Even with the most generous repayment plans, I can scarcely afford the monthly payments. As a hard working citizen, income that is considered discretionary, is hardly that, going almost entirety to the high cost of living in the greater DC area. Shouldn't the baseline calculations for an amount I can afford to pay be based on the cost of living in a geographic area, in a similar manner to federal salary table locality pay. Area workers may make more in a given locality due to increased cost of living, but are in effect punished for that increase by an increase in loan payments. These are calculated without considering that the higher rate of pay is to offset a higher cost of living, and does not necessarily constitute an effective increase in discretionary income.
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