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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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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
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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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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UPDATE: I called FSA using the Claimyr service someone recommended below (actually worked!), and got confirmation on handling my tax-exempt situation. The agent confirmed I should select "Will Not File" and include my disability income in the untaxed income section. She mentioned I'll likely be selected for verification, at which point I'll need to provide: 1. My official tax exemption letter 2. A Verification of Non-Filing Letter from the IRS (request online at irs.gov) 3. Documentation of my disability benefits Just wanted to update in case anyone else has this same question! Thanks for all the help, everyone.
Thanks for coming back and updating us! This is exactly the right process. One additional tip: keep digital copies of all these documents handy throughout the entire aid process. Sometimes schools will request additional verification beyond the initial FAFSA verification.
Just an FYI - make sure your daughter also applies for outside scholarships! My son qualified for decent FAFSA aid with my disability situation, but we still had a big gap to fill. The disability scholarships were super helpful (there are several specifically for students with disabled parents). Don't forget to check with her specific schools too - many have supplemental forms that can help identify extra institutional aid she might qualify for. Good luck!
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has anyone else noticed that the work study amounts are getting ridiculously low?? $675 a year is like what, 2 hours of work per week?? how is that even helpful
You're right about the amounts getting smaller. Many schools are spreading their federal work-study allocation among more students, resulting in those tiny awards. The $675 award likely means about 2 hours per week at minimum wage. The strategy is that once a student is in the work-study program, departments can often increase their hours beyond the initial award if funds are available later in the year. It's basically getting a foot in the door for campus employment.
Update: We called Crestview's financial aid office this morning. They explained that their institutional policy is to only offer subsidized loans to students with SAIs below 12,000, and since ours is 13,245, we didn't qualify. They said their work-study funds had already been allocated to students with greater financial need. So mystery solved! We're now weighing whether the interest savings at Westlake (about $4,500 over 4 years) is worth choosing it over Crestview, which my daughter preferred academically. Thanks everyone for your help!
Thanks for updating us! This confirms what many of us suspected - different institutional policies for the same federal programs. For your decision, consider asking Crestview if they offer any merit scholarships your daughter might qualify for. Sometimes those can offset the difference in loan types. Also, remember that a student can accept partial loan amounts - she doesn't have to take the full unsubsidized loan offered if you can cover some costs another way.
Typical bureaucratic nonsense. "Sorry, you missed our arbitrary cutoff by $1,245 so no interest-free loans for you!" I'd still push back and see if they'll make an exception. Sometimes they have discretionary funds they don't tell you about unless you specifically ask. Good luck!
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Just fyi when I graduated my last semester i only needed 2 classes and financial aid wouldn't cover it because I wasn't full-time anymore. Had to take out a private loan. Super annoying. Check if there's a minimum credit requirement for whatever aid he's been getting.
Oh no, I hadn't even thought about the credit minimum! He'll only be taking 3 credits for this last course. I'll definitely need to look into this - thanks for the heads up!
Since we're in 2024 now, I want to clarify some information about the 2025-2026 FAFSA that wasn't mentioned yet: 1. The 2025-2026 FAFSA will follow the new simplified FAFSA format that launched this year 2. It should be available December 1, 2024 3. Your son's SAI (Student Aid Index) will be calculated, not EFC 4. Since it's his final course, make sure his graduation date is correctly listed File the application as soon as possible after it opens to maximize his aid eligibility. Even for one course, it's worth completing if he's been eligible for grants in the past.
This is incredibly helpful information - thank you! I've been hearing about the new FAFSA format but wasn't sure how it would affect us. I'll mark my calendar for December 1st to get it submitted early.
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i herd some people just put "divorced" on FAFSA even if technically still married. NOT saying u should do that but ppl do. might be considered fraud tho so probably not worth risk
This is absolutely NOT recommended. Providing false information on the FAFSA is considered fraud and can result in serious consequences including fines up to $20,000, prison time, having to repay all aid received, and being barred from receiving future federal student aid. The professional judgment route is the proper legal channel for addressing this situation.
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. Complete the FAFSA with both incomes as required 2. Immediately start the professional judgment process with each college 3. Gather documentation showing our 16-year separation and that I'm the primary caregiver 4. Use Claimyr to reach FSA for official documentation of their policy It's frustrating that the system doesn't account for long-term separations without formal documentation, but at least there's a pathway to get it addressed. I'll update this thread after we go through the process in case it helps others in similar situations.
Julia Hall
One important detail that hasn't been mentioned yet: your daughter should also check if any of her schools require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. Many private colleges use both forms to determine aid. The CSS Profile goes through College Board (not studentaid.gov) and asks for more detailed financial information. If she hasn't completed that for schools that require it, her financial aid packages could be delayed or incomplete.
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Alice Coleman
•Oh no! I didn't know about the CSS Profile at all. Let me check with her right away. Would the schools have notified her if this was required? She applied to two private colleges so this might be important.
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Owen Jenkins
Yes, schools typically notify students if they require the CSS Profile, but these notifications can sometimes end up in spam folders or get overlooked in the flood of college emails. The good news is that many schools have late CSS Profile deadlines for exactly this reason. You can check which schools require it by visiting the College Board website. And don't worry too much - if it is required and she missed the deadline, contact the financial aid office immediately. Many schools are understanding and will still work with you, especially for incoming freshmen who are navigating this process for the first time.
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Alice Coleman
•Thank you so much for all this information! I'm learning so much. We'll check on the CSS Profile tonight and follow up with all the schools about their financial aid timelines. This whole process is much more complicated than when I went to college!
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