Discretionary income is your what is left of your income after the deduction of taxes, other mandatory charge and expenditures on necessary items.


For Income-Based Repayment, Pay As You Earn, and loan rehabilitation, discretionary income is the difference between your income and 150 percent of the poverty guideline for your family size and state of residence.


For Income-Contingent Repayment, discretionary income is the difference between your income and 100 percent of the poverty guideline for your family size and state of residence.


The poverty guidelines are maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and are available at www.aspe.hhs.gov/poverty.