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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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Our SAI came back fine with just one parent contribution. As long as you included your total household AGI correctly, there shouldn't be an issue with the calculation. The system is primarily looking at your tax information rather than who specifically entered it.
That's reassuring to hear! Did you happen to get selected for verification afterward? I'm trying to gauge how likely that might be in our situation.
i think ur overthinking this tbh. if the system says its processing then its good. my mom did ours by herself and my stepdad didnt do anything and i got my aid package already
You're probably right that I'm overthinking this! I just don't want anything to delay my son getting his aid. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps to know others had similar situations work out fine.
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The financial aid system is DESIGNED to be confusing and predatory. My daughter had a similar situation and we accepted the aid package only to realize later we'd unknowingly signed up for the highest interest Parent PLUS loans when she qualified for much better options. These schools prey on confusion and fear with these fake "deadlines" to maximize their revenue. It should be criminal how they operate.
I understand your frustration, but I want to clarify that Parent PLUS loans require a separate application and credit check - they can't be unknowingly included in an acceptance of a financial aid package. You must specifically apply for them. And the interest rates are standardized by the federal government, not set by individual schools. While the system is definitely complex, it sounds like there might have been some miscommunication in your specific case.
Maybe at YOUR school, but that's not how it worked for us! The "acceptance" page had everything bundled together and the fine print was deliberately misleading. And they absolutely pushed the most expensive options first!
One thing nobody has mentioned - you can actually NEGOTIATE your financial aid package! After you accept this one, gather information about better offers from other schools, documentation of any special circumstances, and examples of your daughter's academic achievements. Then request a financial aid appeal meeting. Many schools have additional institutional funds they can offer, especially for students with strong academics. Don't just take their first offer as final!
I had no idea we could negotiate! That's really helpful. We did get a slightly better offer from another school - can I use that in the negotiation even though we already committed to this school for other reasons?
Absolutely! Other school offers are your strongest negotiating tool. Just be respectful in how you present it - frame it as "We're committed to your school, but the cost difference is significant. Is there any way you can help us bridge this gap?" Have the other offer letter ready to share. Many schools have special scholarship funds they can tap into for students they really want to enroll.
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One other option to explore is a CSS Profile, which some private colleges use in addition to FAFSA. Unlike FAFSA, the CSS Profile considers more nuanced financial situations and may take into account that you're helping support multiple households. It costs money to submit ($25 for first school, $16 for each additional), but fee waivers are available for eligible students. The CSS Profile gives a more complete picture of financial circumstances and may result in better institutional aid at schools that use it. Check if your daughter's college accepts it.
Thank you! I didn't realize CSS Profile might give different results. Her school is public, but I'll check if they use CSS too. The fees aren't much compared to what we could save if she gets better aid.
If I can add one more thought - make sure your daughter talks directly with her school's financial aid office. While FAFSA rules are strict, many schools have institutional funds they can distribute at their discretion. Having your daughter meet in person (not just email) to explain her situation might help. Financial aid officers often have some flexibility with school-based scholarships and grants even when federal aid is limited. Sometimes it takes persistence and building a relationship with the financial aid office to access all available resources.
This is really great advice. She's pretty shy about these things and has been doing everything online. I'll encourage her to make an in-person appointment and prepare to explain her situation in detail. Thank you so much!
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With your family income at $34,000 for a household of 4, you are EXACTLY who the Pell Grant was created to help. You'll almost certainly qualify for the maximum amount. I've been working with FAFSA applications for years, and I've noticed that when people think they should qualify but don't, it's usually because of one of these mistakes: 1) They accidentally reported retirement assets as regular assets (retirement accounts should be excluded) 2) They entered income information incorrectly (like putting a decimal point in the wrong place) 3) They didn't use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, resulting in mismatched information 4) They missed the state or school deadlines for additional aid 5) They didn't follow up on verification requests The FAFSA itself doesn't have an income cutoff - everyone should apply. Individual schools may have different thresholds for their institutional aid, but federal programs like Pell Grants have consistent formulas nationwide.
This is super helpful! I've been putting it off because the whole process seemed so overwhelming but I feel a lot more confident now. I'm going to apply this weekend and make sure I double-check everything. Really appreciate all the advice!
Amara Adeyemi
I herd Biden canceled all student loans but the supreme court said no. so unfair!!! my friend said they might try again with a different approach but nobody knows when
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Dylan Wright
•The Biden administration attempted a broad $10,000-$20,000 forgiveness program that was indeed struck down by the Supreme Court. However, they've been successful with targeted relief through existing programs. Over $137 billion in student loan debt has been forgiven through PSLF improvements, borrower defense claims, school closure discharges, and disability discharges. They're also implementing new programs like SAVE that provide much better terms than previous options.
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Liam O'Connor
One more thing to consider - interest rates on federal student loans are fixed for the life of the loan. If you took out loans several years ago when rates were higher, and you now have good income (but not good enough to pay them off quickly), refinancing with a private lender might give you a lower rate. HOWEVER, this is generally not recommended because you permanently lose all federal benefits (forgiveness options, income-driven plans, hardship deferments, etc.). Based on your situation, I'd strongly recommend staying in the federal system and getting on the SAVE plan. Your credit score will recover as you continue making on-time payments and as the loan age increases.
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CosmicCadet
•Thanks for this advice. I was actually considering refinancing with SoFi because they sent me an offer, but I didn't realize I'd lose all those federal protections. I'll definitely stay federal and apply for SAVE tonight. Really appreciate everyone's help here - feeling less panicked now that I have a plan.
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