CSS Profile - Loans for the applicant's siblings

Paying for College
1

I think I know the answer here, but thought I’d run it by people here. I paid off my older daughter’s student loan this year for around $5K. This was a subsidized federal loan she took out in college. She graduated in 2018. I am currently filling out my son’s CSS Profile and there is a question about loans for the applicant’s siblings. I originally put the $5K in there. But after reading the directions, I believe I should not put it in. Here are the directions:

“Total Sibling Loans - Enter the outstanding amount of educational debt that the student’s parents have taken out to pay for the student’s siblings’ education.”

“Do not include loans that the student’s siblings obtained for their own education and that the student’s parents have agreed to repay. Also do not include any loan debt from a home equity line of credit.”

Seems pretty clear in the second paragraph that I should not include it. However, sometimes I feel there are alternate ways to read these type of questions. I guess I’m asking since the question itself seemed pretty clear that I should include it. It was only after reading to the end of the directions that I changed my thinking. Can anyone confirm?

2

Well…it’s asking for outstanding loans…and if this one is paid off…it is no longer an outstanding loan, right?

That’s the first question…so I don’t think you would include a laid off loan in any situation.

Also, it’s asking for loans you (the parent) took out in that first set of directions. A federally funded student loan was not taken out by you. That’s a student loan.

3

It wasn’t a parent’s loan and it isn’t outstanding. You are 0 for 2. Do not include.

4

Thanks. I figured so. I do think there were two separate questions (amount paid and balance), so I may only be 0 for 1 on one of the questions. Regardless, I do agree.

5

The loan wasn’t YOUR loan. The question ver specifically asks about loans the students PARENTS took out. You didn’t take out the subsidized loan. That was your kid who did that.

That you paid it off makes no difference…at all.

And that there is no balance at all means it’s not “outstanding”.