So this whole thread is making me wonder...do TSP accounts count? My husband is military and has a Thrift Savings Plan. Is that considered a retirement account for FAFSA purposes? Anyone know?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just went through this process with my oldest child, I want to emphasize how important it is to follow the official FAFSA instructions exactly. The retirement account exclusion has been consistent for years - 401k, 403b, traditional/Roth IRAs, pension plans, and TSP accounts are all excluded from asset reporting on FAFSA. One tip that might help others: when you're filling out the FAFSA online, there's actually a helpful tooltip next to the assets section that specifically lists what NOT to include, and retirement accounts are clearly mentioned there. If you're ever unsure about any financial question on FAFSA, those little question mark icons throughout the form provide official guidance that can save you from second-guessing yourself. Good luck to everyone working on their applications!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My daughter got a $10,000 merit scholarship from her dream school but we're still waiting on our FAFSA after submitting it in January. The not knowing is the worst part - how are we supposed to make such a huge financial decision in the dark? Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. I had no idea that merit scholarships usually don't transfer if you go the community college route first. That's definitely something we need to factor into our decision making process. @Savannah Vin I'm so glad you were able to get through and get some answers! It gives me hope that persistence will pay off. I'm going to try that Claimyr service today - at this point I'm willing to try anything to get someone on the phone who can actually help us. The extended deadline option sounds like a huge relief. I think I'm going to call my daughter's school tomorrow and ask if they're offering the same flexibility. This whole FAFSA rollout has been such a nightmare for families, but it's encouraging to see schools recognizing that and trying to accommodate students who are caught in the middle of it all.

As someone who's been following this thread and dealing with similar FAFSA nightmares, I just wanted to say how grateful I am for all the detailed advice everyone has shared here! The information about merit scholarships not transferring if you go the CC route first is absolutely crucial - I had no idea about that and it completely changes how I'm thinking about our backup plans. @Savannah Vin your persistence in getting through to both offices is inspiring and I'm so glad you got that extended deadline! It's ridiculous that families have had to become detective-level researchers just to navigate what should be a straightforward financial aid process. For anyone else still struggling with FAFSA delays - I tried the Claimyr service mentioned in this thread and it actually worked! Got connected to someone at Federal Student Aid in about 15 minutes after trying unsuccessfully for weeks on my own. The $20 fee was absolutely worth it to finally get some movement on our application. This whole situation has made me realize how much the system disadvantages families who don't have the time, knowledge, or resources to fight through all these bureaucratic obstacles. We shouldn't have to become experts in financial aid policy just to help our kids get an education!

I'm in year 3 of PLUS loans for my daughter and I WISH someone had told me how the amounts would change each year. Her first year we got $22,000, second year $19,500 (because tuition went up but her institutional aid didn't), and this year we needed $25,000 because she lost a scholarship. The whole system feels designed to keep parents uncertain and anxious every single year.

As someone who just went through this process with my first child, I can confirm everything everyone is saying - it's definitely annual! One thing I learned that might help you is to start each year's FAFSA application as early as possible (it opens October 1st now). The earlier you apply, the better chance your daughter has of getting more grants and scholarships, which means less you'll need to borrow through PLUS loans. Also, keep detailed records of what you borrowed each year and the interest rates - it really helps when planning for repayment later. The uncertainty is stressful, but at least PLUS loans are pretty reliable if your credit stays decent. Good luck with the next three years!

As someone who just completed this process last month, I can confirm everything others have said here is spot on! The key thing that helped me was setting up a reminder system. After I submitted my FAFSA with estimates in early March, I set phone reminders to check my IRS account weekly. Once it finally showed "processed" (took about 5 weeks!), I waited another week then logged into studentaid.gov. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool was super easy to find - there's a clear section called "Update Your FAFSA" and then "Transfer Tax Information from the IRS." The whole data import took maybe 2 minutes, and my SAI actually improved slightly because some of my estimates were a bit high. One tip I wish I'd known earlier: take screenshots of your estimated FAFSA before submitting, then compare them to the final version after the IRS data import. This helped me quickly spot what changed and confirm everything looked correct. Don't let the IRS processing delay stop you from meeting those priority deadlines - schools really do understand this timing issue!

I just went through this exact same situation for my 2025-2026 FAFSA! Filed my taxes in mid-February but the IRS took almost 7 weeks to process them. I was so stressed about missing priority deadlines, but everything worked out perfectly. Here's what I learned: definitely submit your FAFSA NOW with your best estimates based on what you filed. Don't wait for IRS processing to complete - that could take weeks longer and you'll miss those crucial priority deadlines. When you check the consent box, you're just giving permission for future data retrieval, not requiring it to work immediately. The process was actually really smooth once I stopped overthinking it. I submitted in early March with estimates, then went back in late April after my taxes were fully processed. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool was easy to find in my studentaid.gov account - just look for "Transfer Tax Information from the IRS" under the update section. My SAI ended up changing by less than 50 points, and all my schools automatically received the updated information. No verification issues, no delays in aid processing. The financial aid offices I spoke with said this timing issue is super common and they're totally prepared for it. Bottom line: submit with estimates today rather than risk missing priority consideration. You can always perfect the numbers later with official tax data!

Just to add some clarity on the different MPN forms: - Standard MPN (for students): Used for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans where the student is the borrower. - Parent PLUS MPN: Used specifically when a parent is borrowing through the Parent PLUS program to help pay for their dependent student's education. In addition, there's also: - Graduate PLUS MPN: For graduate students taking out PLUS loans. Verify which loan type your daughter was awarded to confirm which form is needed. The SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation determines eligibility for the various loan types.

I'm glad you got this sorted out! For anyone else running into this issue, I'd also recommend checking if your school's financial aid office has any specific guidance documents. Some schools create their own simplified MPN instructions that address these common confusion points. Also, if you're still unsure after completing the form, most schools allow you to submit it and they'll contact you if there are any issues that need correction rather than rejecting it outright. The system is more forgiving than the intimidating language makes it seem!