Pick the wrong plan, and those payments never count toward forgiveness. Ever.
Starting this summer, your loan servicer replaced SAVE with two options, RAP and Tiered Standard, and you have 90 days to choose one before they choose for you. Here's the part that's easy to miss in a dense servicer letter: only RAP still counts toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Choose Tiered Standard while you're on the PSLF track, and those payments won't count toward it. See which one you're actually looking at, in under a minute.
What will you owe, and does it still count?
Four plans, one form, sixty seconds. We'll flag which ones keep you on the PSLF track. Nothing here touches your bank account or credit file.
PSLF eligibility reflects current federal guidance as of July 2026. RAP and Tiered Standard are new programs still moving through rulemaking and litigation, so eligibility rules could change. Confirm your plan's PSLF status with your servicer before making a final decision.
Verified, not vibes
Every number here traces back to the U.S. Department of Education's own guidance on the July 2026 repayment overhaul, cross-checked against NASFAA's technical plan chart. We link our two primary sources below so you can verify it yourself instead of taking our word for it. Regulations are still moving through rulemaking and litigation, so treat every figure as an estimate and confirm anything consequential with your servicer.
You shouldn't need a $500 consult to ask one question
If you're trying to figure out whether the plan your servicer is nudging you toward will quietly cost you years of forgiveness progress, you're not being paranoid — that's a real trap in the new rules, and the government's own calculator didn't even support RAP yet when this got built in July 2026. So LoanClock exists to answer the one question that actually matters, in a minute, for free. It's independently run — not the Department of Education, not a loan servicer, not a political party, just a tool built to get you a straight answer. Something look wrong, or want to double-check a number yourself? support@loanclock.app reaches a real person.
Quick answers
Does Tiered Standard count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness?
No. Of the two plans replacing SAVE, only RAP counts toward PSLF. Tiered Standard is a fixed payment plan with no income-driven component, so payments made on it don't qualify. A lower payment on Tiered Standard can look tempting, but if you're on the PSLF track it quietly takes you off the forgiveness path. That's why we flag PSLF eligibility on every plan in your results, not just the payment amount.
What happens if I miss my 90-day deadline?
Your servicer automatically enrolls you in the Standard Repayment Plan (or new Tiered Standard Plan), which does not factor in your income. For most borrowers this means a higher monthly payment than RAP would have offered.
Is RAP always cheaper than Tiered Standard?
Not always. It depends on your income relative to your balance. High balance and low income usually favors RAP. Low balance and high income can favor Tiered Standard's shorter payoff. That's why LoanClock shows you both, side by side.
Are these numbers official?
No. They're planning estimates based on the published RAP and Tiered Standard formulas. Your loan servicer calculates your actual bill. We link our sources above so you can verify everything yourself.
Do you link to my bank or student loan servicer account?
Never. You type in your balance and income yourself. LoanClock Plus only stores what you tell it, so we can send you reminders.