Do we need to formally decline FAFSA loans showing in college portal?

just ignore it it wont get processed unless she signs a master promissory note anyway

I'd recommend not just ignoring it. Most schools actually require you to formally decline the loan through their financial aid office. While it's true the loan won't disburse without a completed MPN (Master Promissory Note), leaving it in an "offered" status can cause issues with your daughter's account at the bursar's office, potentially resulting in registration holds or incomplete financial aid packages. Call the financial aid office directly or check if there's an electronic form in their system. Many schools have a specific loan decline form or section in their portal that might not be immediately obvious. It's better to be proactive so there's a clear record of your decision.

CALL THEM!!! We had the exact same situation with my son last year and thought we could just ignore the loans. BIG MISTAKE. They put a financial hold on his account because they were showing "pending aid" that hadn't been processed, and he couldn't register for sophomore classes until we straightened it all out. Took THREE WEEKS of back and forth to fix because by then everyone was trying to register and the financial aid office was swamped. Don't be us!!!!!

Financial aid counselor here. This varies by institution, but the safest approach is to formally decline the loan. Here's what you should know: 1. Yes, it's true the loan won't disburse without an MPN and entrance counseling 2. However, many institutions require formal declination for record-keeping and processing purposes 3. The loan sitting in "offered" status can affect your daughter's account balance calculation 4. Some schools automatically cancel unaccepted loans after a certain date, but this varies widely I recommend emailing the financial aid office with your daughter's ID number, the specific loan you're declining, and the aid year. Some schools have a form, others just need written confirmation. This creates a paper trail and ensures no registration or billing issues later.

same thng happened with my son. we had to go in to student accounts office in person and fill out a form. they said on the phone we could just ignore it but then they put a hold on his account?? the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing at these schools lol

If you've been trying to call the financial aid office and can't get through (which is super common this time of year), you might want to check out Claimyr. I was in exactly your situation last year and kept getting busy signals or disconnected. I used their service at claimyr.com and got through to our financial aid office in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I actually got someone on the phone, they immediately sent me the loan declination form and processed it the same day. Saved me a ton of stress since registration was coming up soon.

Something nobody mentioned yet - if you formally decline the loan and later in the semester realize you actually do need some financial assistance, it's way more complicated to get the loan reinstated mid-semester. My daughter declined her loans, then her car died and she needed money for repairs to get to her off-campus job. Reinstating the loan was a huge headache. Just something to consider before formally declining everything.

wait but dont u have to pay loan fees even on the part u accept but dont use??

my daughter jst finished sophmore year and we learned teh hard way - u ABSOLUTELY need to decline. we ignored it freshman year and they put a hold on her account right before finals because the system was showing unpaid balance because the loan wasnt processed but was still in "offered" status. took 2 weeks and multiple calls to fix!!

Update: I just got off the phone with the financial aid office. They do have a specific "Aid Adjustment Form" that I need to submit to decline the loans. The advisor said ignoring it would eventually cause a problem with her account showing an incomplete aid package. She also mentioned I could accept a smaller amount if I wanted flexibility. Thanks everyone for your help! I never would have known to be proactive about this without your advice.

Just wanted to add another perspective - I work in a college bursar's office and we see this confusion all the time! Even though the loan won't disburse without the MPN, having it sit in "offered" status can definitely cause billing issues. Our system calculates the student's account balance based on expected aid, so if a loan is showing as "offered" but never gets processed, it can look like the student has an outstanding balance even when they don't actually owe anything. The good news is most schools make it pretty easy to decline once you know what form to look for. And like others mentioned, you can always accept a partial amount - even just $500 - which gives you a safety net without taking on unnecessary debt if you don't need it. Glad you got it figured out before registration! Your daughter is lucky to have such thorough parents looking out for these details.