That's such a relief to hear! I'm in a similar situation - submitted my FAFSA in early March and still waiting for my disclosure statement. The waiting is so stressful when you see all these college deadlines approaching. It's good to know that most schools are being understanding about the delays this year. I think I'll follow your lead and call my school's financial aid office tomorrow just to give them a heads up about the delay and see if they have any updates on their end. Thanks for sharing your update - it definitely helps ease some of the anxiety!

I'm in the exact same situation! Submitted my FAFSA about 2.5 weeks ago and still showing "processing" with no disclosure statement yet. This is my first time too and I was getting really worried seeing all these deadlines coming up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - sounds like the delays are pretty normal this year with the new system. I'm definitely going to call my school's financial aid office this week to let them know about the delay and make sure I'm not missing anything on my end. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips, especially about checking email preferences and the possibility of hidden verification issues!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My daughter's FAFSA has shown "processed" for almost 3 weeks, but two of her schools are saying they still haven't received anything. It's so stressful when aid deadlines are approaching. Based on what everyone has shared here, I'm going to call the Federal Student Aid Info Center tomorrow to request that "manual retransmission" that Sophia mentioned. I'll also take screenshots of our processed FAFSA and send them to the schools preemptively. It's really reassuring to see that the financial aid offices have been understanding about these system-wide delays. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread is incredibly valuable for those of us dealing with this mess!

I'm a college financial aid administrator and want to add some additional context that might help families in this situation. The transmission delays this year are largely due to the Department of Education's complete overhaul of the FAFSA processing system. While frustrating, there are a few additional steps you can take: 1. Check if your state has a separate financial aid application that might not be affected by federal delays 2. Ask schools about provisional aid packages - many can estimate aid based on your SAI even without the full transmission 3. Consider applying for private scholarships as a backup while waiting for federal aid to process The manual retransmission request that Sophia mentioned is definitely the best solution, but it's also worth knowing that the Department of Education has committed to resolving most transmission issues by mid-June. Hang in there - this too shall pass!

One more important point: make sure your son understands that his initial aid offers might be lower than they should be because of this error. He shouldn't make his college decision based on those initial packages if the 401k issue hasn't been addressed. Also, keep detailed records of every conversation - who you spoke with, date/time, what was discussed, and any case numbers or follow-up instructions. This paper trail will be crucial if you need to escalate the issue later.

I went through something similar with my daughter's FAFSA two years ago! The key thing to remember is that this mistake actually happens more often than you'd think - financial aid officers have seen it before and know how to handle it. Here's what worked for us: I created a simple one-page document explaining the error, included a screenshot of the 401k account statement showing it's a qualified retirement plan, and emailed it to the financial aid offices at her top 3 schools before she even got her acceptance letters. Most of them responded within a few days acknowledging the issue and confirming they'd note it in her file. When the aid packages came out, two schools had already adjusted them correctly, and the third fixed it within a week after I called. Don't let this stress consume you - it's fixable, and your son's aid chances aren't ruined!

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Keep Parent PLUS separate from your Direct Loans (they can't be combined anyway) 2. Don't consolidate your subsidized and unsubsidized loans while in school 3. For your additional $15k need, pursue in this order: grants/scholarships > work-study > subsidized loans > unsubsidized loans > Parent PLUS 4. Your existing loans don't affect your SAI calculation for next year's FAFSA 5. Be aware of aggregate loan limits ($31,000 total for dependent undergrads for Direct Loans) The best approach is to minimize borrowing where possible, and when you must borrow, prioritize the loans with the best terms (lowest interest, best protections).

Just wanted to add one more tip - make sure to submit your FAFSA as early as possible once it opens for your sophomore year! Priority deadlines can really impact how much aid you get, especially for state grants and work-study positions which are often first-come, first-served. I made the mistake of waiting until March my first year and missed out on some grant money. Also, if your family's financial situation has changed significantly since last year (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), don't forget you can appeal your aid package or request a professional judgment review with your school's financial aid office.

I just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you're gathering documentation, make sure you also have records of any untaxed income you might have received in 2023. This could include things like assistance for your mother's care, any cash support, or other benefits that didn't require tax filing. The FAFSA will ask about untaxed income separately from your tax filing status, so even though you didn't file taxes, you'll still need to report any income you received that year. This ensures your daughter's aid calculation is as accurate as possible and helps avoid issues during verification. Also, don't stress too much about the complexity of your situation - financial aid offices deal with non-traditional families all the time, and they're usually very helpful once you get connected with the right person. Good luck with everything!

One more tip that might save you headaches down the road - when you submit your FAFSA, screenshot or print every page before you finalize it. I learned this the hard way when my daughter's school asked me to verify information I had entered, but I couldn't remember exactly what I had put down for certain questions. Also, if your daughter ends up getting selected for verification (which is pretty common), don't panic! It's usually just routine and doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Just be ready with all your documentation and respond quickly to any requests from the financial aid office. Your situation is definitely manageable - you've got great advice from everyone here and it sounds like you're being thorough about getting everything right. Your daughter is lucky to have someone advocating for her education like this!