Student Loan Planner

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Weird Student Loan Notices, IBR Payment Caps, and PSLF Buyback Delays Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve recertified your student loans lately, odds are your inbox is flooded with confusing, maybe even contradictory, servicer messages. For physicians, dentists, veterinarians and anyone trying to get PSLF or keep payments low, these “weird” communications can cost you big — especially if you misread your repayment status or aren’t clear on PSLF buyback timelines.

We’ll walk through what these new messages really mean, practical steps for navigating delayed PSLF Buyback approvals, and how your retirement savings choices can lower not just your taxes, but your student loan payments, too. You’ll learn how to read between the lines, advocate for yourself, and avoid mistakes that could cost you months or even years on the path to forgiveness.

Key moments:

(00:00) What “reduced payment period” notices mean for borrowers on IBR

(04:08) How the 10-year standard repayment cap works for high earners on IBR

(05:11) Confusing payment start dates from servicers like Mohela, and how to respond

(08:35) How workplace retirement plans can lower student loan payments

(12:58) PSLF buyback delays and the risks of submitting new employer certification forms

Resources mentioned:

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Mentioned in this episode:

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Recertification vs. Recalculation for Student Loan Borrowers Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Millions of student loan borrowers are coming off SAVE forbearance, and many haven't updated their income information in years. If you're a physician, dentist, or other professional with federal student loans, your next steps could have a big impact on your monthly payment. Learn the differences between income recertification and recalculation, when to use alternative income documentation, and how life changes like marriage, job loss, or a growing family can affect your payments.

We cover what to watch for, how to avoid costly mistakes, and what you can do to keep your payments manageable.

Key moments:

(04:14) Choosing tax returns or alternative documentation for lower payments

(09:57) The difference between recertification and recalculation, and when to use each

(13:45) Counting dependents and family size to maximize payment relief

(17:17) Adjusting student loan payments when your life situation changes

(20:18) What happens if you miss your recertification deadline

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Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
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Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

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Starting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.

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What To Do If You Can’t Pay Your Student Loans Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Payments are back, SAVE is over, and one in five borrowers is already behind. If your payment is unaffordable, or you've been ignoring your loans and want to know what happens next, this episode is for you.

We’ll walk through your options before you miss a payment, what deferment and forbearance actually cover now, and the real timeline from delinquency to default. You'll also learn why loan rehabilitation usually beats consolidation, and the new rule that lets you rehabilitate twice starting July 2027.

Key moments:

(03:17) The latest delinquency and default numbers, and who is already behind

(07:36) Income-driven vs. fixed plans when your payment is unaffordable

(13:26) Deferment and forbearance options, and how to get them approved faster

(20:32) What to do in the first 90 days of missing a payment to protect your credit

(27:12) Loan rehabilitation vs. consolidation for getting out of default

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Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

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Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Student Loan newsletter

The SLP YouTube Channel

If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

The Wealth Gap We Found in Our Survey Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

In a new survey of physicians, dentists, veterinarians, and others, two groups reported similar incomes and spent about the same on homes and cars. Yet one group grew its investments at least twice as fast. What set them apart?

This episode walks through the data to compare how the two groups save, invest, and feel about reaching their goals. You'll learn where busy people tend to let things slip, how to judge whether a financial planner's fee pays for itself, and which small moves can shorten the path to your goals.

Key moments:

(03:01) How confidence in reaching money goals differs with ongoing financial planning

(06:01) Why people with ongoing planning contribute to Roths and brokerage accounts more often

(10:31) Why similar median incomes still led to very different wealth growth

(24:06) Why behavioral slip-ups, not intelligence, erode progress for busy professionals

(33:01) The real value of ongoing planning over one-off hourly advice

Resources mentioned:

Hello Nectarine

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Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

Try our free student loan calculator
Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

How Federal Loans Are Becoming More Like Private Loans Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Federal student loans are about to feel a lot more like private debt, especially for anyone starting a master’s, dental, medical, or law degree after July 2027. Shrinking federal loan caps, fewer repayment options, and tighter limits on forbearance could mean relying more on private loans or managing higher payments.

Learn how these changes affect your future borrowing, repayment options, and public service forgiveness, and how to avoid costly missteps if grad school is in your future.

Key moments:

(05:35) The old forbearance limits versus the new 9-month rule

(07:17) Why a $10 minimum payment can still feel unaffordable

(09:08) Elimination of economic hardship deferments and your two plan choices

(14:14) Upcoming repayment plan changes for PAYE and SAVE borrowers

Mentioned in this episode:

The SLP YouTube Channel

If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

Free Student Loan newsletter

Student Loan Tax Bomb: What Forgiveness in 2026 Really Means for You Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

If you started repaying federal student loans around 2001-2006 and have been on a 20, 25, or 30-year income-driven repayment plan, you’re right on the doorstep of forgiveness. Here’s the catch: the forgiven balance triggers a potentially staggering tax bill — what we call the “tax bomb.” Learn who’s at risk, how big the tax bill could be, missteps to avoid, and the exact steps to prepare.

Key moments:

(08:54) Estimate your forgiveness date without an official payment count tracker

(18:02) What to save and invest for the tax bill

(24:17) Parent PLUS restrictions and the consolidation cutoff

(37:15) What the insolvency exclusion requires you to document, and why few qualify

(53:17) Offer in compromise, and when the IRS will negotiate a reduced amount

Resources mentioned:

Mentioned in this episode:

Tips I Can't Share Publicly

Want more? Check out our other podcast

The “Pay Down Debt vs. Invest” Math Has Shifted Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Should you prioritize paying off your student loans or is it smarter to focus on investing? With interest rates changing dramatically since the days of ultra-low 3% loans, we break down how the math (and the mindset) has shifted.

You’ll learn how rising interest rates affect that balance, how your tax bracket factors in, and why it might be smarter to shift extra money toward debt rather than your brokerage account, at least for now.

Key moments:

(03:53) How loan interest rates relate to your tax bracket and what that really costs

(07:02) Deciding when to prioritize debt paydown over investing in brokerage accounts

(08:13) When liquidity makes sense if you’re considering life changes or starting a business

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Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

Try our free student loan calculator
Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Student Loan newsletter

The SLP YouTube Channel

If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

Why You Shouldn’t Panic About Forgiveness Counts Being Rolled Back Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

This is a two-for-one episode. We’ll start by digging into the mailbag and answering questions you sent in. Then we’ll get to the topic filling my inbox with panicked emails: whether the Department of Education can take back forgiveness counts that were already granted. If you followed the rules, you shouldn’t be worried, and I’ll explain what I think is actually going on with these count corrections.

Key moments:

(00:00) Choosing the right college and degree in the new era of borrowing limits

(06:04) What to do when your loan servicer gets your PSLF payment count wrong

(08:14) Handling $145,000 in loans on a new engineer's starting salary

(14:34) How the IDR account adjustment explains the counts being corrected now

(18:51) Whether granted forgiveness can be reversed, and who gains from the panic

Like the show? There are several ways you can help!

Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music
Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to the newsletter
Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community

Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

Try our free student loan calculator
Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

Tips I Can't Share Publicly

Want more? Check out our other podcast

Student Loan Payments Are Going Up Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

You’re coming off years of low or no student loan payments, only to face 10-20x jumps seemingly overnight. We get into why payments are up so sharply, what to do (and not do) if your budget’s getting squeezed, and how to use tax and filing strategies to lower your monthly student loan bill.

We also share how to navigate marriage, family size, and community property rules when recertifying, so you can keep more options (and cash) in your hands.

Key moments:

(00:00) Payment shock: increases up to 20x after years of forbearance and SAVE

(07:12) How retirement contributions and pre-tax accounts lower student loan payments

(09:27) Married filing separately, and when it drops your payment

(16:09) PAYE goes away July 2028, and who should switch before the deadline

(20:19) Forgiveness is now taxable, and what to plan for if it’s in your future

Like the show? There are several ways you can help!

Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music
Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to the newsletter
Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community

Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

Try our free student loan calculator
Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Student Loan newsletter

The SLP YouTube Channel

If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

The Student Loan Borrower Tax Rate Is Too Dang High Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

If you’re on an income-driven repayment plan, you might be paying a marginal tax rate that rivals (or exceeds) those in high-tax countries. We walk through exactly how that number gets built, showing how many borrowers effectively lose close to half of every additional dollar earned.

We get practical about how this impacts your investment strategy, spending habits, and even decisions like working less. I also break down why pre-tax savings accounts (and careful house/car choices) can buy you back weeks of life — and sanity.

Key moments:

(00:00) Why an income-driven borrower's tax rate rivals Sweden's

(04:44) How a $150K salary hits a 47.55% marginal tax rate

(08:51) Using dependent care FSAs and HSAs to effectively get “50% off”

(16:22) How driving a modest car or working less can radically impact your life after taxes

Resource mentioned:

Afford Anything podcast by Paula Pant

Like the show? There are several ways you can help!

Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music
Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to the newsletter
Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community

Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?

Try our free student loan calculator
Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated
Book your custom student loan plan
Get profession-specific financial planning

Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Mentioned in this episode:

Want more? Check out our other podcast

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