Student Loan Planner

Hosted by Travis Hornsby

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Episodes

446

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Travis helps you navigate the insane world of student loans, especially if you owe $20,000 to $1 million. If you've ever spent too much time on the phone with your loan servicer, this is the show for you. Every week we share tips on loan forgiveness, investing, crushing debt, and how to get to financial freedom when you owe more than most people's mortgage.

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June 16, 202627 min

Repayment Assistance Plan

A brand new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan is coming, and the rules are stricter than anything borrowers have dealt with before. We break down what we know about the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP): who qualifies, how payments are calculated, and the deadlines you may need to beat before older plans like Pay As You Earn (PAYE) close their doors. If you have federal loans and want to make the right move during this transition window, this is where to start.Key moments:(03:57) Checking your loan types and RAP eligibility(06:38) How RAP payments are calculated(10:44) Unpaid interest subsidy and other RAP features(18:26) RAP’s 30-year forgiveness and how it impacts PSLFResource mentioned: Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) CalculatorLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplannerFree Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletter

June 9, 202626 min

New Rules, Forgiveness Updates, and PSLF Lawsuit Watch

Since the One Big Beautiful Bill, the final student loan regulations have started landing, and we're seeing the real-world fallout in consultations every single day. We bring you what that looks like from the front lines: the latest ATF update on IDR backlogs, PSLF buyback wait times, and forgiveness eligibility checks, plus a few other things worth watching. We also cover the consolidation trap new grads need to avoid, Parent PLUS loans showing up on files where they don't belong, and what the July 1 deadline really means if you're still stuck on SAVE.Key moments:(01:52) Why the ATF lawsuit updates matter for IDR and PSLF backlogs(04:06) How forgiveness timing could trigger bigger tax bills in 2027(08:36) 88,000 pending PSLF buyback applicants, duplicate applications, and delays(12:14) Parent PLUS loan confusion: When your file shows loans you never took out(20:10) Why new grads should think hard before consolidating, and how it can lock you into a 30-year planLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

June 2, 202620 min

Changes to Grad Plus Coming This Year in 2026

Grad PLUS loans are going away, and the phase-out is going to create one of the strangest stretches in the history of student loan financing. If you're enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program, about to start one, or know someone who is, the new borrowing limits taking effect July 1, 2026, will reshape how you pay for school and how you'll repay later. Learn about the new borrowing caps, the orphaned group of borrowers caught in between, why taking a leave of absence could cost you everything, and what the coming wave of private lending chaos means for your wallet.Key moments:(01:44) Why taking a leave of absence could lock some students out of crucial loans(06:19) When high-cost programs only stay open to the wealthy(07:39) Why private loans won't fill every funding gap(14:23) How shrinking loan money could reshape (or close) schoolsLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

May 26, 202633 min

"What Now?" Listener Questions Answered

The new federal student loan regulations are about to throw a wrench into grad and professional borrowers’ repayment options, and we’re tackling some of the most pressing questions borrowers are calling in with. We break down why one loan disbursed after July 2026 can flip somebody from a clear forgiveness path to being stuck in a repayment plan that costs you double (or more). You’ll also learn strategies for handling PSLF account issues, navigating income certification if your income drops, and the mental health toll all these changes might take. Key moments:(01:23) Why a single loan disbursed after July can potentially double your total repayment(08:54) Using pay stubs vs. tax returns to certify IDR plan income(15:26) Mental health, financial hopelessness, and why no student loan situation is truly unrecoverable(24:21) Calculating physician debt-to-income ratio for PSLF as a resident vs. attending(28:53) Why federal loan caps will trigger chaos in grad school funding and may force program closures or major tuition shiftsLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership. Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.

May 19, 202620 min

Will AI Kill Student Loan Advising?

Everyone's wondering whether AI is coming for their job (or wallet), so it's fair to ask how close AI tools are to replacing a real human student loan advisor or even your future career. We get into why some professions may weather the AI storm better than others, what the superstar effect means for your career (and your loans), and how upcoming policy changes like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will shake up borrowing limits, the decision between federal versus private loans, and long-term strategy.We also share where human advice will always matter, and what all this means for you if you're managing loans, borrowing for school, or about to choose a degree.Key moments:(03:43) Comparing new AI models for real-life financial analysis(05:20) The “superstar effect” and how AI will widen the gap between top and average earners(09:54) Why real human expertise still matters most for high-stakes student loan decisions(12:45) Upcoming federal loan limits, Parent PLUS problems, and the likely chaos from the One Big Beautiful Bill ActLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Free Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletterThe SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

May 12, 202618 min

Predicting the Future of the Tax Bomb

What happens when forgiven student debt becomes taxable income again? That’s the “tax bomb” we’re breaking down this week — why it’s coming back, who could get caught by surprise and what you can actually do about it (even if Congress keeps punting the ball down the road). We’ll get into 20- and 25-year forgiveness for private-sector folks, insolvency exclusions and why the whole mess falls hardest on servicers and borrowers. We also talk about the real-world impact of recent rule changes, state-level quirks and my predictions for what might (and might not) change after 2026.Key moments:(00:42) Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) stays tax-free(02:59) Who needs to worry about the tax bomb(13:12) Using insolvency exclusions to lower (or wipe out) your student loan tax bill(16:15) Why we expect Congress to make student loan forgiveness permanently tax-free in the futureLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

May 5, 202652 min

Top Student Loan Issues Borrowers Are Facing Right Now

A candid look at what our student loan experts are seeing in real-time consultations. The throughline: borrowers need to pull their heads out of the sand because too many are sitting on consolidation deadlines, surprise recertifications, and PSLF misconceptions that could cost them years of credit. The conversation moves from urgent Parent PLUS deadlines to PSLF edge cases, then to disability planning and ABLE accounts — every topic drawn from patterns the team is seeing across recent consults.Key moments:(03:47) Parent PLUS borrowers must consolidate before July 1 to preserve IDR access(08:09) Servicers are pulling tax data months early — revoke IRS consent to control your recertification(22:29) Big Beautiful Bill removes IBR's hardship test, reopening PSLF for high earners(36:13) Disability creates two tracks: IDR recalculation for income drops, or Total and Permanent Disability Discharge(42:07) ABLE accounts let families save for disability expenses with tax-free growth, and 529 funds can roll inResources mentioned: StudentAid.gov - official Federal Student Aid site for IDR, consolidation, PSLF, disability discharge, and more Like the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:The SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplannerFree Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletter

April 28, 202623 min

How Much You Should Borrow for Grad School is Totally Different Now

Graduate and professional school just got a lot trickier to finance. With the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act slashing federal loan limits in 2026, figuring out how much you should borrow and whether private loans make sense is a whole different ballgame.We examine old vs. new borrowing math, which degrees might justify taking out private loans, where the ROI completely falls apart, and how the profession you choose could make or break your financial future.Key moments:(01:13) Why borrowing used to function like a 10% “income tax”(04:50) Who benefits from the old system vs. new 2026 rules(06:40) Careers where high borrowing still makes financial sense(10:08) Professions where private loans require careful planning(22:02) Fields where private loans can seriously hurt your financesLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership.

April 21, 202622 min

Borrower Defense, PSLF Buyback, and IDR Recertification Chaos

We're bringing you a grab-bag of student loan updates you need to know about. Borrower defense letters are finally going out, long-term forgiveness is being processed (sometimes for borrowers who technically shouldn't qualify yet), and the Department of Education is quietly breaking its own IDR recertification timelines. We walk through what's actually happening, what to do if you're affected, and how to stay in control of your payment when the system isn't cooperating.Key moments:(03:16) PSLF buyback and why SAVE calculations are off the table(06:02) Long-term forgiveness is processing, including some surprising cases three years early(13:14) How to revoke tax return consent and take back control of your recertification date(16:52) What to expect when your payment changes after leaving SAVE(20:29) When your loans are incorrectly coded as Parent PLUS and the workaround to get the right payment planLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Free Student Loan newsletterIf you are not already getting our weekly newsletter every Thursday, you are missing out. We break down studio loan news, updates, money tips, all in one helpful newsletter. Sign up for free at https://studentloanplanner.com/newsletterThe SLP YouTube ChannelIf you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

April 14, 202615 min

Domino Effect From SAVE Settlement

The SAVE plan lawsuit settlement just kicked off a seismic shift in federal student loan repayment, and it's not just about picking a new plan. Find out exactly how the forbearance clock is running out for millions, what you need to know about the new RAP repayment plan, and why 2024 and 2025 tax returns are going to hit especially hard for anyone recertifying with higher income.We also look at strategies to avoid payment shock, the latest on Parent PLUS consolidation, and ripple effects for people banking on loan forgiveness or stuck in limbo with borrower defense claims.Chaos is coming, but you don't have to figure it out alone.Key moments:(01:56) Why some borrowers have 90 days to switch to a new repayment plan(06:21) How recertifying with 2024 or 2025 tax info could shock your monthly payments(08:24) When refinancing might make sense again (and why more borrowers are considering it)(12:04) Urgent deadlines and steps for Parent PLUS loan borrowersLike the show? There are several ways you can help!Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon MusicLeave an honest review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the newsletterJoin SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member communityFeeling helpless when it comes to your student loans?Try our free student loan calculatorCheck out our refinancing bonuses we negotiatedBook your custom student loan planGet profession-specific financial planningDo you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!Mentioned in this episode:Tips I Can't Share PubliclyGetting our free newsletter? Upgrade your experience and discover student loan loopholes so good, they might get repealed if I talk about them publicly. Find out my very best thought leadership that I really just can't be open about anymore, unfortunately. If you want to get our very best tips, not just the ones that I can share for free. Go to studentloanplanner.com/insider to get a special discount for your year membership. Want more? Check out our other podcastStarting to think beyond your student loans? Check out our other show, Financially Free Era. It's about what comes next, investing, building wealth, and designing a life you actually want. Find "Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth" in your podcast app.