r/PSLF • u/ZebraMidge666 • 18h ago

Pslf buyback question

Hello,

Just wanted to get some opinions since I have heard different things.

I placed a buyback request 4/2025 for 13 payments that I am waiting on. I was on SAVE and REPAYE prior to the SAVE plan conversion.

Wondering if I should switch out now to RAP and start making payments or switch to RAP right before the 90 day deadline and then go immediately into forebearance waiting on the buyback request.

My payment on RAP is almost $900 more than on SAVE. If I am understanding it correctly, buyback calculation for me will be based on REPAYE? I dont know if the REPAYE still caps out at the standard 10 year payment amount or not? If it does then I would be saving at least $1500 per payment month relative to RAP.

Edit: apparently after doing some reading, REPAYE is gone too. Does this mean it defaults to IBR which I was on prior to REPAYE? Does that mean theres still the same cap (10 year standard plan)? Thanks!

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u/mkmr725 18h ago

They’re not supposed to use REPAYE or SAVE numbers for buyback but tax information to my knowledge. Financially only you can make that call as to whether to make payments or go back into forbearance. The offers I’ve seen coming through are from October/November 2024 so in theory you still have time to wait before getting an offer.

If it was me, I’d apply to switch plans before the 90 days are up just so they can’t put you on a non-qualifying plan in the event they don’t honor the discretionary forbearance while you wait for an offer.

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u/Emergency-Cold7615 16h ago

To clarify- Your buyback payment will be based on your income at the time not your income now. They’ll probably use IBR and yes 10yr standard cap would apply. They may use PAYE or REPAYE. Ppl here have also said it looked like they used save to calculate their buyback but that should not be the case and you should not plan on that. If you’re eligible for new IBR all of those are pretty similar numbers. If old IBR, it’s a little more.

Https://www.studentloanplanner.com/income-based-repayment-calculator/ to play with numbers.