SAVE Student Loan Plan Officially Ended By Court Order

The SAVE student loan repayment plan is dead — and a federal appeals court just made that official.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled on March 9, 2026 (PDF File) that a lower court wrongly dismissed the Republican states’ lawsuit against the plan, directing the district court to enter a December 2025 settlement agreement that permanently bans the Biden-era income-driven repayment program.

The request to force the joint settlement was one of the alternatives presented in the GOP appeal to the 8th Circuit Court.

Here's what borrowers need to know.