If you have Federal loans, you should definitely NOT be paying them off while payments are paused. If your loan payments are paused, they are all Federal loans (subsidized and unsubsidized are both Federal loan types).

You should look at completely eliminating credit card debt – whether now or right before the 0% ends. Then, take the remaining amount and put it in a savings account and earn interest on your money. You can earn 4% or more right now – which is $2,000 per year on $50,000. Then, when (and if) payments resume on your federal loans, you can make a big lump-sum payment if you want.

Sadly, there isn’t much you can do with the private loans. I’d always focus on making the minimum (non-graduated) and don’t defer it since it will still grow. Get your Federal loans to as low as possible, or $0, then take all your extra towards the private loans to eliminate them.

Thanks very much. Any tips or advice for the 65k in private loans? The payment, which starts this spring, is over $500 a month which is very expensive for us. I am considering interest only for one year which they offer in the form of “graduated loan repayment,” which will increase my balance and monthly payments after, which is not great. I am also considering calling them directly to negotiate the repayment rate. Any ideas on either? Or things to say if I do call them? Or other ideas for repayment of deferment of this loan?

You might find this article helpful as it gives a full breakdown of the married filing separately question:
Married Filing Separately for IBR.

As for loan forgiveness on IBR, simply get on IBR, don’t go into default, and even $0/mo payments will get you to loan forgiveness. And if you start the PSLF process, you can stay on IBR for PSLF.

As for what type of income-driven repayment plan, select IBR or PAYE. DO NOT select RePAYE since you’re married and you cannot file separately to lower your payment under RePAYE.