Before you start
US student-loan income-document preparation, checked September 15, 2026. Repayment procedures are changing. This is not a plan-selection, eligibility, tax-filing or payment-amount calculator.
1. Identify the procedure before gathering records
Is this an initial application, scheduled income update, early recalculation after an income change, or a private hardship review? Confirm the plan or procedure named in the notice. StudentAid.gov account records can show application status and actions needed; a message received elsewhere should be verified through that account or the known servicer.
The published FSA Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request linked below has OMB number 1845-0102 and names particular plans. Its existence does not mean every plan is available to every borrower or that this form fits another procedure. Ask for the correct current route when the notice, online process and form do not match.
2. Follow the form’s income branch
The published form distinguishes federal tax information from documentation of current income. Its questions about changed income, tax filing and marital circumstances determine which section to follow. If it directs you to current-income evidence, review Section 5B rather than substituting a prior return without checking.
Section 5B describes gross-pay evidence, such as a pay stub or employer letter, and payment frequency. For the current-income route, it requests evidence for each applicable taxable income source and gives alternatives when documentation is unavailable. Follow its instructions on untaxed income; do not send every benefit record or assume every household receipt is counted.
3. Check dates, frequency and any other required contributor
For current-income documentation under that published Section 5B, supporting records must be no older than 90 days when the form is signed. Verify the version and the route that applies before using that condition elsewhere. Show whether pay is weekly, every other week or twice monthly; these are different frequencies.
Follow the applicable instructions about spouse information and signatures, rather than assuming it is always required or always excluded. If information cannot reasonably be obtained, ask about the form’s applicable route. For a private loan, obtain the lender’s document list and review period; the federal form does not bind a private lender.
4. Keep receipt and decision as separate records
Use only the verified upload, mail or other submission instructions. Keep a private copy of the completed request and relevant evidence, plus submission date and confirmation. In these notes, record document labels and periods only. Do not enter pay stubs, tax returns, identifiers or another person’s financial details.
Check for an incomplete-file notice and ask exactly what is missing. A receipt is not approval or confirmation of a lower bill. Verify the actual decision, effective date and next payment. Do not assume the request stops billing, supplies automatic consent or extends the deadline in your notice. Official FSA form-completion assistance is free.
Fictional example: frequency prevents a misleading income description
The current request directs the borrower to current-income documents. Pay Stub A shows $900 gross paid every other week. Employer Letter B confirms reduced hours began August 20. The borrower labels the records and frequency instead of writing “$1,800 each month,” which would confuse every-other-week pay with twice-monthly pay.
At a constant $900 for 26 pay periods, the arithmetic would be $23,400 per year; 24 payments would be $21,600. Those are frequency illustrations, not the income the servicer must use or a prediction of future pay. The borrower follows the actual form and requests a written payment decision.
Before you finish
- Confirm request purpose, loan type and current official form.
- Follow the branch for tax data or current-income evidence.
- Identify required income sources, gross amounts and frequencies.
- Check document age, signatures and any spouse instructions.
- Save submission evidence and verify the final decision.
My income-document checklist
Use Request A and Pay Record B. Keep tax returns, pay stubs, account numbers and personal identifiers outside these optional notes.
Entries are optional and stay in this page's memory. This worksheet does not send or save them. Use generic account labels and document labels. Do not enter account numbers, Social Security numbers, PINs, access codes, passwords, names or addresses, and do not upload documents. Downloading or printing creates a copy you control.
Submit through the verified process and retain the decision; these notes do not send an application.
Put up to four documents or actions in order
Record a short fact, such as requested a quote, sent a question, or received written terms. Dates and document labels are optional. Use generic labels; keep actual documents and identifying details outside this tool.
This is a factual log. Dated events sort from oldest to newest. Events on the same date keep their entry order because times are unknown. Undated events appear separately, in entry order. A document reference is your own label, not proof that a record was verified.
Enter actual dates as YYYY-MM-DD. If a date is unknown, leave it blank; do not invent one. Dates are calendar dates, with no time zone or time-of-day comparison. This record does not calculate a legal deadline or schedule reminders.
Questions you may have
Can I always use last year’s tax return?
No. The correct evidence depends on the current process and your answers. A significant income change may direct you to current-income documentation. Follow the official request.
Does providing income evidence automatically lower my payment?
No. The servicer must process the applicable request and confirm the outcome. Check the written amount, effective date and current payment duties.