Income Based Repayment (IBR) is available for Direct Loans and FFELP Loans. However, Parent PLUS loans and loans that are in default are not eligible. During IBR, your monthly payments are based on your eligible federal student loan debt, income, family size, and state of Interest Forgiveness. Another benefit of income-based repayment is interest forgiveness. If your new monthly payment under the IBR plan isn’t large enough to pay the accruing interest on the subsidized portion of your Direct Loan, the U.S. Department of Education will pay the interest on your loan up to three consecutive years. You may be eligible for an Income-Based Repayment (IBR), which is based on your ability to pay. Your obligations are dependent on factors such as income, life changes, family size, and how and when you file your tax return. Fill out your information in the income-based repayment calculator to see what your federal student loan payments could be.