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This might be a dumb question but does anyone know if you still have to include parent info if your kid is 19 now? My son started CC at 18 but he's 19 now and I'm wondering if he can do it as independent?
Not a dumb question at all! Unfortunately, age 19 doesn't automatically make a student independent for FAFSA purposes. Most students are considered dependent until age 24 unless they meet specific criteria like being married, having dependents of their own, being a veteran, or being emancipated. The FAFSA has very strict guidelines about dependency status that don't necessarily align with tax dependency or living situations.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to get started on the renewal FAFSA for next year as soon as it's available in October. I'll definitely try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to make the tax information easier, and I'll make note of my state's deadline for grants too. If we run into any issues with verification again, I might try that Claimyr service to get through to someone who can help. Really appreciate all the information!
To answer your specific question about Parent PLUS vs. private loans: 1. Parent PLUS pros: Fixed interest rates, income-contingent repayment options if you consolidate, loan forgiveness possibilities, death/disability discharge 2. Private loan considerations: Interest rates vary based on credit (with your 780+ scores, you might get competitive rates), fewer repayment options, fewer protections With your excellent credit, you might get a better rate with private loans, but you lose the federal protections and flexibility. I'd recommend applying for PLUS first, then comparing the rate with private loan offers before deciding.
dont forget to check if ur school has a payment plan option!! we do 50% upfront and then 5 monthly payments for each semester. no interest just a small setup fee. helps us avoid some loans.
I work at a community college financial aid office, and we've received exactly ZERO FAFSA records so far for 2025-2026. The Department of Education told us larger universities are getting priority in the data distribution. We've been told to expect our first batch of ISIRs sometime next week. This is without question the worst FAFSA rollout I've experienced in my 14 years in financial aid. The entire system needs to be overhauled. Students are bearing the brunt of governmental incompetence.
Just wanted to say thank you for the insider perspective. It's really helpful to hear directly from people working in financial aid offices. I was able to connect with an FSA agent using Claimyr last week who told me community colleges are actually scheduled for the next major data release. Hopefully your office starts receiving records soon!
Update: I finally reached one of my schools by phone today. They confirmed they've received some FAFSA data but are still waiting on most student records. The representative checked my specific status and said they don't have my information yet, but assured me they're adjusting all their internal deadlines. She advised me to email their office with my name, ID number, the date I submitted my FAFSA, and my SAI score. Apparently, they're creating a tracking list for students who have completed the FAFSA but whose data hasn't arrived yet. They'll use this to prioritize processing once they do receive the data. Thank you everyone for your helpful comments! This has been really stressful but at least I know I'm not alone in this situation.
Harmony Love
jus wanted 2 say i feel for ur cousin, i been there done that. its so hard tryin to figure all this out as a single parent! ur a good person for helping her out
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Melissa Lin
•Thanks for saying that! It can definitely be overwhelming, especially since this is her first child going to college. I'm glad I asked here because everyone's responses have been so helpful.
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Romeo Quest
one more thing - tell her to make sure her son has his OWN FSA ID not using hers!! my daughter got all messed up cuz we didnt know this and tried to use my email for everything
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Melissa Lin
•Oh that's a great tip! I'll definitely make sure they set up separate FSA IDs with different email addresses. These are the kinds of details we wouldn't have thought about until it became a problem.
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