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So glad you got it figured out! This exact type of formatting "error" happens constantly. It's frustrating they can't build a better system that accounts for these minor differences. At least you caught it early before scholarship deadlines!
File them as separate complaints to make sure each issue gets proper attention. And one more suggestion - the PSLF Waiver that ended in October 2022 had provisions that might have helped your situation, but there's a lesser-known program called the IDR Account Adjustment that's still ongoing. This adjustment is reviewing accounts and may retroactively count some periods of forbearance/deferment toward forgiveness. \n\nThe deadline for consolidation to benefit from this has been extended to April 30, 2024, and you don't need to take any action if your loans are already Direct Loans. This could potentially help with some of your time in default as well.\n\nYou can read more about it here: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment
My cousin was just talking about parent plus loans the other day. Her mom got one but its been a hassle for them cause the money gets sent to the school not to you directly i think? And she said they had to pay some fee upfront which was annoying. Something like 4% which adds up to ALOT of money!!
Yes, Parent PLUS loan funds go directly to the school first. The school applies the money to outstanding charges (tuition, fees, room and board if living on campus), and then refunds any remaining amount to either the parent or the student (depending on what the parent selected on the application). And you're right about the fee - it's currently about 4.2% of the loan amount that's deducted right away. So if your parents borrow $10,000, only about $9,580 actually goes toward your education. That's why it's generally better to max out your federal direct loans before turning to PLUS loans, since the fees and interest rates are lower.
Thank you all for the great information! I definitely misheard "Parent PLUS" as "College Plus" and was getting so confused. I'll talk to both my parents about this option, but given my dad's credit issues, we might need to look at alternatives. I'm going to schedule an appointment with my financial aid office to discuss all options based on our specific situation. Is there anything specific I should ask them about besides the Parent PLUS loan?
When you meet with the financial aid office, also ask about: 1. Any institutional scholarships or grants you might qualify for 2. Work-study opportunities on campus 3. Payment plans that might allow you to spread tuition payments over the semester 4. The process for submitting a special circumstances appeal if your family has had recent financial changes not reflected on tax returns 5. How a Parent PLUS denial would affect your specific aid package 6. Any state-specific programs you might qualify for Bring documentation of your father's credit issues if you have it, as this might help with your case for additional institutional aid.
One important thing to understand is that your 401k contributions are still counted in your income for FAFSA purposes. With your income level, your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) will likely be high enough that need-based aid isn't available at most schools. However, beyond the Parent PLUS loan question, make sure your daughter is applying to schools with strong merit scholarships. Many schools offer significant merit aid that's completely separate from FAFSA need calculations. Schools in lower cost-of-living areas tend to have more generous merit aid packages.
We're definitely focusing on schools with good merit aid. Do you happen to know if selling my rental property during the application year would negatively impact her aid eligibility for the following year? I'm worried about the capital gains showing up on my taxes.
Great question. The 2025-2026 FAFSA uses your 2023 tax information, so any 2024 or 2025 transactions won't affect her initial aid package. However, if you sell in 2025, it could impact her 2027-2028 FAFSA. One strategy might be timing the sale for when it would least impact aid if you decide to go that route.
also dont forget to check out CSS profile schools if your kid has good grades cuz they might give merit money even with high income!!
Thanks for the reminder! She does have a 3.9 GPA and good test scores, so that might be a path worth exploring. Do CSS Profile schools look at assets differently than FAFSA?
Yes, CSS Profile schools look at more financial details than FAFSA. They consider home equity, small business assets, and non-custodial parent information. However, many also have more generous institutional aid and more flexibility with special circumstances. Your rental property equity would be considered an asset on the CSS Profile.
Zoe Wang
my cousin waited 2 days after processed and my other friend waited like 3 weeks so who knows lol. the whole things broken this year
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LordCommander
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at FSA! Turns out there was a verification flag on my application that wasn't showing up anywhere on the portal. I had to submit my parents' 2023 tax transcript and W-2s. The agent said once those are reviewed, my SAI should be generated within 3-5 business days. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is having similar issues. Always call and check if you're not seeing your SAI within a week of the "processed" status!
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Lucy Lam
•Thanks for the update! This is unfortunately a common issue with the new system - verification flags that don't show up on the student portal. For anyone else reading this thread: about 30% of all FAFSA applications get selected for verification, and many students don't realize they've been selected because the notification system isn't working properly. Always worth calling if you don't see your SAI within 7-10 days of the "processed" status.
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Alice Fleming
•This is exactly why I suggested asking about c-codes. A verification flag is one type of c-code. Glad you got it sorted out!
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