Imagine spending years building your career, watching your income grow, and finally feeling like you're making financial progress — only to discover that your student loan payments are about to change dramatically. 

The repayment plan that once seemed manageable may no longer be your best option, and choosing the wrong alternative could cost you more than you realize

In this week's episode of Financial Fortitude, Michael and Brady break down the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), uncovering how its payment structure, interest subsidies, and government principal matching work — and why the right strategy today could make a significant difference to your wealth tomorrow.

In this episode, we break down:
   • The real reason RAP is gaining attention — why changes to federal student loan repayment options are forcing borrowers to reconsider their current plans.
   • How RAP calculates your monthly payments — from income-based percentages and dependent adjustments to the potential for payments to rise as your income grows.
   • The $50 government principal match explained — how eligible borrowers may receive additional principal reductions even when their payments don't cover all their monthly interest.
   • What happens to unpaid interest under RAP — and how interest subsidies can help prevent your outstanding loan balance from growing.
   • Why a lower payment doesn't automatically mean a better repayment plan — and how RAP compares with older and newer income-based repayment options.
   • The hidden cost of switching repayment plans — how unpaid interest, changing forgiveness timelines, and potential tax consequences can affect your long-term strategy.
   • The difference between public service and time-based loan forgiveness — and why eligibility, repayment periods, and career choices matter when selecting a plan.

The goal isn't simply to repay your loans. It's to make informed decisions that give you more financial flexibility, more options, and greater control over your future.

 Key Topics Discussed:
Financial Fortitude, Genesis Wealth Planning, Brady Hemmerle, Michael Acosta, Financial Wellness, Wealth Building, Financial Psychology, Financial Advisor, Finance Coach,, Finance Guidance for High Earners, Hiring a Financial Advisor, Repayment Assistance Plan, Student Loans, Time-Based Loan forgiveness, Government Principal match, Income-based options.

Mentions: 

Website: https://www.genesiswealthplanning.com/
Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelracosta/
Brady’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-hemmerle-cfp%C2%AE-75043013a/
Financial Health Checkup: https://www.livingbalancesheet.com/lbsVision/lite/michaelraco

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon only when coordinated with individual professional advice.  Guest speakers and their firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or Genesis Wealth Planning and opinions stated are their own.  Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. All investments and investment strategies contain risk and may lose value. 

Guest speakers and the firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or Genesis Wealth Planning, LLC and opinions stated are their own. Guardian subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation.

All investments in investment strategies contain risk and may lose value. All scenarios. Names mentioned here are purely fictional and have been created solely for educational purposes. Any resemblance to existing situations, person or fictional characters is coincidental. The information presented should not be used as the basis for any specific investment advice.

Links to external sites are provided for your convenience in locating related information and services. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees expressly disclaim any responsibility for and do not maintain, control, recommend, or endorse third-party sites, organizations, products, or services and make no representation as to the completeness, suitability, or quality thereof. Guardian and PAS do not offer student loans to finance education nor do they offer legal to tax advice.

Michael Acosta and Brady Hemmerle are Registered Representatives and Financial Advisors of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 6115 PARK SOUTH DRIVE, SUITE 200, CHARLTTE NC, 28210, 704-5528507. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Genesis Wealth Planning is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Michael Acosta's CA Insurance License # 0M50974. Brady Hemmerle’s CA Insurance License # 4353077.  7237198.47 Exp 11/28