Financial aid experts are flagging an approaching operational deadline for parents with Parent PLUS loans as rules require consolidation into a new loan by June 30 to preserve affordable payments. The practical deadline is earlier to allow time for processing, creating time pressure for families managing annual aid planning. The change has specific consequences for borrowers who want to keep payment options and potential forgiveness pathways that can be affected by consolidation timing. Institutions and financial aid offices are likely to see more advising demand as families wait until late in the cycle. For universities, the key risk is service bottlenecks: delayed submissions can shift parents into higher monthly payments or reduce access to certain relief opportunities.