If you want a RAP payment calculator to see what you will pay under the new Repayment Assistance Plan starting July 1, 2026, this guide explains exactly how the calculation works and how to get a number you can trust. RAP is the new federal income-driven plan, and your payment depends on a few key details about your income and household.
How RAP calculates your payment
RAP bases your monthly payment on your full adjusted gross income (AGI), the income figure from your tax return, with no poverty-line subtraction. The structure is tiered, stepping up one percentage point for every $10,000 of AGI:
| Your annual AGI | RAP rate | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 or less | flat | $10 |
| $10,001 to $20,000 | 1% | AGI x 1% / 12 |
| $20,001 to $30,000 | 2% | AGI x 2% / 12 |
| $30,001 to $40,000 | 3% | AGI x 3% / 12 |
| $40,001 to $50,000 | 4% | AGI x 4% / 12 |
| $50,001 to $60,000 | 5% | AGI x 5% / 12 |
| $60,001 to $70,000 | 6% | AGI x 6% / 12 |
| $70,001 to $80,000 | 7% | AGI x 7% / 12 |
| $80,001 to $90,000 | 8% | AGI x 8% / 12 |
| $90,001 to $100,000 | 9% | AGI x 9% / 12 |
| $100,001 or more | 10% | AGI x 10% / 12 |
Then two adjustments:
- Subtract $50 per month for each dependent you can claim on your taxes.
- Apply a $10 minimum, so the calculated amount never drops below that.
Two worked examples
Example 1: AGI $35,000, no dependents. $35,000 lands in the 3% tier. 3% of $35,000 is $1,050 a year, or $87.50 a month. With no dependents and no other adjustments, your RAP payment is about $87.50 a month.
Example 2: AGI $60,000, one dependent. $60,000 lands in the 5% tier. 5% of $60,000 is $3,000 a year, or $250 a month. Subtract $50 for your dependent, and your RAP payment is $200 a month.
On top of the payment, RAP adds two protections that a basic calculator often misses: unpaid interest is waived (your balance will not grow), and your principal drops by at least $50 a month. Those features change your long-term cost even when they do not change this month’s payment.
The numbers you need to estimate your RAP payment
To estimate your RAP payment, have these ready:
- Your adjusted gross income (and your spouse’s, if you file jointly).
- Your number of dependents.
- Your federal loan balance and interest rate (for the long-term picture, not just the monthly payment).
- Your filing status (it affects whether spouse income counts; filing jointly combines both incomes, while filing separately uses only yours).
Why a rough estimate is not enough
The table above gives you a solid monthly ballpark. But a monthly-payment estimate only answers “what do I pay this month.” It does not answer the question that actually decides your finances: “what does this plan cost me in total, and is it better than my other options, for example how RAP stacks up against the new Standard plan?” Two plans can have similar monthly payments but very different lifetime costs once interest, the $50 principal floor, forgiveness, and taxes are accounted for. That is why a quick calculator can mislead you into the wrong plan.
This matters even more right now, because July 1, 2026 gave most borrowers a real choice between plans. Picking by monthly payment alone is how people leave thousands of dollars on the table.
See your real RAP number
A student-loan advisor using Finology Software is built for exactly this. Instead of a rough monthly estimate, the planner shows your real RAP payment, payoff date, total cost, forgiveness, and any tax impact, with math that is verified against the rules. It also compares RAP side by side against your current plan, so you are not just calculating RAP, you are deciding whether RAP is right for you.
What the planner shows you
- Your actual monthly RAP payment based on your income, family size, and filing status.
- How your balance falls over time, with the interest waiver and $50 principal floor applied.
- Your forgiveness date (30 years, or 10 years if you are pursuing PSLF).
- The total you will pay over the life of the loan, and how it compares to your current plan.
- Any forgiveness tax impact, federal and in the five states that tax discharged debt (Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Wisconsin), so there are no surprises later.
Skip the guesswork. Get matched with a student-loan advisor who shows your real RAP number on verified math, or start a free trial.
