IDR Re-Certification (Annual)

Every federal income-driven repayment plan requires you to re-certify your income and family size every 12 months. The re-certification updates the inputs to the payment formula so your monthly payment stays accurate as your income changes.

What you submit

The re-certification asks for your most recent federal tax return information (adjusted gross income) and your current family size. You can authorize the Department of Education to pull your AGI directly from the IRS, which is faster and more accurate than self-reporting.

When it's due

Your servicer sets your re-certification deadline based on when you first enrolled in IDR. You'll receive notifications by mail and email starting about 60 days before the deadline. The deadline is the same date every year — the anniversary of your enrollment.

What happens if you miss it

If you miss the re-certification deadline by more than 10 days, several bad things happen:

1. You're removed from your IDR plan
2. You're placed on a payment equal to what you'd owe under the Standard 10-year Plan (or a 10-year amortization of your current balance, whichever is higher)
3. Any unpaid interest on your loan capitalizes into your principal balance
4. You can lose progress toward PSLF for the months you spend off-plan

You can re-apply for IDR at any time after missing the deadline, but the months between missing the deadline and re-applying generally won't count toward forgiveness.

How to make it painless

Set a calendar reminder 30 days before your deadline. File electronically through studentaid.gov — paper applications can get lost. Use IRS Data Retrieval where available to pull your AGI automatically. Re-certifying when your income drops (lost a job, took a pay cut, gained a dependent) can lower your payment before the annual cycle, so don't wait for the deadline if your situation has changed.