Married Filing Separately: What Student Loan Borrowers Need to Re-Check at Tax Time
Student Loan Planner
Filing taxes married filing separately can be one of the most powerful tools for lowering income-driven student loan payments. But it’s also one of the easiest ways to make costly mistakes if you’re not careful. Meagan McGuire, CFP®, ChFC®, CSLP®, walks through what borrowers need to double-check before tax season hits. You’ll learn when filing separately actually saves money, when it backfires, and how community property states completely change the math. Key moments: (05:32) Why married filing separately can dramatically lower IDR payments (09:58) Real numbers: comparing tax cost...
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Holiday Encouragement for Borrowers
Student Loan Planner
The holidays can stir up a lot of stress, especially when student loans are still hanging over your head. In this episode, I want to slow things down and offer some perspective. We talk about why extreme frugality isn’t required to build wealth, why “rich enough” beats “obscenely rich,” and how your education and earning power already put you in a strong position. This is a reminder that student loans don’t get to steal your peace or your joy. Key moments: (01:57) The difference between being rich and being rich enough (05:32) The real spending decisions that actually delay...
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SAVE Lawsuit Settlement and What It Means
Student Loan Planner
The SAVE plan is officially dead. Learn what the SAVE lawsuit settlement actually says (not the rumors), who really needs to pay attention right now, and what you should do next. We walk through why millions of people are still stuck in SAVE forbearance, what repayment plans are actually available going forward, and how upcoming rulemaking could reshape income-driven repayment yet again. If you’re waiting things out, this is your nudge to get proactive before the Department of Education decides for you. Key moments: (01:07) The lawsuit that officially ended the SAVE plan (05:01) Why...
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IBR Problems and How to Fix Them
Student Loan Planner
Income-Based Repayment has turned into a maze for a lot of borrowers, from unexpected forbearances to confusing “partial financial hardship” determinations that don’t add up. Learn why so many borrowers are stuck in SAVE forbearance, what’s really going on with IBR denials, and what the Department of Education says it’s going to fix by early 2026. We’ll also talk about new proposed borrowing limits, how they could reshape entire professions, and what that might mean for your salary, PSLF strategy, and long-term plan. Key moments: (02:17) What “partial financial hardship”...
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Introducing the Student Loan Planner Community
Student Loan Planner
We’ve been working on something big behind the scenes, and today I finally get to share it. We launched the SLP Insiders app, a dedicated community built for borrowers who want clarity, connection, and a calm place to ask questions without getting pulled into the noise of social media. Learn why we built it, who it’s for, and how it can help you stay on track through the constant waves of servicer issues, PSLF updates, and IDR rule changes. If you’ve ever wished you had “your people” to talk loans with, this is the moment. Key moments: (01:54) The flood of borrower emails and how a...
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Tax-Free Forgiveness Strategies
Student Loan Planner
A lot of borrowers are wondering how to get their loans forgiven without getting crushed by taxes later, especially with that 2026 tax-free forgiveness deadline creeping closer. In this episode, I walk through the lesser-known ways forgiveness can be tax-free, how timing affects whether you owe anything, and what thoughtful planning looks like if you’re headed toward taxable IDR forgiveness. You’ll also hear several listener questions that tie directly into PSLF quirks, marriage and income decisions, and whether refinancing really makes sense for high earners. Key moments: (01:35) Employer...
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Future of PAYE, SAVE and RAP with Stanley Tate
Student Loan Planner
Listen in as I sit down with my good friend and one of the sharpest legal minds in the student loan world, Stanley Tate. We walk through the latest PSLF battles, what the SAVE-forbearance mess really means for your timeline, and how the coming transition to RAP and old-school IBR could reshape repayment for millions of borrowers. We also get into Parent PLUS landmines, future loan caps, and what all of this means for the next generation of borrowers. You’ll learn where the pitfalls are, how to protect yourself, and why most borrowers still have more options than they think. Key moments:...
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Reflections on 9 Years of Helping Borrowers
Student Loan Planner
We’ve hit 400 episodes. That’s hundreds of hours helping borrowers make sense of one of the most complicated (and emotional) parts of personal finance. In this milestone episode, I sit down with Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CSLP®, AFC®, one of our longest-serving planners and a key part of SLP since 2018. Together, we look back on how it all started — a spreadsheet that accidentally went viral — and how far we’ve come since then. We talk about the biggest surprises in today’s student loan system, the stories that still move us years later, and where SLP is heading next. Key moments:...
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PSLF Employer Bans + New Regulations Coming Out
Student Loan Planner
Public Service Loan Forgiveness could look very different if the new proposed rules move forward. The Trump administration is exploring ways to strip PSLF eligibility from employees of organizations the administration doesn’t like. That could mean hospitals, nonprofits, or legal aid groups suddenly losing access to forgiveness — with no way for employees to appeal. We also get into ongoing rulemaking around professional degree borrowing limits and repayment plan updates, plus smart moves for refinancing or managing your mortgage. Key moments: (01:15) The four main categories that could...
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Who Has To Worry After the AFT Lawsuit Settlement?
Student Loan Planner
The AFT lawsuit settlement with the Department of Education is one of the biggest updates in months for borrowers on income-driven repayment. You’ll learn how this settlement unfreezes stalled forgiveness applications, who’s protected under the new rules, and the key deadlines you can’t afford to miss. I also explain why the 2026 “tax bomb” is back and what you can do now to prepare for it. Key moments: (00:57) What the AFT lawsuit forced the Department of Ed to fix (02:43) How PAYE and IBR borrowers can finally get forgiveness processed (05:57) The 2026 tax bomb: what’s coming and...
info_outlineThe SAVE plan is officially dead. Learn what the SAVE lawsuit settlement actually says (not the rumors), who really needs to pay attention right now, and what you should do next. We walk through why millions of people are still stuck in SAVE forbearance, what repayment plans are actually available going forward, and how upcoming rulemaking could reshape income-driven repayment yet again. If you’re waiting things out, this is your nudge to get proactive before the Department of Education decides for you.
Key moments:
(01:07) The lawsuit that officially ended the SAVE plan
(05:01) Why borrowers should get off the SAVE plan asap
(09:03) Borrowers are also losing access to PAYE
(13:22) Why I don’t think the RAP plan will be around for the next 30 years
(18:25) Act early to avoid being defaulted into the wrong 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!