Federal Student Loan Repayment Plans Compared

Federal student loans offer several repayment plans: Standard (10-year, fixed payments, least total interest), Graduated (starts low, increases every 2 years, more total interest), Extended (up to 25 years, lower payments, much more interest), and Income-Driven plans (payments based on income, 20–25 year forgiveness).

The Standard plan minimizes total interest paid.

Income-driven plans are best if you're pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness or have very high debt relative to income..