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 lump-sum PSLF mess and how to escalate when servicers contradict themselves

(08:11) Acupuncturist's loans, marriage stress, and married-filing-separately trade-offs

(16:57) Should high earners refinance or keep federal protections and flexibility

(26:03) What happens if PSLF rules get blocked, and who should actually worry

(29:11) Tax-free forgiveness strategies, tax bomb planning, and smart moves before 2026

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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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

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:

(05:07) How worried should you be about the new PSLF rules (09:20) The weighted-average credit confusion after consolidation (16:32) The risk of choosing between federal and private student loans is quite high (24:28) SAVE forbearance, recertification delays, and the Parent PLUS trap (43:47) What we're watching in negotiated rulemaking and RAP vs. IBR

Resource mentioned:

• Stanley Tate's YouTube channel

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

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:

(02:37) How a viral spreadsheet launched a national business

(9:34) From Olympian to planner: Lauryn's journey to helping borrowers with student loan debt

(14:50) The biggest shock about student loans today compared to 2016

(22:00) Client stories that still stick with us

(32:15) Why today's system is simpler—but still not simple enough

(38:54) What's next for SLP: building the SLP Insiders app to bring borrowers together

Resources mentioned:

• Financial Free Era podcast
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Heather Jarvis, Student Loan Expert

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

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 determine loss of PSLF eligibility

(08:38) Negotiated rulemaking and new borrowing limits for professional degrees

(12:27) When refinancing your student loans or mortgage makes sense

(18:14) Your 2025 tax returns will be very important for income-driven repayment

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

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 how to plan for it

(07:02) The urgent deadline for Parent PLUS borrowers before July 2026

(13:27) Upcoming rule changes that could reshape repayment options

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Worried PSLF Buyback might vanish before you qualify? Let's dig into the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback program — how it works, why it exists, whether it's likely to stick around, and how to position yourself if the rules change.

You'll also hear my take on listener questions covering repayment plans SAVE vs. IBR, joint vs. separate taxes, and why sometimes "die with the debt" really can be a strategy.

Key moments:

(00:44) How PSLF Buyback works, when you can apply, and why politics could shape its future

(06:06) The growing backlog of applications and the risk of counting on Buyback approval

(10:28) How to choose between SAVE, PAYE, and IBR repayment plans

(14:22) When a "die with the debt" strategy makes sense in retirement

(17:50) How to handle income recertification after a job change

Resources mentioned:

• Certify your PSLF employment
• Recertify or update income-driven repayment

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

When someone asks whether a certain degree is "worth it," there's finally some data to answer that. We analyzed debt-to-income ratios across dozens of professions from our survey of over 8,000 high-income professionals, and the results tell a pretty clear story about who's managing student debt well — and who's getting squeezed.

I'll also share a few thoughts on what these numbers mean in real life, like how income, housing costs, and lifestyle choices play into long-term financial outcomes.

Key moments:

(01:56) Professions with the lowest debt-to-income ratios and why practicality beats prestige

(05:37) The hidden stress gap between generalists and specialists in healthcare and dentistry

(09:05) Why certain degree programs may be setting students up to fail financially

(13:06) Who's building the most wealth relative to income

(14:47) Spending patterns that separate comfortable from stressed-out professionals

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Feeling anxious about where your career's headed? You're definitely not alone. We surveyed over 8,000 high-income professionals and asked what's keeping them up at night about their profession in 2025. The answers were eye-opening — but also pretty relatable. We're covering the top 10 fears that come up again and again. If you're a doctor, dentist, lawyer, or another high-earning professional, chances are you'll see yourself in at least a few of these concerns.

Key moments:

(01:26) Rising education costs and massive debt loads are crushing high-income professionals

(09:15) Rural practice bring in more money due to high competition in urban areas

(20:06) Compassion fatigue is burning out professionals at alarming rate

(24:59) Clients may not value a professional's expertise when free AI seems "good enough"

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Ever wondered how your income and student debt stack up against others in your field? We're dropping the results from our biggest survey yet – over 8,000 high-income professionals spilled the tea on their finances, and some of these numbers are pretty eye-opening. Find out which careers are getting crushed by student loans and which ones are actually coming out ahead. Plus, we discuss the coming changes in student loan borrowing limits and what they mean for your career, your wallet, and even the future of professional education. Want to know where you stack up? Tune in.

Key moments:

(02:24) Naturopathic doctors have the worst debt to income ratio of any profession that we surveyed

(04:44) Dental specialists average $414K in income and $500K in student debt, a debt-to-income ratio of 1.2:1

(07:19) CRNAs and physicians have surprisingly similar average salaries according to our data

(14:18) Schools can't magically replace lost tuition when borrowing limits block enrollment

(19:10) Nonprofit hospitals may struggle to retain doctors under new student loan lending rules

Resources mentioned:

• Ron Lieber's book and course on college merit aid and discounting

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!

Join us for a special live recording from FinCon as we pull back the curtain on what's happening with student loans right now. We're talking about the current state of federal programs, what's working, what's not, and where things might be headed — especially for those of you dealing with big debt loads from professional and graduate programs. If you're a doctor, lawyer, or other high-earning professional trying to make sense of all the policy changes and figure out your best repayment strategy, this behind-the-scenes conversation will give you some clarity on what to expect and how to navigate your options moving forward.

Key moments:

(01:33) Payment counts will likely be wrong, requiring borrowers to self-advocate for corrections

(03:53) Without SAVE, deciding when to repay student loans vs. going for forgiveness is more complex

(11:52) Confusing times ahead as borrowers navigate between old grandfathered rules and new regulations to figure out which rule sets apply to them

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 [email protected] and we might feature it in an upcoming show!