FAFSA processed but scholarship showing 'Parent_IRS_EdCredit_01' error - Need help

I dealt with this exact error code last year with my daughter's Maryland senatorial scholarship. The 'Parent_IRS_EdCredit_01' error is related to an inconsistency between what you reported for education credits on your FAFSA and what the IRS has on file. Basically, the scholarship office can't finalize until that discrepancy is resolved. When you call MHEC, ask them to specifically tell you what information needs to be corrected. In our case, we had to submit an amended FAFSA with the correct education credit amount from our tax return (line 29 of the 1040). Once we did that, the scholarship was processed within 3-4 business days.

yeah my brother got that same error message last month! something about education tax credits on parents tax forms. super annoying. took like 2 weeks to fix and they made him upload his parents tax transcript direct from irs website. good luck!!

This error is specifically tied to the IRS data retrieval tool from your FAFSA. The Parent_IRS_EdCredit_01 error indicates a mismatch on reported education credits. You have three options: 1) Call MHEC first to confirm this is the exact issue 2) Log into studentaid.gov and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to automatically correct the information 3) Submit a correction to your FAFSA manually with the exact figures from your 1040 The fastest resolution is typically option 2 if you're eligible to use the IRS DRT. This should resolve within 3-5 business days once corrected.

If you need to reach FSA directly to discuss this error, fair warning that their phone lines are COMPLETELY jammed right now. I spent 3 hours on hold last week trying to fix a similar verification issue with my son's Maryland state grant. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Totally worth it for peace of mind.

the same thing happend to me actually!!! turns out my dad put down the wrong amount for education credits on fasfa. we had to send in a copy of the actual tax return (line 29 i think?) and then they fixed it but it took FOREVER. like almost a month. you should call asap!!!

my neighbor works in financial aid at towson and she says this is like super common with the maryland state scholarships this year. apparently the new fafsa system is causing all kinds of verification issues with state programs. but don't freak out, schools know about it and most are putting holds on tuition due dates for students with pending state aid

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - make sure when you call MHEC that you ask if they need the correction to come from FSA or if they can accept documentation directly. Some state scholarship programs allow you to submit the correction documentation to them directly, which can be much faster than waiting for an updated FAFSA to process through the system.

I'm a financial aid counselor (not in MD though). The Parent_IRS_EdCredit_01 error typically means there's a validation issue between what you reported for education credits and what the IRS has on file. The problem is that with the new FAFSA, many of these verification flags are triggering unnecessarily. Here's what I recommend: 1. Call MHEC first thing tomorrow 2. Have your 1040 form ready (specifically looking at line 29) 3. Request an expedited review due to approaching payment deadlines 4. Ask if they need the correction from FSA or if they'll accept direct documentation 5. If they require FSA correction, ask for the specific steps they recommend Many schools are being flexible this year due to the FAFSA delays and verification issues. Have your son check with his school's financial aid office about possibly extending payment deadlines while this gets resolved.

btw one more thing... when my brother had this problem we finally got through to someone who explained that for Maryland scholarships specifically, if the FAFSA correction takes too long, you can request an emergency review. you need to ask for this specifically though, they won't offer it unless you know to ask!