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For married student loan borrowers, your tax filing status — “married filing jointly” versus “married filing separately” — affects how much you pay in taxes. It also impacts how much you pay on your monthly student loan payment if you’re using an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, such as PAYE, IBR or the new RAP plan. However, the decision to file separately or jointly can also impact your eligibility for various tax credits and benefits. For example, it might affect your access to the dependent childcare credit and healthcare premium subsidies on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Borrowers need to decide if…

Recently, I’ve been experiencing a bout of financial hopelessness that’s been surprisingly hard to shake. Rationally, I know I’ll be OK, but mentally, I’m stuck in this negative loop. It started after I decided to save money by flying Basic Economy to surprise my father for his 80th birthday. Saving ~$180 off Economy and ~$1,300 off First Class felt like a small win – something frugal, efficient, and strategically aligned with the whole Financial Samurai mindset. Then we got into a small fender bender. The repair will cost our insurance company around $4,200, and we’ll likely face higher premiums when…