Why do I need to recertify my Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan?
All IDR plans are approved for 12 months to ensure that your monthly payment amount reflects any changes to your income and family size that may occur. Even if your circumstances don't change, you are required to recertify your plan.
What is a recertification date?
A recertification date is when your IDR plan expires. Recertification dates are unique to you and the last time your IDR application was processed.
You must submit your income documentation and IDR application 10 days before your recertification date otherwise, you'll be taken off the IDR plan. However, it is recommended to submit your recertification application at least 35 days before your date for a smooth billing transition from your current IDR plan to the next.
Where can I find my recertification date?
You can find your recertification date on your loan servicer's web portal.
How do I recertify my IDR plan?
You can recertify your IDR plan by submitting an IDR application with your proof of income using Summer's IDR tool. Your application and documentation will be sent to your loan servicer for processing. You must submit this information at least 10 days before your recertification date to avoid being removed from IDR.
What happens if I miss my recertification date?
If you fail to recertify, you'll halt your progress toward IDR forgiveness or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
The consequences of missing your annual recertification deadline vary depending on your IDR plan. For more details on each plan’s consequences for failing to recertify by your recertification date, refer to Federal Student Aid (FSA).
Can I automatically recertify my IDR plan?
The IDR application was updated in 2023 so that you can consent to allow the Education Department (ED) to access your tax information through the IRS. Starting July 2024, if you consent to this benefit, your IDR plan will automatically recertify annually and you will be informed before your new monthly plan amount goes into effect. If your income decreases before your recertification, you can manually submit a recalculation application so that your monthly payment reflects your new income.
If you signed up for auto-enrollment and your family size isn’t accurately reflected on your tax return, you will be allowed to update your family size with your loan servicer to ensure an accurate monthly payment amount.
When do I recertify my IDR plan now that the COVID payment pause has ended?
Even though payments have resumed as of September 2023, the Education Department (ED) has extended the recertification deadline so that the earliest you'll need to recertify is November 1, 2024. If your recertification date is November 1st, the latest you should submit your recertification is by September 25, 2024, to give your application enough time to be processed by November.
If the recertification date listed on your servicer's portal is after November 1, 2024, you should submit your application at least 35 days before that date instead.