Parent Plus loan consolidation issues - need to separate loans before SAVE plan deadline
I'm stuck in Parent Plus loan consolidation hell and running out of time! I have two kids who graduated, and I'm trying to consolidate their loans separately so I can have two income-contingent repayment plans (ICR). The financial aid advisor told me this should be an 'all-in-one application process' but I'm confused about how to separate the loans by child. I've been trying to reach the FSA helpline all day but keep getting the 'call volume too high' message. With the SAVE plan deadline approaching and the new repayment options, I'm panicking about missing out on lower payments. Is there a way to specify which Parent Plus loans go into which consolidation online without calling? Has anyone successfully separated their Parent Plus loans by child? Any advice would save my sanity right now!
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Chloe Martin
Yes, you can separate Parent Plus loans during consolidation without calling! I just did this last month. When you go to studentaid.gov and start the consolidation application, there's a section where you select which loans to include in EACH consolidation. You'll need to complete two separate consolidation applications - one for each child's loans. Make sure you check only the loans for one child in the first application, submit it, then start a new application for the other child's loans. The system lets you pick and choose which loans go into each consolidation.
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Omar Farouk
•Thank you! So I need to do two completely separate applications? The FSA website is so confusing - when I started the process it seemed like I had to consolidate everything together. I'll try again and look for that option to select specific loans. Fingers crossed I can figure it out!
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Diego Fernández
calling the FSA number is useless right now anyway. tried 8 times yesterday and kept getting hung up on. good luck with the online process
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
The previous advice is correct, but I want to add some important details about Parent Plus loan consolidation for ICR plans: 1. Make sure each consolidation is individually marked for ICR - they don't automatically apply the repayment plan 2. You'll need to complete the income certification form for EACH consolidation separately 3. After consolidation, each loan will get a new servicer - possibly different ones 4. The deadline for getting the SAVE plan benefits is April 30, 2026, so you still have some time 5. Remember that Parent Plus loans can ONLY go on ICR, not IDR, SAVE, or PAYE plans unless consolidated with your own student loans One tricky part: when selecting loans in the consolidation tool, pay attention to the loan origination dates. The system shows all your loans, and it's easy to accidentally include the wrong ones.
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Omar Farouk
•This is super helpful! I didn't realize I'd need separate income certifications for each consolidation. I was worried about the SAVE deadline - good to know I have until April 2026. Do the loan origination dates matter for some reason? I'm not sure I even know when each loan originated.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•Yes, the origination dates help you identify which loans belong to which child. They should correspond roughly to their enrollment periods. When you see the loan list, each Parent Plus loan will have the origination date listed. Group them by those time periods to make sure you're consolidating the right loans together for each child.
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Sean Fitzgerald
I know exactly what ur going thru!!! Spent 4 MONTHS trying to get my kids loans separated last year. The website kept crashing and the phone lines were always busy. Finally got it done but missed out on the payment pause. So frustrating!! Good luck!!
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Zara Khan
Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to the Federal Student Aid phone line? When I was stuck in Parent Plus loan consolidation limbo last month, I couldn't get through for days. Then someone on Reddit recommended this service called Claimyr that waits on hold with FSA for you and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I finally spoke with walked me through the exact process of separating my kids' loans into different consolidations. With something complicated like multiple Parent Plus consolidations, sometimes talking to a human is the only way to make sure it's done right.
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Omar Farouk
•Thanks for the suggestion! I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. Did they explain everything clearly when you finally got through? I'm worried about messing up the consolidation and being stuck with higher payments.
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Zara Khan
•Yes, they walked me through everything step by step. The agent even stayed on the line while I completed the first application to make sure I was selecting the right loans. It's definitely worth talking to them for something this important - the online instructions don't really cover the specifics of separating Parent Plus loans by child.
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Diego Fernández
•does that service cost money? seems sketchy to pay just to talk to the government lol
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Chloe Martin
Quick follow-up - I just remembered another important detail. When you submit the first consolidation application, wait about 3-5 business days before submitting the second one. If you submit both on the same day, their system sometimes gets confused and may combine all the loans together. This happened to a friend of mine and it took months to sort out!
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Omar Farouk
•Oh wow, that's good to know! I definitely would have submitted them back to back. These little details are exactly why this process is so confusing. Thank you!
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MoonlightSonata
why r u even bothering to separate them?? just consolidate them all together and do one income plan. makes ur life way easier and probably lower payment anyway. that's what i did for my 3 kids loans.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•This isn't accurate advice. Consolidating Parent Plus loans separately by child can actually be financially beneficial in several scenarios: 1. If one child is helping with payments, separate loans make it easier to track 2. If you want to pay off one child's loans more aggressively 3. If you're planning to pursue forgiveness options for one set of loans but not the other 4. For estate planning purposes if something happens to the parent While a single consolidation might seem simpler, it's not always the best financial strategy for everyone's situation.
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Omar Farouk
•My older child is actually helping with payments for their portion, which is why I want them separate. Plus the loan amounts are very different - one is about $28,000 and the other is over $65,000. I'd rather keep track of them separately.
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Mateo Gonzalez
I HATE THE PARENT PLUS LOAN SYSTEM!!! They make everything SO COMPLICATED on purpose!! Been fighting with them for 2 years trying to get my consolidation right. Called 37 times last year. THIRTY-SEVEN!!! And they still messed up my payments. The whole system is designed to confuse parents so we end up paying more. It's a SCAM and nobody can convince me otherwise!!
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Nia Williams
•This is why I told my kids they could only go to schools we could pay for without loans. Parent Plus is a trap.
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Omar Farouk
•37 calls?? That's terrifying. I really hope I can get this sorted out online. Did you ever manage to get your consolidation fixed?
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Mateo Gonzalez
•KIND OF. They finally fixed it after I filed a formal complaint with the Ombudsman. That seemed to get their attention. If you have any issues, don't waste time with regular customer service - go straight to filing a complaint. It's the only thing that worked for me.
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Sean Fitzgerald
just wondering did u get teh letter about the PSLF waiver? i got an email saying parent plus loans might be eligible now but im so confused about the requirements
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•That's actually a separate topic. The PSLF waiver for Parent Plus loans only applies if the parent (not the student) works in qualifying public service and meets the 120 payment requirement. The loans still need to be consolidated and placed on an ICR plan first. The current limited waiver ends October 31, 2026.
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Omar Farouk
Update: I was able to start the first consolidation application online! Found the section where you can select specific loans. Now I'm stuck on the income verification part though - it's asking for my AGI from my tax return but I can't remember which line that's on. Also, does anyone know how long the entire consolidation process takes from application to completion?
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Chloe Martin
•Great progress! AGI is on line 11 of your 2025 Form 1040. For timeline: my first consolidation took about 45 days from application to final processing, and the second one took almost 60 days. Make sure you continue making payments on your current loans until you get confirmation that the consolidation is complete!
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Kolton Murphy
This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with three kids' Parent Plus loans. One thing I learned from my loan servicer is that you can actually call them directly (not just FSA) to get help with the consolidation process. My servicer was Great Lakes and they were much easier to reach than the federal helpline. They walked me through which loans belonged to which kid based on the disbursement dates. Also, make sure you download and save copies of all your loan documents before starting the consolidation - once they're consolidated, the original loan details disappear from your account history. This saved me when I needed to reference the original terms later for tax purposes.
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Omar Hassan
•This is really helpful advice about contacting the servicer directly! I didn't even think about calling Great Lakes instead of FSA. That makes so much sense - they probably know the loan details better anyway. The tip about downloading documents before consolidation is brilliant too. I would have been so frustrated if I lost all that information later. Quick question - did your servicer help you identify which disbursement dates corresponded to which child, or did you have to figure that out yourself?
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StarStrider
•@Omar Farouk - You should definitely try calling your servicer directly! That s'such good advice. I m'in a similar boat with Parent Plus loans for two kids and the FSA line has been impossible. Quick question for @Kolton Murphy - when you called Great Lakes, did they help you start the consolidation application or just help identify the loans? I m wondering'if they can actually walk you through the online process or if they just provide the loan details.
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