Thought leadership on Section 127, retention, and benefits strategy.
Written by the BenefitPlus leadership team.
5 Signs Your Company Needs an SLRA Program
Five concrete signals that employer student loan repayment has moved from "nice to have" to "required to compete" — with SHRM 2024 adoption data and the FICA math employers overlook.
ReadThe True Cost of Physician Turnover (and How SLRA Changes the Math)
Replacing a physician runs $500K–$1M when recruiting, signing bonuses, locum coverage, and lost productivity are included. Break-even on retention is one physician per 40 participants.
ReadWhy Signing Bonuses Don't Work (And What Does)
A $30K signing bonus nets ~$20K after taxes and often comes with a clawback. A $30K SLRA over six years delivers full debt reduction plus interest savings — no taxable leakage.
ReadSection 127 vs 529 Plans: Which Matters More for Your Workforce?
Section 127 addresses existing debt; 529 plans fund future education for employees' children. They don't compete — they complement. When to prioritize each.
ReadWhy 2026 Is the Year to Launch Your SLRA Program
OBBBA 2025 made Section 127 permanent and added inflation indexing. Grad PLUS phases out July 2026. The regulatory window is settled — early adopters are winning the retention edge.
ReadThe Retention Math Employers Ignore
One percentage point of voluntary turnover reduction on a 100-person company saves $40K–$100K. SLRA participants show 15–25% higher retention. Most employers still haven't run the math.
ReadHow to Pitch SLRA to Your CFO
A CFO-ready pitch built on tax efficiency (7.65% FICA savings per dollar contributed), a 3-year ROI projection, and answers to common objections. Includes a sample email.
ReadHow to Pitch SLRA to Your CEO
A CEO-ready pitch built around competitive positioning, recruiting, and engagement — not finance-first framing. Includes a sample email template.
ReadReady to launch your program?
Transparent SMB pricing. Custom proposals for larger teams. Either path starts with a short call.