I am a current undergraduate student with approximately $17,000 in cumulative loans (Stafford Subsidized, Stafford Unsubsidized, and Perkins).  Due to a disability, I have concerns about being able to maintain a job after graduation; I am currently taking a part-time courseload, and have had to drop classes/take a break from work at various points to address my health.  I don’t know how my symptoms will progress over the next few years, and my big concern is the possibility that I won’t be able to work.  As of now, I don’t receive any Social Security, though I intend to apply for it.  From talking with people who share my condition, it can sometimes take many years to get approval (if benefits are approved at all), and I am very worried that I might not be able to pay ANYTHING toward my student loans.  Of course, under IBR if I have very low-income or no income my payments would theoretically be $0 per month, but is there a limit on how many consecutive months you can “make a payment” of $0?  If I am not able to work at all in my life (or am able to work, but drift from menial job to menial job because I can’t sustain employment due to my symptoms), what would end up happening to my loans? Would I have to go into deferral, forbearance, or bankruptcy, because my “payments” of $0 would after awhile stop counting as payments?  I want to do everything I can to maintain employment, but I am very anxious about the possibility that my condition might progress.  If everything gets forgiven, will I owe a massive amount of taxes at the end? 

My biggest fear of all: what if Congress repeals the IBR program? Would I owe everything?

Thank you for any clarification you can provide.