Some parts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are pretty rough for borrowers, but believe it or not, it could’ve been way worse — you can thank the Senate parliamentarian for blocking the worst of it. We’ll walk you through what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and what you need to start planning for now. This is your clear, practical guide to understanding how the bill will affect your wallet and the conversations you’ll need to have with your partner, financial planner, or school’s aid office.

Key moments:

(03:40) The math of student loans becomes very complicated for borrowers starting fall 2026
(11:39) Grad school closures and layoffs could mean higher salaries for remaining professionals
(14:22) Families face tough choices as expensive colleges become harder to finance
(18:56) How you file taxes continues to shape your student loan payment strategy under new rules

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“Senate parliamentarian” isn’t exactly a household name, but her latest ruling is huge news for anyone with student debt. Learn what her surprise decision means for the Big Beautiful Bill Act and how it could shape repayment plans and forgiveness programs. You’ll find the specifics of what this means if you’re a Parent PLUS borrower, in dental and medical school, or just worried about how these policy shifts could affect your financial future. We’ll take you beyond the political noise and cut through the confusion to give you actionable info you can use.

Key moments:

(02:32) The current bill would essentially kick a lot of people who need to borrow after July 2026 onto the RAP plan
(05:21) Future students deserve clear repayment rules upfront, not changes mid-degree like the Senate is proposing
(08:45) Anybody who's ever had a parent plus loan needs to apply for the ICR plan
(11:20) PAYE borrowers must be prepared to get switched to the old IBR or possibly the RAP plan
(15:48) Different borrowers should take different approaches while legislation is pending

Resource mentioned:

IDR Plan Request at Studentaid.gov

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

• Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music
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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!

If you're married, there’s a lot to consider in the latest student loan reform proposals. Discover what the changes being debated in Congress could mean for married borrowers, including the potential loss of “married filing separately” as a repayment strategy and how the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) might affect your monthly payments. If you’re single or engaged, this still matters — we’ll cover what you need to know before tying the knot, plus smart moves you can make now to avoid future headaches.

Key moments:

(03:07) New rules could make marriage costly for borrowers with high student debt

(10:54) RAP plan offers fewer deductions than IBR, especially for families with multiple children

(16:36) Capping federal loan limits could push students toward private lenders with strict requirements

(25:02) Borrowers with high debt-to-income ratios may benefit from sticking with forgiveness, despite uncertainty

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

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!