Thanks VERY much in advance for your (desperately needed) help with this inquiry!

We are married and are both on IBR and in the public loan forgiveness program.  We both make approximately the same amount, though I have more loan debt than my husband.  We live in a community property state, if that makes any difference for this particular question.  Am I correct about this: If we file a joint tax return, the servicer will calculate each of our monthly payments based on the combined AGI, even though we are BOTH in the IBR program.  I talked to our servicer and got two different answers about this, but from what I’m reading on this forum it looks like this must be the case.

I also have a second (equally important) question.  If we file jointly, and each of our AGIs effectively doubles, is there a risk that we could get kicked out of the IBR program for having too-high an income?

Thank you so much!!!!

1. Yes. If its a community property state, then you must split your income evenly when filing separately ( ie, one spouse makes 20k, other makes 40k, they each must claim 30k). The IBR folks will use that data ( each will have the same payment, and each will pay based on the 30k income claimed when filing separately).

2. Yes, if AGI heads up, you could be headings out of IBR. There are calculators out there.