Parent PLUS consolidation, SAVE plan exits, and IDR sunset dates through July 2028.
Last updated May 2, 2026Consolidation applications take 30–90 days to process. This was the last window to submit and guarantee processing before the hard deadline.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : covers what is still possible if you missed this window.
The Department of Education begins notifying SAVE borrowers that the plan is ending.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : walks the IBR and RAP exits and what to do before formal notices arrive.
MEFA and borrower advocates recommended this date to leave enough processing buffer.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : walks the disbursement timing and what happens if your application is in flight.
The consolidation loan must be disbursed (not just applied for) by this date to retain access to ICR, IBR, and any IDR plan.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : walks the consolidation timing, ICR, and the IBR bridge in detail.
Consolidation loans disbursed on or after this date can only use the Tiered Standard Plan. ICR, IBR, PAYE, and RAP are all off the table for Parent PLUS.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : covers what is still possible after July 1 and the ICR-to-IBR bridge.
Formal notices go out in phases every two weeks, starting with borrowers enrolled in SAVE the longest. Not everyone gets their clock started on July 1.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : covers how to switch before your servicer’s notice arrives.
No new borrowers can enroll in these three plans after this date.
Read on the IDR plan picker : covers which plan to enroll in before the door closes.
The Repayment Assistance Plan becomes the only IDR option for loans disbursed on or after this date.
Read on the IDR plan picker : breaks down RAP versus IBR and which loans go where.
Parent PLUS consolidation loans are not eligible for RAP. IBR is the only long-term income-driven landing spot. Getting into ICR first (one payment) remains the bridge to IBR.
The ICR payment does not need to be made by June 30, 2026. You have until June 30, 2028 to make that one qualifying payment and switch to IBR.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : walks the ICR-to-IBR sequence in detail.
SAVE borrowers can enroll in RAP (if eligible, not Parent PLUS) or switch to IBR without waiting for their 90-day notice.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : covers IBR versus RAP and how to switch before the auto-enroll lands.
You can switch out of SAVE right now. You do not need to wait for your servicer's 90-day notice.
Earliest deadlines expire around September 29–30. Later waves run through October and November 2026.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : walks the IBR and RAP exits before the auto-enrollment lands.
Borrowers who take no action are automatically placed on the Standard Repayment Plan (10-year) or the new Tiered Standard Plan.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : covers how to leave Standard once auto-enrolled and which IDR plan to choose instead.
A secondary closure step before the full PAYE sunset in 2028.
Read on the IDR plan picker : covers which plan to switch to before PAYE shuts entirely.
If you consolidated before July 2026 but never enrolled in IDR, you may lose IDR access permanently after this date.
Read on Parent PLUS forgiveness, plainly : covers the IBR switch and what is at stake if you let this date pass.
All borrowers still on these plans are automatically transitioned to IBR (if eligible) or RAP.
Read on the IDR plan picker : covers where each loan type lands after the auto-transition.
The OBBBA's statutory termination takes effect, though SAVE was practically eliminated earlier via court action.
Read on the SAVE wind-down hub : covers the legislative timeline and where former SAVE borrowers should be by now.
These are the only two income-driven repayment options going forward. IBR remains open permanently for pre-July 2026 borrowers.
Read on the IDR plan picker : covers IBR and RAP head-to-head and which one fits which loan type.
After this point, the federal IDR landscape stops shifting. IBR and RAP are the permanent options. Pre-July 2026 borrowers keep IBR access for life. The decade of plan-juggling ends here.
