PAYE woes, rug pulled out, despair, etc

Traveling back in time to 2024, I see the finish line: 2033 and I will be finished through PAYE. I haven’t had to recertify my income since before Covid and will definitely have to recertify by next January, going from $700 a month to $1500 a month. Ouch but ok. Just have to make it to 2033 and I’m free.

*record scratch.***Except now I’m not free, not even a little bit. Thanks to the OBBB and Trump. PAYE goes away entirely July 2028 and I’m one of the unlucky masses that took out my first loan before 2014, so I get forced into old IBR. This means in two years my payment will be $2700 a month. And not even til 2033. Until 2038.

I’m 41 years old and just getting to the point in my career where I felt like I’m making it and making progress and building up. Contributing to my profession, generating work for others.

I’m so screwed by this new payment and timeline I can’t even express it. I can’t sleep I can’t think I just feel like a total failure and I’ve let my family down. There’s no way out and I feel so hopeless. Just no way out. Despair doesn’t cut it.

My only idea at this point is pray for interest to go down and then refinance another 20 years with earnest or sofi. If I did that at today’s rates I’d pay $1500 for 20 years. I’d be in my 60s Which is absurd but at least I’d be off this rollercoaster.

Or I try to hit pause on all of it and enroll half time in community college until things get better? Make interest only payments so the principal doesn’t balloon?

Move out of the country?

Die? (Joking)

Thank you to whoever is out there for listening.