or ICR (Income-Contingent Repayment). If unsure, you can check the box to have your servicer place you on the plan with the lowest payment.
Provide personal information
Enter your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, phone number, email, and family size (including yourself and any dependents).
Report your income
Provide your adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status. You can consent to have the IRS share your tax information directly or provide documentation such as your most recent tax return or pay stubs.
Sign and submit
Sign and date the form. If married, your spouse may also need to sign depending on the plan selected and your tax filing status. Submit to your loan servicer.
About Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request
Who needs this form
Federal student loan borrowers whose monthly payments under the Standard Repayment Plan are high relative to their income. Borrowers pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) must also be on an IDR plan to accumulate qualifying payments.
Where to submit
Submit online at studentaid.gov (recommended) or mail the completed form to your loan servicer. You must recertify your income and family size annually to stay on your IDR plan.
Source and content freshness
- Reviewed: 2026-02-16
- Filing deadlines may shift for weekends and holidays. Verify due dates with official instructions.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not recertifying income annually (payments may increase to the standard amount)
- Selecting the wrong IDR plan for your situation (SAVE, PAYE, IBR, and ICR have different eligibility rules)
- Not including spousal income when required (depends on the plan and tax filing status)
- Forgetting to submit documentation of income (tax return or pay stubs)
Frequently asked questions
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What happens to my remaining balance after 20-25 years on IDR?
After making qualifying payments for 20 years (for SAVE, PAYE, and IBR if you are a new borrower) or 25 years (for ICR and IBR if you are not a new borrower), any remaining loan balance is forgiven. The forgiven amount may be considered taxable income, depending on current tax law.
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