Ever wondered how your income and student debt stack up against others in your field? We’re dropping the results from our biggest survey yet – over 8,000 high-income professionals spilled the tea on their finances, and some of these numbers are pretty eye-opening. Find out which careers are getting crushed by student loans and which ones are actually coming out ahead. Plus, we discuss the coming changes in student loan borrowing limits and what they mean for your career, your wallet, and even the future of professional education. Want to know where you stack up? Tune in.

Key moments:

(02:24) Naturopathic doctors have the worst debt to income ratio of any profession that we surveyed

(04:44) Dental specialists average $414K in income and $500K in student debt, a debt-to-income ratio of 1.2:1

(07:19) CRNAs and physicians have surprisingly similar average salaries according to our data

(14:18) Schools can't magically replace lost tuition when borrowing limits block enrollment

(19:10) Nonprofit hospitals may struggle to retain doctors under new student loan lending rules

Resources mentioned:

• Ron Lieber's book and course on college merit aid and discounting

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
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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!

Join us for a special live recording from FinCon as we pull back the curtain on what’s happening with student loans right now. We're talking about the current state of federal programs, what's working, what's not, and where things might be headed — especially for those of you dealing with big debt loads from professional and graduate programs. If you're a doctor, lawyer, or other high-earning professional trying to make sense of all the policy changes and figure out your best repayment strategy, this behind-the-scenes conversation will give you some clarity on what to expect and how to navigate your options moving forward.

Key moments:

(01:33) Payment counts will likely be wrong, requiring borrowers to self-advocate for corrections

(03:53) Without SAVE, deciding when to repay student loans vs. going for forgiveness is more complex

(11:52) Confusing times ahead as borrowers navigate between old grandfathered rules and new regulations to figure out which rule sets apply to them

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

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!

The new 30-year Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) could be the only option for federal student loans after July 2026 — but even current borrowers aren’t safe if they don’t take action. Discover what moves to make to avoid getting stuck with decades of payments. Also, learn about new rules affecting Parent and Grad PLUS loans. If facing 30 years of student loan payments sounds brutal, this episode is for you.

Key moments:

(02:54) The new $200k loan cap means high earners will likely pay off loans before getting forgiveness

(05:44) Education has become a defining fault line between the two political parties

(14:55) Grad schools might start using undergrad-style aid talks for tuition and discounts.

(18:08) A wave of confusion is on the horizon for borrowers, peaking in April 2026

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

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!

There’s a controversial and urgent topic we have to talk about: the massive upheaval headed for graduate and professional education financing starting in the fall of 2026. With the recent passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” federal borrowing for graduate programs will be drastically limited — meaning schools and students are about to face a world of change.

Learn what these new federal borrowing caps could mean for your finances, your career plans, and the future of higher ed. We’ll discuss the risk of many degree programs closing, and share ways borrowers like you can prepare.

Key moments:

(01:25) Federal loan limits for new med students drop to $50k annual, $200k lifetime

(09:36) Which programs are likely going to be the hardest hit from these federal loan caps

(17:19) RAP doesn’t provide a path to forgiveness for physicians in the private sector at all

(21:26) Lawmakers may rethink the cap when they see the actual economic consequences

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

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!

The student loan refi ladder is a clever strategy that’ll help you tackle your debt without wrecking your cash flow. We haven’t talked about this much in recent years because of student loan payment and interest pauses, but with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act stripping protections from federal student loan borrowers, now is the time to decide between loan forgiveness and refinancing.

This episode will help you decide if refinancing — and the refi ladder — is right for you, or if forgiveness is the better path.

Key moments:

(07:55) Who should consider refinancing (and who shouldn’t)

(15:14) If you’re convinced that paying off your student loans is best, here’s what to do first

(17:27) Why the refi ladder strategy helps

(25:42) Overly aggressive payments may hurt your chances for a mortgage or other big purchases

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

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!

Big shifts are coming to student loans starting July 2026. If you’re carrying six figures of debt or even thinking about grad school, you’ll definitely want to hear this one. Unlimited loans are out, so pricey grad programs might not be as easy to join. Sounds scary, right? But this shift could actually work in your favor. Fewer students funneled into certain careers could mean bigger salaries and steadier job security for those who do make it through. Learn what these changes could look like for you, your school, and your paychecks down the road.

Key moments:

(02:49) Loan borrowing caps for students starting grad programs after July 2026

(14:08) We may see grad schools offering discounts, much like undergrad tuition discounting

(17:27) Schools dependent on higher federal loan limits may be forced to close their doors

(18:24) Parent PLUS borrowers must be careful about borrowing before July 2026

(23:27) Affordable in-state and public programs will see a flood of new applications and competition

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

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!

Ever stop and think about how much that new car, kitchen remodel, or shiny toy really costs you — not just in dollars, but in hours, days, or even months of your life? We’re digging into what big-ticket spending looks like when you’re on an income-driven repayment plan that’s already taking 10–15% of your paycheck. We’ll show you how to reframe those purchases, so instead of just seeing the sticker price, you see the true impact on your time and future. We’ll talk about ways to cut back smartly, snag tax deductions where you can, and still enjoy the things that make you happy… all without derailing your long-term goals. You might love your job or just be pushing through to the next milestone, and either way, this conversation will help you rethink what’s worth it, what’s not, and how to keep more peace (and cash) in your pocket.

Key moments:

(03:07) Buying stuff to numb the pain of a job you don't like only steals more of your time

(04:52) Sometimes big renovations are a band-aid for deeper stress or emptiness

(06:24) Control housing and car costs, and most financial stress will melt away

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

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!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been collecting your questions, and wow… you did not hold back. We’re answering as many as we can fit in one episode, covering topics like forgiveness deadlines, confusing recertification rules, and loan servicers who seem to speak in riddles. You’ll hear from people on the brink of PSLF forgiveness, parents in the middle of tricky Parent PLUS double consolidations, and grads wondering if they should act now or wait. If you’ve been wondering what to do next with your loans, there’s a good chance we’ll hit on something that helps you figure it out.

Key moments:

(09:25) Will the Big Beautiful Bill impact incoming students in August 2025, or only those who begin in the academic year 2026?

(16:18) Why is my interest growing when MOHELA said it would be 0%?

(28:01) Borrowing after July 2026 locks you into the RAP plan, but you could still qualify for PSLF

(37:44) What happens when your employer refuses to certify qualifying PSLF work

(46:36) The one scenario where paying extra on student loans makes sense

(51:08) How to push your case forward after long delays from your servicer

Resources mentioned:

• File an FSA complaint
• Escalate issues to the FSA Ombudsman Group
• Reach out to your local representative or senator

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

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!