The HELP™ Program was designed to build a strategy for your student loans within a comprehensive financial plan.
Many of our clients have told us they feel a lot of stress when thinking about their student loans, but it’s not having student loans that causes them stress, it is not having a plan to repay them.
Mark Chamoun is a Certified Student Loan Professional™ who can assess your student loan situation and see what strategies fit best into their comprehensive financial plan. Whether that strategy is paying the loans off as quick as possible, paying as little as possible to maximize forgiveness, or somewhere in between.
Your student loan strategy will likely depend on your marital status/possibly spousal loans, your income and how quickly your income could change, qualification for PSLF, if you currently own a home or your timeline for buying one, if you have children/when you want to have children, and much more.
Our HELP™ Program is best suited for medical professionals, educators, attorneys and others pursuing a career in the public sector.
Why work with an expert?
Federal student loan repayment programs are policy-driven and fundamentally different from traditional debt. They do not follow standard amortization schedules, and repayment outcomes depend as much on federal rules as on loan balances.
- The student loan landscape is in active transition. Under current rules, PAYE and ICR are expected to sunset in July 2028, while SAVE, which is currently in forbearance, is expected to sunset much sooner. As these options close, borrowers who want to remain on an income-driven path will generally be limited to Income-Based-Repayment (IBR) or the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). These shifts meaningfully change how payments, timelines, and forgiveness are structured.
- Payments are based on income, household factors, and federal formulas, not simply principal and interest. Changes in income, filing status, or eligibility can significantly impact both short- and long-term outcomes.
- Effective planning now requires transition strategy, including timing decisions, understanding how new rules interact with prior repayment history, and integrating student loan choices with tax and cash-flow planning.
- Errors can be costly and difficult to reverse. Plan elections, certifications, and timing decisions can lock in consequences that persist for years.
You may be a great fit for student loan forgiveness if:
- Your student loan balance is high compared to your current income
- You work for a non-profit or public sector
- You have a high student loan balance, you don’t work or only work part-time, and your spouse is the higher income earner
- You are completing residency/fellowship and preparing for a significant income increase
When is the best time to plan:
- The earlier the better!
- You are a graduate student/resident/fellow who is coming out of school and about to start full-time work
- Build a plan before you get the large increase in income. This can be a critical factor in minimizing payments and maximizing forgiveness opportunities
Planning Software
You’ll have access to planning tools that let you consider various scenarios and participate in the creation of your financial plan.
Annual Recommendations
You’ll receive written recommendations each year based on the action items and areas of focus discussed with your Advisor.
Fee Structure
The annual fee for the HELP™ Program starts at $1,200/year.
Looking for more basic help with your student loans?
We also offer a Student Loan Strategy Session for $500. This one-time plan includes a full analysis of your loan repayment options, forgiveness opportunities and tax filing comparison, along with a follow-up containing a prioritized list of recommendations and next steps.
(Scheduling a consultation is the first step for getting started with the HELP™ Program or a Student Loan Strategy Session.)
