<prompt> Human: Using a throwaway, since some friends know my username.Im a current graduate student finishing in about a year who unexpectedly came into some money from my grandfathers will. Ive read the sidebar articles and think I have a pretty good grasp of whats at stake, but Id like to hear the communitys advice on my particular situation.My loans are all federal unsubsidized direct loans, so thats a 6.8 interest rate. I qualify for the Pay As You Earn program payements capped at 10 of discretionary income and my field is in the humanities, so I dont expect to be making a lot of money. My wife works too, though she also isnt raking in tons of cash 40,000yr. So our monthly payments will be low.Loan forgiveness comes after 20 years by default, but I may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness 10 years. Whether I will qualify is up in the air, depending on where I get a job and potentially on how the government decides to interpret the law.The plan Im leaning towards is to keep the loans and pay them off the same way Id originally planned to. Ill invest this money probably in a mutual fund, and in a few years when weve settled down well have money for a down payment on a house. The other option, of course, is to pay off the loans immediately.Any friendly advice?  <response>: Id pay them off. 6.8 is more than you are likely to get on returns from investing. Id keep enough for a small emergency fund and everything else towards the loan. 