Pell Grant overpayment question

Paying for College
1

I received a small Pell Grant in Summer 2018. I dropped the classes and owe the grant back: $1000.

In the summer, before I finalized my full-time registration for Fall 2018 classes, my aid office said my Fall 2018 aid award that had yet to be disbursed would only pay the Fall 2018 tuition and not the Summer 2018 Pell amount I owe. I understand this. So they said having Summer 2018 Pell amount to pay back would not prevent my aid from disbursing, which it didn’t. I received my Fall 2018 aid, which paid my tuition and I received my refund.

I still owe the Summer 2018 Pell overpayment. My question is: Since having this overpayment didn’t prevent my Fall 2018 aid from disbursing and didn’t prevent my refund from direct depositing into my bank account, once I sign up for Spring 2019 classes, will my Spring 2019 aid still disburse just like the Fall 2018 award did?
I don’t owe anything for Fall 2018. My only balance is that Summer 2018 Pell overpayment of $1000.

I hope this makes sense and that someone can lend their knowledge. According to my aid officer, they said I could pay back the Summer 2018 Pell overpayment with money from my refund, because my disbursement couod only pay for Fall 2018. I’m just wondering if I can do the same thing. Get my Spring 2019 classes registered, have my Spring 2019 aid amount disburse, then pay the Summer 2018 overpayment with money from my Spring 2019 refund.

2

I assume you owe your school for the Pell overpayment. If you owed the government, your school would not have been able to disburse your fall aid. I also assume that your school expected you to repay them what you owed them for the summer overpayment, from the refund you received. I am surprised they let you stay enrolled for fall, but I am 99.99% sure you will not be allowed to enroll for spring if you don’t pay them what you owe them … now, not later.

3

You would be wise to set up a payment plan and start paying back that money asap.

Get a job if you don’t have one already.

If you worked last year and overpaid your income taxes, file a tax return asap in January to get a refund to help pay this off.