Parent PLUS loan application confusion - FAFSA for both spouses or just one?
I'm totally confused about how to apply for a Parent PLUS loan for my daughter's sophomore year. She's attending an out-of-state university and we need to cover about $18,000 that her grants and direct loans won't cover. My main question: do BOTH my husband and I need to complete separate FAFSA applications, or can we just use mine since I'm the one who'll be managing the loan? We've already completed her FAFSA for 2025-2026 using both our income info, but I'm not sure about the next steps for the PLUS loan. I've heard Sallie Mae mentioned as an alternative - should we look into that instead? Getting anxious since her tuition bill is due in 6 weeks!
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Eloise Kendrick
You don't both need to complete a FAFSA. The student FAFSA you already completed is what establishes eligibility. For the Parent PLUS loan, only ONE parent applies as the borrower, but that parent will need to pass a credit check. You can apply directly at studentaid.gov under the 'Apply for Aid' section, then 'Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan.' The application includes both the loan request and the credit check. Just know that while only one parent applies, they will use the income information from both parents that was already reported on the student's FAFSA when determining loan eligibility. The current interest rate for Parent PLUS loans is 8.05% plus a ~4% origination fee taken from the disbursement.
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JaylinCharles
•Thank you! That makes more sense. So I can just apply as the borrower, but they'll still consider our combined income from my daughter's FAFSA? Is there any advantage to having my husband apply instead if he has slightly better credit?
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Lucas Schmidt
sallie mae is way better choice imo, my cousin got denied for parent plus bc of some old medical debt and the sallie mae interest rate was better anyway. just saying
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Eloise Kendrick
•Just a clarification - Sallie Mae and other private loans sometimes advertise lower interest rates, but those are usually variable rates that can increase over time. Parent PLUS loans have fixed rates and come with federal benefits like income-driven repayment options and potential forgiveness programs that private loans don't offer. Also, Parent PLUS denial actually makes the student eligible for additional unsubsidized loans in their own name.
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Freya Collins
When we applied for PLUS loans last year, only my wife applied as the borrower (not both of us). But they're definitely looking at the combined household income that was reported on your kid's FAFSA. The whole process took about 20 minutes online. Just have your FSA ID ready when you log in to studentaid.gov
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JaylinCharles
•That's helpful to know! Did your wife have to upload any additional documents during the application? And did the money go directly to the school or to you first?
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Freya Collins
•No additional docs needed during application - they already had everything from the FAFSA. And yes, the money went straight to the school, not to us. They took out the origination fee first though, so the actual amount that hit the school account was a bit less than what we borrowed.
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LongPeri
Sorry to jump in, but honestly I HATE the Parent PLUS loan program!!! The interest rates are RIDICULOUS and they give parents way too much rope to hang themselves financially. We borrowed $22,000 last year and with interest + fees we're looking at paying back over $35,000 over 10 years. It's basically predatory lending by the government imho. At least with Sallie Mae you can shop around for better rates.
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Oscar O'Neil
•While I understand your frustration with the costs, there's some misinformation here. Parent PLUS loans offer income-contingent repayment options if you consolidate them, loan forgiveness possibilities, and deferment/forbearance options that private loans like Sallie Mae don't provide. Also, private loans often have variable rates that start low but increase, while PLUS loans have fixed rates. Each family should compare total costs over the life of the loan before deciding.
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Sara Hellquiem
I work in financial aid and help families navigate this decision daily. To directly answer your question: Only ONE parent completes the Parent PLUS application on studentaid.gov. The student must have a completed FAFSA on file first (which you've done). Some key points to understand: 1. The parent with better credit should apply since there is a credit check 2. If denied due to adverse credit, you can either add an endorser or have your student receive additional unsubsidized loans 3. Parent PLUS interest rates are fixed (currently 8.05%) while private loans like Sallie Mae may offer lower initial rates but are usually variable 4. PLUS loans offer federal benefits (income-driven repayment, potential forgiveness) that private loans don't Before deciding, request loan estimates from both federal PLUS and private options to compare total costs.
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JaylinCharles
•This is SO helpful, thank you! One follow-up question - if my husband applies as the borrower (since his credit is better), does he have to be the one to manage the repayment? Or can I handle the payments even if he's the official borrower?
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Sara Hellquiem
•Great question! While your husband would be the legal borrower responsible for repayment, either of you can physically make the payments. Just set up an account on the loan servicer's website after disbursement. Many couples manage it this way - one spouse is the official borrower but both contribute to payments or one handles the payment logistics.
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Charlee Coleman
Has anyone tried calling the Federal Student Aid helpline to ask these Parent PLUS questions? I've been trying for THREE DAYS and can't get through - just endless hold times until I get disconnected! So frustrating when we're trying to make important financial decisions with deadlines approaching.
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Oscar O'Neil
•I had the same problem last month! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and had an FSA agent call ME back. Saved hours of hold time. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent answered all my Parent PLUS questions and even helped me understand why my application was flagged for extra verification. Worth it just to get actual answers directly from FSA instead of guessing.
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Charlee Coleman
•Omg thank you! Going to try this right now, need to get this loan figured out ASAP.
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Eloise Kendrick
Everyone is right that only one parent applies, but an important consideration: if you have multiple kids who will need Parent PLUS loans over several years, you might want the same parent to be the borrower for all of them. This makes repayment tracking and potential consolidation much simpler down the road. Also, PLUS loans become eligible for income-contingent repayment plans if they're later consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan.
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JaylinCharles
•That's a great point! We do have a younger son who's two years behind our daughter. So if my husband applies for this PLUS loan, he should probably be the one to apply for future loans too? Does consolidating later affect the interest rate?
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Liv Park
dont forget to check if ur daughters school has a payment plan!! might be better than taking loans. our school lets us pay in 4 payments over the semester with only a $45 setup fee and no interest
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JaylinCharles
•Thanks for mentioning this! I'll definitely look into whether her university offers a payment plan. That could be a good option for at least part of the amount we need.
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Eloise Kendrick
One last important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - the Parent PLUS loan process has two steps: 1) the application/credit check and 2) completing a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Make sure you do both or the funds won't disburse. Many parents complete the application but forget the MPN step, causing disbursement delays. Both steps are done on studentaid.gov.
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JaylinCharles
•Thank you for this crucial reminder! I would have probably missed that second step. Will make sure we complete both the application AND the MPN.
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Liam O'Connor
As someone who just went through this process last semester, I want to emphasize timing - don't wait until the last minute! Even though the application only takes 20 minutes, the credit check results can sometimes take a few days, and if there are any issues, you'll want time to resolve them or explore alternatives. Also, once approved, it can take 1-2 weeks for the funds to actually disburse to your daughter's school. With 6 weeks until her tuition is due, you're in good shape timing-wise, but I'd recommend starting the application within the next week or two just to be safe.
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Amara Okonkwo
•This is excellent advice about timing! I was getting worried about the 6-week deadline, but it sounds like we're actually in a good position if we start soon. Quick question - if there are issues with the credit check, what are the most common problems families run into? I want to be prepared for potential hiccups so we can address them quickly if needed.
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