SIMPLE Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
Introduced
Summary
Automatic income-driven repayment enrollment using IRS tax data would identify delinquent and rehabilitating borrowers and pick the lowest monthly payment option across their loans. It would add two parallel tracks for borrowers at least 31 days delinquent and for those in loan rehabilitation.
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- Borrowers would get notices listing delinquent covered loans, nondelinquent covered loans, noncovered loans, eligible repayment plans, and estimated monthly payments. The Secretary would initially select the income-driven plan that yields the lowest monthly payment and could auto-enroll or adjust plans to lower payments.
- Borrowers in rehabilitation would have income information obtained and be notified after the 6th rehab payment and offered plan selection after the 9th payment. They could switch plans and retain the right to opt out of tax-data sharing.
- The Department would rely on IRS tax-return data, with borrower consent and opt-out protections, to determine income and family size. Automatic enrollment would begin July 1, 2028 for the 2028–2029 award year and related IRS disclosure changes would take effect after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Notices and automatic plans for late loans
This bill would require the Education Department to send detailed notices to borrowers who are at least 31 days delinquent on a covered loan. The notice would list your delinquent covered loans, nondelinquent covered loans, and noncovered loans, and show eligible repayment plans and monthly payment estimates. At 75 days delinquent the Department would explain next steps and could automatically select the income-driven plan that gives the lowest monthly payment if you approve IRS data use. The bill would define which Title IV loans count as "covered" and these rules would start July 1, 2028 for the 2028–2029 award year.
Keep $0 payments and switch plans
If your income-driven plan would calculate a $0 monthly payment and the Department cannot get your adjusted gross income, the bill would let the Department keep your payment at $0 without asking for ordinary income documents starting July 1, 2028 for the 2028–2029 award year. The bill would also let borrowers on income-based repayment for part B or part D loans end that plan at any time and move to any other eligible plan. The right to leave income-based repayment would take effect on the date of enactment.
IRS tax-data sharing for loan checks
The bill would let the IRS share tax return information with the Education Department when the Secretary makes a written request and you have certified approval. The IRS could only share the information that is needed to run the delinquency, rehabilitation, and IDR procedures and only for individuals the Department certifies approved the disclosure. This change would apply to disclosures after the date of enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Cosponsors
Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]
GA • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov