

Student Loan Planner
Travis Hornsby
Travis helps you navigate the insane world of student loans, especially if you owe $20,000 to $1 million. If you've ever spent too much time on the phone with your loan servicer, this is the show for you. Every week we share tips on loan forgiveness, investing, crushing debt, and how to get to financial freedom when you owe more than most people's mortgage.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 7, 2025 • 30min
Top 10 Fears People Have About the Future of Their Profession
Feeling anxious about where your career's headed? You're definitely not alone. We surveyed over 8,000 high-income professionals and asked what's keeping them up at night about their profession in 2025. The answers were eye-opening — but also pretty relatable. We’re covering the top 10 fears that come up again and again. If you're a doctor, dentist, lawyer, or another high-earning professional, chances are you'll see yourself in at least a few of these concerns. Key moments: (01:26) Rising education costs and massive debt loads are crushing high-income professionals (09:15) Rural practice bring in more money due to high competition in urban areas (20:06) Compassion fatigue is burning out professionals at alarming rate (24:59) Clients may not value a professional’s expertise when free AI seems “good enough” 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!

Sep 30, 2025 • 26min
What’s the Best Profession for Big Incomes vs. Student Loan Balances? (Survey Results)
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 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!

Sep 23, 2025 • 16min
Behind the Scenes: Live from FinCon 2025
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!

Sep 16, 2025 • 20min
Will Some Folks Get Stuck with 30-Year IDR?
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!

Sep 9, 2025 • 29min
Will 50% of All Grad Programs Close?
A seismic shift in graduate education financing is on the horizon as strict loan caps are set to impact students starting in 2026. With limits on federal borrowing, many programs, particularly in fields like medicine and pharmacy, could face closure. The conversation dives into the economic consequences for schools and students alike, and what this means for future careers. Listeners will learn how to prepare for these upcoming changes and navigate their financial options amidst uncertainty.

Sep 2, 2025 • 34min
What is the Student Loan Refi Ladder Strategy?
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!

Aug 26, 2025 • 26min
The Unfortunate Reason Why Your Salary Will Probably Go up a Lot This Decade
Big changes in student loans are on the horizon starting July 2026. Unlimited loans will be replaced with caps, affecting grad school accessibility. While this sounds daunting, it could lead to higher salaries and job security for those who persevere. Some grad schools might even offer discounts to attract applicants. There’s a chance some institutions may close due to these financial strains, and competition for affordable programs will intensify. Stay informed to navigate these shifts effectively!

Aug 19, 2025 • 9min
How Much Do Big Ticket Items Cost When You’re Doing Forgiveness?
Ever wondered how big purchases affect your life beyond money? Dive into the hidden costs of big-ticket items when you're on income-driven repayment plans. Discover how to reconsider spending to safeguard your goals while still enjoying life’s pleasures. Learn practical strategies for managing housing and car costs to reduce financial stress. The discussion also highlights the importance of job satisfaction and how it can influence purchasing behaviors. This episode encourages financial mindfulness and smart decision-making.

Aug 12, 2025 • 58min
Mega Listener Mailbag Q&A
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!

Aug 5, 2025 • 30min
Existing Borrowers are Okay. Future Ones I’m Worried About
Current student loan borrowers can relax, as they’re likely to be okay for now. But future borrowers may face tougher conditions, including higher payments and longer repayment terms starting in 2026. There are concerns that changes will impact graduate programs, especially in high-cost fields like medicine and law. Enrollment might drop and universities could adjust faculty sizes. Additionally, strategic financial planning will be crucial as new repayment plans come into play after the interest pause ends.