Student Loan Auto Pay: Enroll by December 31 for the 1% Rate Cut
Federal Direct Loan borrowers who enroll in auto pay by December 31, 2026 get a 1 percentage point interest rate cut through June 30, 2028. Who qualifies, how to enroll, and when the cut changes what you pay.
2026-27 Federal Student Loan Interest Rates: 6.52%, 8.07% and 9.07%
Federal student loans first disbursed between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 carry fixed rates of 6.52% for undergraduates, 8.07% for graduate students and 9.07% for PLUS loans. Here is how the rates were set, what they cost each month, and what did not change.
SAI Calculator: Estimate Your 2026-27 Student Aid Index
Free Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator for the 2026-27 FAFSA, built on the federal SAI formula.
Should You Refinance Federal Student Loans? For Most Borrowers, No
Refinance ads lead with the rate. The lenders’ own disclosures say what it costs: every federal benefit. For most borrowers with federal loans, refinancing them is a mistake.
Grad PLUS Is Gone. Here Is What a Graduate Student Borrows Instead
Starting July 1, 2026, graduate and professional students can no longer take a Grad PLUS loan. What is left is the Direct Unsubsidized loan, now capped, and a private-loan gap that lands hardest on the most expensive programs. Here is the new math.
Parent PLUS Has a Ceiling Now: $20,000 a Year, $65,000 a Student
For the first time, a parent cannot borrow the full cost of a degree. Loans taken on or after July 1, 2026 stop at $20,000 a year and $65,000 over the whole degree, combined across both parents. Here is what to do when the ceiling arrives before the tuition bill does.
The New $257,500 Lifetime Cap, and How Undergrad and Grad Borrowing Stack
There is now a single ceiling on how much a student can borrow across a whole education: $257,500 in federal loans, undergrad and grad combined. What counts, what does not, and where the ceiling actually binds.
Your Servicer and StudentAid.gov Disagree on Your Payment. Which One Counts for PSLF?
When a recertification lands mid-cycle and two federal sources show different payments, the regulation is specific about which number earns PSLF credit.
Credit Card Hardship Programs: What Happens When You Finally Answer the Bank’s Call
The bank keeps calling about your credit card. Here is what a hardship program actually is: a lower fixed rate, one payment, and a real payoff date. On $30,000, it can mean paying $4,799 in interest instead of $66,300.
Can You Trust ChatGPT With Your Student Loans?
AI chatbots answer more money questions than any advisor alive, and they make mistakes. Here is how to verify an AI answer before you act on it.