SAVE Plan
The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan is an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan developed through the negotiated rulemaking process in 2021-22. Implementation of the SAVE plan started in early 2024, but lawsuits soon followed, and it has been held up in litigation since.
This page serves as a central hub for NASFAA's coverage of the SAVE plan, including articles, resources, media mentions, and policy updates. Given that SAVE emerged from the neg reg process, you can also explore our negotiated rulemaking page for more background on its development.
Today’s News Coverage
- *NEW* March 11, 2026 - Federal Appeals Court Reverses SAVE Dismissal, Advancing ED and Missouri’s Settlement
- March 6, 2026 - Federal Court Denies Missouri’s Request to Pause Dismissal of SAVE Lawsuit
- March 2, 2026 - Court Dismisses ED’s SAVE Settlement, Leaving More Questions for Borrowers
- January 22, 2026 - New ED Status Report Shows Gradual Processing of IDR, PSLF Backlog
- December 10, 2025 - Pending Legal Settlement Would End Biden-Era SAVE Plan
- November 10, 2025 - You Have Questions; We Have Answers: Making Sense of the Student Loan Changes from OBBBA’s RISE Committee
- August 21, 2025 - Status Report: Minor Progress Toward IDR Backlog as PSLF Buyback Requests Increase
- July 17, 2025 - Senators Question ED’s Validity of Resuming Interest Accrual for SAVE Borrowers
- July 17, 2025 - After Three Months of Reporting Data, ED’s Progress Toward Reducing IDR Backlog Has Stalled
- July 10, 2025 - Interest to Begin Accruing for Borrowers Enrolled in SAVE on August 1
- June 26, 2025 - ED Officials Detail Student Loan Repayment Landscape
- April 28, 2025 - AFT and ED Lawsuit Paused While ED Commits to Publish IDR and PSLF Reports
- April 15, 2025 - ED Files Memorandum in Opposition to American Federation of Teachers’ IDR Lawsuit
- March 27, 2025 - ED Returns IDR and Loan Consolidation Applications Online, But SAVE Application Still Blocked
- March 20, 2025 - AFT Sues ED For Shutting Down Access to IDR Plans, Hindering Progress Toward PSLF
- February 26, 2025 - ED Disables IDR and Loan Consolidation Applications, Citing Court Injunction
- February 25, 2025 - Court Ruling Affirms Blocking of SAVE Plan While Next Steps for the Program Remain Uncertain
- January 30, 2025 - PSLF Buyback Program: A Way to Have SAVE Plan Forbearance Months Counted Towards Loan Forgiveness
- November 18, 2024 - Citing Legal Challenges to SAVE Program ED Moves to Renew ICR, PAYE Repayment Plans
- October 23, 2024 - ED: Borrowers Enrolled in SAVE Repayment Plan Expected to Remain in Forbearance for ‘Six Months or Longer’
- July 12, 2023 - ED Releases Final Rule on Latest Income-Driven Repayment Plan
Resources
- February 28, 2025 - OTC Inside The Beltway: Unpacking ED's DEI Dear Colleague Letter, SAVE Plan Updates, and Batch Corrections Functionality
- February 25, 2025 - Biden Administration Debt Relief Timeline (PDF)
- January 29, 2025 - Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback Explainer Infographic (PDF)
NASFAA in the News
- Investopedia: What's Next For The SAVE Plan? What Student Loan Borrowers Need To Know
- Investopedia: SAVE Plan’s Future Still Uncertain for Millions, Despite Another Court Decision in Its Favor
- Investopedia: The Student Loan Default Rate is Already High. The End of SAVE Could Make It Worse
- CNBC: 3 Alternatives to the SAVE Plan If You Have Federal Student Loans
- Inside Higher Ed: Interest Accrual Resumes for Biden’s SAVE Plan
- CNET: Stay With SAVE for Student Loan Forgiveness, Experts Say -- With 4 Exceptions
- Newsweek: Student Loan Borrowers Could See Higher Payments After Judge's Ruling
- Investopedia: How SAVE Plan Pause Affects Student Loan Borrowers Seeking Public Service Forgiveness
- Investopedia: What's Next For Student Loan Borrowers As SAVE Plan is Put On Ice
- Forbes: What Will Trump’s Second Term Mean for Student Loans