Thank you all for the advice. We're going to have our daughter take out the maximum in her own name first ($5,500 for freshman year), then use Parent PLUS for the remainder. We'll also appeal the financial aid offer to see if they can do any better given some medical expenses we had last year that weren't reflected in our FAFSA. Still disappointed about the loan forgiveness limitations, but at least we have a clearer picture now of what we're getting into. We'll likely use that Claimyr service to confirm everything directly with FSA before signing anything.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your daughter's school participates in any state-specific loan forgiveness programs for teachers. Some states have their own teacher loan forgiveness programs that might have different eligibility requirements than federal PSLF. Since your wife is already in education, she might know about these programs or have colleagues who've used them. Also, make sure to keep detailed records of all your Parent PLUS loan payments and your wife's employment at the Title I school - even though Parent PLUS loans aren't directly eligible for PSLF, the rules around federal loan programs do sometimes change, and having documentation could be helpful if new forgiveness options become available in the future.

UPDATE: My daughter just finished her section and we got to see the summary page. The tax information that was imported looks accurate - they pulled our AGI, income, and tax figures correctly from our 2023 return. So the direct data exchange actually worked perfectly! Just wanted to follow up in case anyone else has this concern.

Thanks for sharing your update! It's really helpful to hear that the DDE worked smoothly for you. As someone who's about to start the FAFSA process with my own kid, I was getting nervous reading about all the potential issues with tax data not importing correctly. Good to know that when it works, it really does make the whole process much faster than the old system. Did you notice any other differences in the application compared to what you might have expected from previous years?

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I just got off the phone with the financial aid office, and they actually recommended we start the Parent PLUS application process now, rather than waiting. They said we can submit the application even before officially accepting the aid package, which gives me some peace of mind about the timing. They also mentioned they have an institutional payment plan that might help us reduce the loan amount we need to take out. Going to look into both options this week and weigh the pros and cons.

Great to hear you got some clarity from the school's financial aid office! That's always the best first step. Just wanted to add that when you're comparing the Parent PLUS loan vs. the institutional payment plan, make sure to factor in your family's cash flow situation too. The payment plan might save you on interest, but it also means larger monthly payments during the school year. Some families find it easier to spread the payments over the longer loan term, even with the higher interest cost. Also, if you do go with the Parent PLUS loan, remember that you can always make extra payments toward the principal to reduce the total interest paid over time. Whatever you decide, sounds like you're being really thoughtful about weighing all your options!

Did anyone else notice that the whole FAFSA system has been a complete disaster since they "simplified" it? My cousin's daughter had her application stuck for MONTHS and almost lost her scholarship. The government can't do anything right!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved! Your situation is exactly why I always recommend keeping detailed notes about every step of the FAFSA process. For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar issues, here are some additional tips that have helped me and my friends: 1. Screenshot everything - your summary pages, error messages (or lack thereof), and any confirmation numbers 2. Try accessing your FAFSA at different times of day - sometimes the system shows different information during off-peak hours 3. If you're a parent contributor, make sure you're logged into the correct account when reviewing information 4. Double-check that your FSA ID is properly linked to your Social Security number The high school completion date issue you experienced is actually more common than people realize. I've seen it happen when students transfer schools or do dual enrollment. It's frustrating that these "hidden" errors aren't visible to us, but at least there's usually a solution once you can get through to someone who knows the system well enough to find them. Hope your daughter gets her aid package soon and everything works out for her college plans!

Yes, you do need to report 529 plans on the FAFSA, but how they're reported depends on who owns the account: - If the 529 is parent-owned (with your daughter as beneficiary): It's reported as a parental asset, which has a much smaller impact on aid eligibility (only about 5.64% of the value counts against aid). - If the 529 is owned by your daughter: It would be reported as a student asset, which has a bigger impact (20% counts against aid). - If the 529 is owned by a grandparent or other relative: The new FAFSA no longer requires reporting distributions from these accounts, which is a positive change from previous years. Contact the university's financial aid office directly to discuss mid-year transfer opportunities - they can often provide specific guidance for your situation.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - if your daughter hasn't already, she should create her FSA ID (studentaid.gov) as soon as possible since both of you will need to electronically sign the FAFSA. The FSA ID creation process can sometimes take a few days to verify, and you don't want that to delay your FAFSA submission. Also, make sure you have your 2022 tax returns handy since the 2024-2025 FAFSA uses prior-prior year tax information. Good luck with everything!