Student Loan Planner

Travis Hornsby
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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.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    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 in Resources 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 community Feeling 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 planning Do 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 Channel If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner Free Student Loan newsletter If 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

    53 min

  2. 28 APR

    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 finances 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 community Feeling 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 planning Do 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 podcast Starting 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 Publicly Getting 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.

    23 min

  3. 21 APR

    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 plan 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 community Feeling 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 planning Do 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 newsletter If 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 The SLP YouTube Channel If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

    23 min

  4. 14 APR

    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 borrowers 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 community Feeling 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 planning Do 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 Publicly Getting 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 podcast Starting 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.

    16 min

  5. 7 APR

    How to Pay Student Loans During the Next Recession

    The next recession isn't a question of "if," it's a question of "when." Whether you're holding federal loans, private refinanced debt, or a mix of both, your strategy needs to account for what happens when the economy turns. We break down how credit markets actually affect your ability to refinance, why your required payment matters more than your interest rate, and the moves you can make right now to protect yourself before it's too late. Key moments: (01:40) Why slowing down payments in a recession can be a smart move (03:27) The problem with private student loans when the economy turns (05:36) How borrowing conditions in the broader economy set your refinancing rates (08:15) What happened to the refinancing market during COVID and 2008 (11:14) Restructuring your loans now to prepare for a downturn Resources mentioned: Studentaid.gov/idr for recalculating income-driven repaymentOne Big Beautiful Bill Act changes to federal student aid programs 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 community Feeling 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 planning Do 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 newsletter If 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 The SLP YouTube Channel If you're more of a visual learner or you like seeing charts, breakdowns, and exploring other topics, check out https://youtube.com/studentloanplanner

    17 min

  6. 31 MAR

    Is Student Loan Forgiveness Dead?

    Figuring out how to pay for grad school is about to get a lot trickier—and the fate of student loan forgiveness hangs in the balance. We break down what the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act means for new grads, why programs like PSLF and SAVE are under the microscope, and how upcoming changes will shift federal loan limits and forgiveness options. We tackle real listener questions on recertifying your income during a dental residency, PSLF processing times, loan capitalization, and married filing strategies. Key moments: (02:29) The new rules after July 2026: federal loan limits and the RAP plan for grad/professional students (03:32) Whether you can avoid in-school deferment to earn IDR credit during residency (06:14) How recertifying income before forgiveness can impact your spouse's payment under IDR (07:41) Why PSLF buyback is moving at a glacial pace, but traditional PSLF is still processing (13:12) Who will still benefit from forgiveness after the OBBB Act Resource mentioned: studentloanplanner.com/voicemail – submit questions to the show Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan Get profession-specific financial planning Do 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!

    26 min

  7. 24 MAR

    IDR Recertification Backlogs, Glitches, and Scary Letters

    If you've been coasting since COVID without recertifying your income-driven repayment plan, that grace period is officially over. We break down what recertification actually looks like right now and talk about recalculation, payment caps, the kinds of forbearances that help (or hurt) your progress toward forgiveness, and a weird glitch flagging people as Parent PLUS borrowers when they're not. You'll learn where to find your recert date, what to do when your loan servicer fumbles your file, and how to avoid common mistakes in a system that seems designed to trip you up, all while staying on track for PSLF or long-term forgiveness. Key moments: (04:02) Servicers pulling income 4 months before recertification dates — and sometimes applying new payments early (06:49) How to choose whether to recalculate, switch plans, or manually recertify in the IDR recertification portal (14:59) 626,000 pending IDR applications, and what to do if yours has been sitting for months (21:01) Payment caps and why denial letters aren't always bad (24:19) The Parent PLUS glitch making recertification impossible for some, and how to fix it Resources mentioned: StudentAid.gov for up-to-date recertification information and account access Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan Get profession-specific financial planning Do 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!

    27 min

  8. 17 MAR

    Why PSLF Could Die By the Mid-2030s

    The One Big Beautiful Bill didn't kill PSLF outright, but once you run the numbers on the new borrowing limits and the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), the financial incentive for Public Service Loan Forgiveness essentially evaporates for future borrowers. I walk through exactly how this plays out for physicians, PAs, NPs, teachers, lawyers, and other professions — and why existing borrowers are grandfathered in but should still pay attention. I also break down what the new math means for private universities, which degrees still pencil out financially, and a critical deadline for Parent PLUS borrowers that could affect your ability to retire. Key moments: (03:57) How the new $50K/year loan cap makes PSLF nearly worthless for physicians entering med school this fall (07:51) Second-year students are grandfathered in and can borrow Grad PLUS to finish their program (09:18) How lower borrowing limits gut PSLF for NPs, PAs, teachers, and lawyers (16:09) The Parent PLUS consolidation deadline before July 2026, and why waiting too long could make income-based repayment permanently inaccessible Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan Get profession-specific financial planning Do 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!

    19 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Travis Hornsby
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    440
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Student Loan Planner®. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Student Loan Planner

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