SAVE Plan Forbearance Ending: What To Know

The Department of Education is going to begin contacting the more than 7 million borrowers enrolled in the now-defunct SAVE student loan repayment plan, directing them to choose a new repayment plan. The first emails are reminders, followed by formal notices.

Starting July 1, loan servicers will issue formal 90-day notices requiring borrowers to switch or be automatically placed on the standard repayment plan. That means the effective end date of the SAVE forbearance will likely be September 30, 2026.

The Washington Post first reported that the Education Department would begin emailing SAVE borrowers on Friday to encourage them to apply for a different repayment plan. Those emails will be followed by formal notices from loan servicers giving borrowers 90 days to choose a new plan or be automatically moved into the standard repayment plan — the most expensive option available, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The Associated Press confirmed the timeline, reporting that the formal 90-day notices from loan servicers will begin on July 1. Borrowers will be contacted in waves, with a new group receiving notice every two weeks. Those enrolled in SAVE the longest will be the first to hear from their servicers.

This aligns with The College Investor's previous SAVE Timeline Predictions of fall 2026.