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I fild my borrower defense last year and still waiting... good luck with the wait its KILLING ME!!!!
One thing nobody mentioned - make copies of EVERYTHING before you submit. My friend lost all her documentation when her computer crashed and had to start over. I keep copies in 3 places (computer, cloud, and printed). Also, be prepared for a LONG wait. The Dept of Ed is severely backlogged with these applications.
One last bit of advice: make sure your son uses the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing his portion of the FAFSA. Even with a simple W-2 situation, this tool can help ensure the income information is transferred accurately. If he filed his own taxes for 2023 (even if his father claimed him as a dependent), the DRT will make the process much smoother.
He didn't file taxes because his income was under the filing threshold, but he does have his W-2. In this case, do we just manually enter his W-2 information?
Yes, if he didn't file taxes, you'll need to manually enter his W-2 information. Keep his W-2 handy when completing the FAFSA. You'll need to enter the exact amount from Box 1 (Wages, tips, other compensation). Since he didn't file taxes, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool won't be available for his portion. Just be sure to answer the question about filing taxes accurately by indicating he was not required to file a 2023 tax return.
Thank you so much for all your help! I feel much more confident about handling his W-2 information now. This forum has been a lifesaver!
Wait so they're actually processing NEWER applications FASTER than the early ones??? What about those of us who tried to be responsible and file early? My student's financial aid package is going to be delayed because we followed the "file as early as possible" advice that THEY'VE been pushing for years! This is absolutely ridiculous!
I understand your frustration. The early applications encountered numerous technical issues related to the new calculation methodology and system implementation. The Department of Education has stated they're working through the backlog, but yes, many March applications are processing more smoothly because many initial bugs were already fixed by then. If your January application is still stuck, I'd recommend contacting Federal Student Aid directly to have them check for any hidden issues that might be holding it up.
My nephew filed in late February and got his SAI within two weeks, but my daughter's January application is still stuck in processing limbo. The whole system seems completely random this year.
It really does seem random! I'm just glad we waited until March. I almost pushed my daughter to file in January when the form first opened, but we got busy and procrastinated. Turns out procrastination worked in our favor for once! 😂
Did you ever get this resolved? I'm curious if you tried Claimyr or found another way to get through to FSA?
Yes! I used Claimyr yesterday and it actually worked! Got connected to an agent after just 9 minutes (versus the hours I spent trying on my own). The agent found that there was indeed an old account created for my husband from when he cosigned a loan for his nephew five years ago! He had completely forgotten about it. They were able to reset everything and we got back into the account. Just submitted the FAFSA last night and already got confirmation that it's processing. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!
Ravi Patel
schools should just move ALL the deadlines cuz of how bad fafsa is this year. so stupid to make kids commit without knowing if they can afford it. my daughter picked her safety school just cuz we KNOW we can afford it without aid, even tho she got into better schools. the whole thing is making me so mad!!
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Emma Davis
•EXACTLY!! It's forcing students to make decisions based on incomplete information. That's why I'm pushing all my daughter's schools for extensions. Some are more helpful than others. The whole situation is a mess.
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Javier Hernandez
One more piece of advice - make sure you document ALL communication with both Federal Student Aid and the schools' financial aid offices. Get names of who you speak with, dates, and what was discussed. If there's a dispute later about deadlines or why you couldn't commit by May 1, having this documentation will be crucial. Many schools are creating exception processes for this unusual year.
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Oliver Becker
•Great point about documentation. I've been keeping notes but haven't been as thorough as I should be. I'll start recording names and specific promises made during these conversations.
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