What happens if a parent refuses a parent PLUS loan?

Asked by: Emory Terry MD  |  Last update: February 20, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (38 votes)

Get additional Direct Unsubsidized Loans. If you're a parent and you're unable to get a PLUS loan, your child may be able to get additional unsubsidized loan funds. Normally, a dependent student can't get as much unsubsidized loan funding as an independent student can.

What happens if my mom is declined for a parent PLUS loan?

If your parent is rejected for Parent PLUS loans, then you are eligible to take out federal undergraduate loans as if you were a non-dependent student. IIRC this means you can take out $9500 your freshman year. Ultimately you're capped at $57500. Your school's financial aid officer should be able to help you with that.

What if my parents won't do a parent PLUS loan?

If your parent is rejected for Parent PLUS loans, then you are eligible to take out federal undergraduate loans as if you were a non-dependent student. IIRC this means you can take out $9500 your freshman year. Ultimately you're capped at $57500. Your school's financial aid officer should be able to help you with that.

Can you reject a parent PLUS loan?

From the email: there is not an option to accept or decline an offer of the PLUS parent loan, as your parent would need to apply for this loan and be approved first before we will accept it for them if they are approved. It went on and gave instructions on how to get approved.

What is the loophole in parent PLUS loans?

The Double Consolidation Loophole for Parent PLUS Loans is a strategy that reduces your monthly payments through better income-driven repayment plans (such as PAYE, IBR, or SAVE) achieved by consolidating your loans twice.

Do I Still Need To Pay Back The Parent Plus Loan?

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Can a parent get out of a parent PLUS loan?

Your parent PLUS loan may be discharged if you (not the child) become totally and permanently disabled, die, or (in some cases) file for bankruptcy. Your parent PLUS loan also may be discharged if the student for whom you borrowed dies.

How can I get a parent PLUS loan forgiven?

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Parent PLUS loan borrowers may be eligible for PSLF if they work full time for a government agency or qualifying nonprofit organization and make 120 (or 10 years) qualifying payments under the ICR plan.

How to avoid parent PLUS loan?

Take These Steps to Avoid Taking Out Parent Plus Loans
  1. Max out on your child's federal student loan limits. ...
  2. Take extra care in filling out your child's FAFSA. ...
  3. Consider a private student loan or private parent loan. ...
  4. Get moving on a 529 college savings plan as soon as possible.

Can I get my name off a parent PLUS loan?

If approved, the student can pay off the Parent PLUS loan with their new loan and begin making payments on the new loan. Transferring a Parent PLUS loan to a student involves refinancing through a private lender. The student must apply for a new loan to pay off the Parent PLUS loan.

Can I sue my child for parent PLUS loan?

The parent's only legal recourse would be to sue the child for breaking the contract between the parent and child. In short, both the law and the loan terms are clear that the repayment of a Parent PLUS loan is the parent's obligation.

What is the maximum parent PLUS loan amount?

Unlike all other federal student loans, there are no explicit borrowing limits for parent PLUS loans. Parents may borrow up to the full cost of attendance, which is determined by the institution, not the government, and includes books, travel and living expenses. There are no ability-to-repay standards for PLUS loans.

Can parents defer parent PLUS loans?

If the school your child is attending requires you to submit your request for a parent PLUS loan at StudentAid.gov, you'll have the option of requesting a deferment as part of the loan request process. You can also contact your loan servicer to request a deferment.

Are parent PLUS loans hard to get?

Pros and cons for parent PLUS loans

PLUS loans don't require good credit, making them an ideal option for low-credit borrowers. However, you can't have an adverse credit history, such as bankruptcies or loan defaults within the past five years.

What happens if my parents don't qualify for parent PLUS loan?

A dependent student whose parent has been denied a PLUS loan during the current aid year may be eligible to receive Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loans at the independent level with proof of PLUS loan denial from the lender.

What are the negatives about the parent PLUS loan?

What Are Some Reasons to Avoid PLUS Loans? First, PLUS loans have no automatic grace period. Then there's the fact they aren't eligible for most IDR plans. Then, borrowing too much is easy to do, and finally, they're nearly impossible to get out of, even in bankruptcy.

Are both parents responsible for parent PLUS loan?

A common misunderstanding area of the Parent Plus loan is legal ownership. These loans are the legal responsibility of the parent who signs the promissory note. This means it is the parent's legal and financial responsibility to repay this loan.

Can I decline a parent PLUS loan?

Can I cancel my Direct PLUS Loan if I decide I don't need it or the full offered amount? Before your loan money is disbursed, you may cancel all or part of your loan at any time by notifying the school.

How can I get out of my parent PLUS loan?

How Can Parent PLUS Loans Be Discharged?
  1. School closure leading to the inability of your child to complete their program.
  2. Your child's school's failure to refund loan money following your child withdrawing from school, withstanding the law.
  3. Your death or the death of the child you borrowed for.

What disqualifies parent PLUS loans?

If you're a parent or graduate student seeking a Direct PLUS Loan, one of the requirements to qualify is that you must not have an adverse credit history. If your application is denied because of an adverse credit history, don't give up. You still have options.

What is the loophole for parent plus borrowers?

How to Use the Double Consolidation Loophole: The key to using the double consolidation loophole is to consolidate each of your Parent PLUS Loans twice. In this scenario, a borrower can have as few as two Parent PLUS Loans.

What if I can't pay my parent PLUS loan?

If you can't pay off the loan immediately, you have two options: rehabilitation and consolidation . Rehabilitation: After 9 months of reasonable payments (based on your income), your loan will be in good standing. Rehabilitation removes the default note from your credit report.

Can social security be garnished for parent PLUS loans?

The federal government can potentially garnish your wages and Social Security benefits. But Parent PLUS loans do offer more flexible repayment options than most private loans, which can help borrowers better manage their debt obligation.

Are parent PLUS loans eligible for bidens forgiveness?

On August 24, 2022, Joe Biden announced a sweeping federal student loan forgiveness order, in which Parent PLUS Loans are included in. The plan attempted to forgive $10,000 for everyone and up to $20,000 for those who were approved for the federal Pell Grant program when they borrowed student loans.

How do I get parent PLUS loans out of my parents name?

How to transfer a parent PLUS loan
  1. Ask your child to apply for a student loan in their name: You can help your child complete the application, but the lender may approve or reject it based on their information alone.
  2. Include the parent PLUS loan on the refinancing application: Be sure to note that it is under your name.