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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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This thread is so helpful! I'm a junior just starting to research financial aid and had no clue about any of these potential FAFSA issues. Reading through everyone's experiences is eye-opening - especially the name matching problem that seems to trip up so many students. I'm definitely going to make sure I enter my name exactly as it appears on my Social Security card when I apply next year. And I'm saving the Claimyr recommendation too since it sounds like getting through to FSA support is nearly impossible otherwise. Thanks Isabella for sharing your solution and everyone else for the detailed advice!
This whole thread has been incredibly educational! As someone new to the FAFSA process, I had no idea there were so many potential pitfalls. The name matching issue seems like such a small detail but can cause weeks of delays - definitely something they should make more prominent in their instructions. It's also concerning how many system issues there seem to be with the 2023-2024 FAFSA overhaul. I'm grateful for communities like this where people share real solutions like the Claimyr service. Isabella's experience shows how important it is to be persistent and seek help when things aren't working. I'll definitely be extra careful with my application details when my time comes!
Wow, this entire thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm a senior dealing with a similar FAFSA nightmare right now - my application has been stuck in "processing" for over 2 weeks and I can't figure out why. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm pretty sure it might be a name matching issue too since I used a shortened version of my legal name. The fact that Isabella got it resolved so quickly with Claimyr gives me hope! I'm definitely calling FSA tomorrow using that service. It's honestly ridiculous that the FAFSA system is this broken, but at least this community is sharing actual solutions. Thank you all for being so detailed about the troubleshooting steps - this is way more helpful than any official FAFSA help page I've found!
Paolo, I hope the Claimyr service works as well for you as it did for Isabella! The name matching thing is so frustrating because it seems like such a minor detail but can completely derail your whole application. Make sure you have all your documents ready when you call - your FSA ID, Social Security card to verify the exact name spelling, and your DRN number from any emails you've received. It's crazy that we have to use third-party services just to reach the people who are supposed to help us with federal aid, but at least there are solutions out there. Keep us posted on how it goes - your experience could help other students in the same situation!
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Glad you got answers! This whole new FAFSA system is such a disaster. My daughter almost missed out on $8000 in grants because of similar issues. They really need to extend all the deadlines this year.
Completely agree! I don't understand how they could launch a system with so many problems when students' financial futures depend on it. At least we finally have a path forward now.
I'm dealing with a similar signature issue right now and this thread has been so helpful! For anyone else reading this, I wanted to add that I discovered you can check your FSA ID verification status by logging into your account and looking at the "My Account" section - it will show if your identity verification is still "pending" or "complete." This saved me from wondering if that was my problem. Also, if you're still having browser issues, try Safari if you're on a Mac - it worked for me when Chrome and Firefox didn't. The FAFSA system really is a nightmare this year but at least we're all suffering together! 😅
This is such great additional info, thank you! I wish I had known about checking the FSA ID verification status earlier - that would have saved me hours of troubleshooting. And good tip about Safari too! It's crazy how different browsers can have such different results with government websites. Really appreciate you sharing what worked for you. This whole experience has been so stressful but at least this community has been incredibly helpful! 🙏
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I'm so glad you were able to get through to someone at FSA and get confirmation about what happened! This gives me hope that they're actually tracking these issues and working to fix them. I'm in a similar situation - completed my FAFSA in early November and just found out last week that my school never received it. Like you, all my information was still saved but it showed as incomplete. I'm planning to call FSA tomorrow armed with this information about the backup systems. Did they give you any timeline for when they might restore the original submissions, or should we all just proceed with our resubmissions as the primary application?
I'm dealing with this same exact issue! Submitted in October, found out this month my school never got it. When I called FSA yesterday, the rep told me they don't have a specific timeline for restoring the backup submissions - she said it could be weeks or months. Her advice was definitely to proceed with the resubmission as the primary application and keep that confirmation number safe. She also mentioned that they're prioritizing getting current submissions processed properly rather than going back to fix the old ones. So frustrating that we have to go through all this uncertainty, but at least we know we're not alone in this mess!
Wow, reading through all of this makes me feel so much better knowing I'm not going crazy! I submitted my daughter's FAFSA in late October and just discovered yesterday that her college has no record of it. When I logged back into the portal, everything was there but marked as "in progress" instead of submitted. It's such a relief to see that FSA is acknowledging this as a known issue and that they're supposedly working to restore applications from backups. I'm definitely going to follow everyone's advice here - taking screenshots of my new confirmation, calling the financial aid offices directly, and documenting everything. Has anyone heard if there's a master list somewhere of all the schools that are being flexible with deadlines this year? It would be helpful to know which colleges are actually accommodating these technical issues versus just saying "too bad, you missed the deadline.
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This is incredible information! As a parent of a sophomore with an IEP for autism spectrum disorder, I had no idea this funding existed. We've been dreading the college financing conversation because even with good grades, I knew we'd struggle with whatever the FAFSA expects us to pay. A couple questions for those who've been through this process: 1. Do they require the student to be actively receiving special education services senior year, or is having had an IEP/504 in the past sufficient? 2. How detailed do the career plans need to be? My son is interested in computer science but hasn't narrowed down a specific focus yet. I'm definitely calling our state's VR office first thing Monday morning. Thank you Jean Claude for sharing this - you might have just changed our family's entire college trajectory!
Welcome to the community! This is such valuable information that Jean Claude shared. From what I've seen in this thread, it sounds like having had an IEP/504 in the past is usually sufficient - you don't necessarily need active services senior year, but definitely bring all your documentation. For the career planning part, computer science is actually a great field for VR funding since there's such a clear path to employment! Even if your son hasn't picked a specific focus yet, the general CS degree path should work fine. Make sure to start the process early though - several people mentioned it can take months for approval. Good luck with your call on Monday!
This is absolutely life-changing information! I'm a parent of a high school senior with ADHD who has a 504 plan, and honestly I've been losing sleep over college costs. Our FAFSA came back with an SAI of $21,000 which feels impossible given our actual financial situation. I had never even heard of vocational rehabilitation funding before reading this post. I'm definitely calling our state's VR office tomorrow morning to get the ball rolling, though I'm worried we might be starting too late since my daughter is already a senior. For those who've gone through this process - is there any chance they can still approve funding that starts in fall semester if we apply now, or are we looking at having to defer for a year? The timing aspect has me really stressed since most college deposits are due soon. Either way, thank you SO much Jean Claude for sharing this. You've given so many families hope when we really needed it most! 🙏
Don't panic about the timing! I was in a similar situation last year with my son who's now a college freshman. We applied to VR services in January of his senior year and they were still able to get funding approved for fall semester - it was tight, but doable. The key is to get your application in ASAP and be really responsive to any requests for additional documentation. Some states have emergency processing for students who are graduating soon. Also, many colleges will work with you on deposit deadlines if you explain you're waiting on VR funding approval - they want students to succeed! Call first thing tomorrow and explain your timeline - they deal with this situation more often than you'd think. You've got this! 💪
Peyton Clarke
UPDATE: Finally got the form! For anyone else dealing with this, I ended up downloading the general IDR application from StudentAid.gov, filling it out with my Nelnet account info, and faxing it to them using an online fax service. I also called (finally got through) and requested the administrative forbearance while it processes. The agent confirmed they're having technical issues with their electronic system for IDR applications but said it should be resolved within 6 weeks. In the meantime, they're processing all applications manually. She also emailed me a receipt confirming they received my application. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Sophia Gabriel
•thx for the update!! im gonna try the fax thing too cuz i still cant get thru on the phone 😫
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Ezra Beard
•Great news! The receipt is especially important - keep that documentation until your new plan is officially in place. And remember you can recertify your income every year, even if they don't prompt you to do so. It's better to be proactive with these servicers.
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Jamal Harris
Just want to add for anyone else dealing with this - if you're having trouble with the online fax services, most UPS Stores and FedEx locations can fax documents for you for a small fee (usually $1-2 per page). I know it seems old-school, but it's faster than mailing and you get a confirmation receipt. Also, make sure to include a cover sheet with your loan account number and clearly write "IDR APPLICATION" at the top - it helps them route it to the right department faster. The whole situation is frustrating but at least there are workarounds while they fix their system.
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Nia Thompson
•This is really helpful advice! I've been avoiding the paper route because I thought it would be too complicated, but knowing I can just go to UPS or FedEx makes it feel much more manageable. I had no idea about including "IDR APPLICATION" on the cover sheet either - that's a great tip. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to keep our payments affordable, but I appreciate everyone sharing their workarounds while Nelnet gets their act together.
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