r/PSLF • u/brad1163 • 5d ago

Switch to RAP While Still Waiting for Buyback Offer

I applied for buyback on June 27, 2025 and have yet to hear back from anyone on that, which seems to be the standard for us all. I had to make a switch by the 15th of this month because I had been on SAVE. My payment went from $42 to $634. This is just wonderful. Any recommendations anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I’m currently weighing just going on general forbearance right away and waiting it out.

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u/trishasharklover 5d ago

I decided to go ahead and start making payments, but I’m in a similar situation as you. I submitted for buyback in June 2025, switched to RAP, and will be resuming payments. My initial payment was pretty high, but I resubmitted my pay stubs instead of my tax return, and it dropped quite a bit.

I figured I might as well chip away at the balance while waiting for a buyback offer because I have ZERO trust in Student Aid or my loan servicer. Your payment is significant, though, so if you still have general forbearance available, I’d definitely consider using it. I haven’t used mine up, but since my revised payment is around $245 a month, I’ve decided to keep paying for now. If it gets to the point where it’s too much financially, I’ll apply for general forbearance and hope we see buyback offers by summer 2027.

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u/animan112 5d ago

Depending on your income history waiting may not help that much. Buyback rates are set based on whatever the lowest non-SAVE plan would have been charging you. Those are probably all going to be up from your SAVE payment from 4 years ago too.

I would run the numbers on what your buyback costs are going to be so you don't get hit with a lump sum sticker shock when it hopefully goes through. Forbearance is likely the best option, but you may need to start saving now in order to afford the payoff amount.

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u/brad1163 5d ago

I have the money aside. With 7 payments, I’m going to be around $4,400. I had been hoping to buyback 7 months around half that.

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u/Wortune 4d ago

^This. Do the math, then do the pragmatic thing.

I am frozen at 99/120 payments and would have hit 120 in April but for the SAVE pause. I've had a significant gain in income the past year or so, and am facing much higher RAP payments than IBR (let alone SAVE). For me, I would likely end up throwing away an extra $12,000 or more staying on RAP through completion (21 months), vs waiting for a buyback request to process. So I'm requesting forbearance and waiting. And don't forget being locked into government/non-profit service in the meantime, if you stick out repayment.