Federal Student Aid says a court order ended the SAVE Plan in March 2026, so borrowers enrolled in it must choose a different repayment plan. Borrowers who were never in SAVE, or who are in school, in a grace period, or hold a loan taken on or after July 1, 2026 that has not entered repayment, need to take no action.
Loan servicers started sending notices on July 1, 2026, in groups, so deadlines differ even within one servicer, and every SAVE borrower will be notified before the end of 2026. Each borrower has 90 days from the servicer notice. For a July 1 notice the deadline was September 29, 2026. Those who do not act get a final 30-day notice. The notice subject lines are “You Have 90 Days to Select a New Repayment Plan” and “Final Notice – You will be Placed into a New Repayment Plan in 30 Days.”
If no plan is chosen, the borrower is placed in the Standard Repayment Plan, or the Tiered Standard Plan if they hold a loan made on or after July 1, 2026 that is in repayment. Those payments may be higher than under an income-driven plan, and auto pay withdrawals rise with them. The servicer must give at least 21 days notice before the first due date on the new plan.
Federal Student Aid also notes that help from a federal loan servicer is free, and that borrowers never have to pay a company to apply for a repayment plan or manage federal loans.