Student Loan Planner
Student Loan Planner is a Durham, NC-based advisory firm founded in 2016 that pairs U.S. high-income professionals with $20K-$1M in student debt one-on-one with CFP/CFA/CSLP consultants, monetizing through consulting fees, lender affiliate commissions, DIY courses, and the SLP Wealth RIA and SLP Insurance subsidiaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChapel Hill, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Student Loan Planner does
Student Loan Planner, operated by SL Planner LLC and founded in 2016 by Travis Hornsby, CFA, is a Durham, North Carolina-based advisory and consumer fintech focused exclusively on U.S. student loan repayment strategy. The firm pairs individual borrowers with CFP, CFA, and CSLP-credentialed consultants for one-hour, customized repayment plans targeted at high-income professionals holding $20,000 to $1 million in student debt. Its core go-to-market is a vertically segmented model: dedicated content, calculators, and community groups for physicians, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, nurses, MBAs, teachers, and a growing list of adjacent licensed professions, supplemented by a weekly podcast and free occupation-organized Facebook groups.
The underlying technology is a web-based platform built around a proprietary suite of more than fifteen branded calculators covering PSLF, income-driven repayment (including the new RAP), refinancing scenarios, physician mortgages, disability and life insurance costs, Married Filing Separately tax impact, and debt-free-date modeling. Distribution is multi-channel: SEO-driven free tools and content, a weekly podcast, Facebook communities, employer webinars, and an affiliate network spanning SoFi, Earnest, Credible, and LendKey for refinancing, plus insurance and physician-mortgage partners. Brand reputation is supported by coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and NPR, with a 4.9/5 Google rating across 852 reviews and 4,100+ Shopper Approved 5-star reviews.
The business model spans four monetization layers: (1) fee-based one-on-one consulting, (2) referral and affiliate commissions from refinancing lenders and insurance/mortgage partners, (3) recurring subscription revenue via the SLP Wealth registered investment adviser and the SLP Insiders paid newsletter on Kit, and (4) one-time DIY course sales through Teachable ("Dreams, Not Debt" and "Six Figure Debt to Six Figure Net Worth"). Two wholly-owned subsidiaries, SLP Wealth, LLC and SLP Insurance LLC, extend the offering into fiduciary wealth management and insurance distribution across all 50 states. The company is privately held, bootstrapped since inception, and reports having served over 22,000 clients with projected savings of $1.8 billion across more than $2 billion of student loan debt consulted upon, making it the largest dedicated student loan coaching firm in the U.S. by its own account.
Student Loan Planner firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Student Loan Planner
- Legal name
- SL Planner LLC
- Website
- https://studentloanplanner.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Student Loan Planner is a Durham, NC-based advisory firm founded in 2016 that pairs U.S. high-income professionals with $20K-$1M in student debt one-on-one with CFP/CFA/CSLP consultants, monetizing through consulting fees, lender affiliate commissions, DIY courses, and the SLP Wealth RIA and SLP Insurance subsidiaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Student Loan Planner industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Financial Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Loan Advisory & Repayment Assistance (FSAEAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Loan Refinance & Consolidation (FSAKAIAH), Student Loan Intermediation & Refinancing (FSAEAEAL), Financial Literacy, Debt Counseling & Default Prevention (EDALAJAK), Credit & Debt Management (Credit Scores, Loans, Repayment) (EDAAAJAC)
Keywords
Where Student Loan Planner is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chapel Hill
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Student Loan Planner business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- One-on-One Consulting Services: Hour-long consulting calls with CFP, CFA, or CSLP professionals who create custom student loan repayment plans for clients with $20,000 to $1 million in debt
- Affiliate/Referral Commissions: Referral fees from lenders for student loan refinancing, with bonuses ranging from $100 to $1,750 depending on refinance amount. Also earns commissions from insurance and mortgage product referrals.
- Educational Courses: DIY courses including 'Dreams, Not Debt' (financial planning) and 'Six Figure Debt to Six Figure Net Worth' (investing) through Teachable platform
- Financial Planning Services: Fiduciary, ongoing financial planning through SLP Wealth for professionals with large student loan debt
- Newsletter Subscription: SLP Insiders paid newsletter subscription through Kit platform
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-hour consulting call with CFP, CFA, or CSLP professional |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Financial planning courses through Teachable |
| Subscription | Monthly | SLP Insiders paid newsletter |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Student Loan Planner product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Student Loan Planner provides one-on-one consulting services with CFP, CFA, and CSLP certified professionals who create custom student loan repayment plans for borrowers with $20,000 to $1 million in debt. The firm specializes in navigating forgiveness programs (PSLF, IDR, RAP), refinancing decisions, and broader wealth building through its SLP Wealth subsidiary. Free proprietary calculators, educational courses, and a podcast support lead generation and brand authority.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Student Loan Plans One-on-one consulting service pairing clients with CFP, CFA, or CSLP certified professionals to create personalized student loan repayment strategies for borrowers with $20,000 to $1 million in debt.
- SLP Wealth Financial Planning Fiduciary, ongoing financial planning, tax planning, and investment management services through SLP Wealth, LLC (registered investment adviser with SEC) for professionals with large student loan debt.
- SLP Insurance Insurance products offered through SLP Insurance LLC in all 50 states, including own-occupation disability insurance and term life insurance to complement student loan planning services.
- Dreams, Not Debt Course DIY financial planning course delivered through the Teachable platform for students and graduates seeking to manage their finances independently.
- Six Figure Debt to Six Figure Net Worth Course DIY investing course for individuals looking to build wealth while managing student loan debt, delivered through the Teachable platform.
- SLP Insiders Paid Newsletter Premium weekly newsletter subscription providing student loan updates and strategies, delivered through the Kit platform.
- Student Loan Planner at Work Free webinar service for employers to provide employee education on student loan repayment options, PSLF, and IDR waiver programs, with exclusive employee bonuses for consulting.
- Affiliate Partnership Program Partnership program for organizations to refer members to Student Loan Planner consulting services, with branded landing pages, unique booking links, and flat-rate commissions per completed consult.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.8 billion in projected client savings across 22,000+ clients
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Student Loan Planner
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Student Loan Planner technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature6 records
Student Loan Planner partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit)coreEmail marketing provider used for sending newsletters, promotional materials, and the SLP Insiders paid newsletter subscription. Kit is operated by Kit, Inc.
- TeachablecoreCourse platform used to deliver DIY financial planning and investing courses (Dreams Not Debt, Six Figure Debt to Six Figure Net Worth).
- StripecorePayment processor used to collect and process payments for consulting services and courses.
- PayPalcorePayment processor option for purchasing products and services.
- SLP Insurance LLCcoreRelated entity offering insurance products (disability insurance, term life insurance) in all 50 states. SLP refers customers seeking insurance quotes.
- SLP Wealth, LLCcoreRelated entity and registered investment adviser with SEC, offering fiduciary financial planning services for professionals with large student loan debt. Located in Durham, NC.
- SoFi (Student Loan Refinancing)minorAffiliate partner for student loan refinancing with bonuses up to $1,250 for eligible clients. SLP receives referral fees.
- Earnest (Student Loan Refinancing)minorAffiliate partner for student loan refinancing with bonuses up to $1,500 for refinancing $200k+. SLP receives referral commissions.
- Credible (Student Loan Refinancing)minorAffiliate partner for student loan refinancing marketplace with bonuses up to $1,750. SLP receives referral commissions.
- LendKeyminorAffiliate partner for refinancing through community banks and credit unions with bonuses up to $1,250.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Student Loan Planner competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tuition.io: Employer student loan benefit platform offering repayment support, refinancing assistance, and 401(k) match integration. Directly comparable as a B2B2C student loan advisory and contribution platform serving overlapping employer channels.
- Candidly: Student debt and savings benefits platform sold to employers, with deep focus on PSLF enrollment and student loan repayment assistance. Closely overlaps with SLP's employer webinar channel and PSLF advisory focus.
- Savi: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) tool and student loan assistance platform, originally incubated by the U.S. Department of Education and now a private employer-benefit solution. Direct competitor in PSLF-focused advisory and tooling.
- Splash Financial: Student loan refinancing marketplace aggregating offers from multiple lenders, similar to SLP's affiliate refinance marketplace (SoFi, Earnest, Credible). Comparable in customer segment (high-balance professional borrowers) and partner lender model.
- Credible: Multi-product consumer finance marketplace including student loan refinancing with bonus offers. Directly comparable on the refinance marketplace and bonus-driven affiliate model.
- Juno (Georgia Tech Alumni): Student loan marketplace and group-negotiation platform originally focused on private student loans and refinancing. Comparable as a student-loan-focused marketplace serving similar high-balance borrowers.
Broad incumbents
- SoFi: Large incumbent online lender and financial services platform offering student loan refinancing, wealth management, and banking. Overlaps with SLP on refinance referrals (as an affiliate partner), financial planning (SLP Wealth), and student loan content.
- Earnest: Student loan refinancing lender (a Navient company) targeting high-balance professional borrowers — the same audience SLP serves. Comparable on customer profile and bonus-driven refinance offers via affiliate channel.
- NerdWallet: Major consumer finance content and comparison platform with strong student loan content and tools. Competes with SLP for organic search-driven calculator and education traffic at the top of the funnel.
- SmartAsset: Financial planning comparison and advisor-matching platform covering student loans, mortgages, and wealth management. Overlaps with SLP on calculator content and the high-income professional advisory segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Student Loan Planner social profiles
Digital presenceStudent Loan Planner financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Student Loan Planner leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Student Loan Planner subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Student Loan Planner funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Student Loan Planner M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Student Loan Planner
What does Student Loan Planner do?
Student Loan Planner provides one-on-one consulting services with CFP, CFA, and CSLP certified professionals who create custom student loan repayment plans for borrowers with $20,000 to $1 million in debt. The firm specializes in navigating forgiveness programs (PSLF, IDR, RAP), refinancing decisions, and broader wealth building through its SLP Wealth subsidiary. Free proprietary calculators, educational courses, and a podcast support lead generation and brand authority.
Is Student Loan Planner a public or private company?
Student Loan Planner is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Student Loan Planner founded?
Student Loan Planner was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Student Loan Planner based?
Student Loan Planner is headquartered in Chapel Hill, United States, in the North America region.
How does Student Loan Planner make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. One-on-One Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are affiliate/Referral Commissions, educational Courses, financial Planning Services and newsletter Subscription.
Who are Student Loan Planner's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tuition.io, Candidly, Savi, Splash Financial, Credible and Juno (Georgia Tech Alumni). Broad incumbents are SoFi, Earnest, NerdWallet and SmartAsset.
Does Student Loan Planner have an API?
No public API is recorded for Student Loan Planner.
What industry is Student Loan Planner in?
Student Loan Planner's product category is Financial Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAFAE, Student Loan Advisory & Repayment Assistance, with a secondary code of FSAKAIAH, Student Loan Refinance & Consolidation. Its NAICS code is 522310 and its SIC code is 6163.