Credit score dropped 30 pts despite $0 balance (Aidvantage/FSA mismatch)

Looking for some insight or to see if anyone else is dealing with this reporting nightmare.

I have been incredibly diligent about my student loans and consistently make my payments. Because of this, my Aidvantage account has shown a $0 balance for a few months now. However, I just noticed a 30-point drop in my credit score (Experian).

After some investigating, I found a major discrepancy; my Federal Student Aid (FSA) does not reflect the $0 balance that Aidvantage shows. Even though I’ve paid it down, FSA is still showing a balance, which I suspect is causing the credit hit.

From what I’ve gathered, there’s a massive backlog/legal issue affecting reporting (tied to the recent 2026 shifts in repayment plans and the SAVE plan litigation).

I work for a non-profit, and to deal with this "pending" status, I had to put my account into forbearance. Nonetheless, I’m aware that this forbearance means my ongoing payments won't count toward PSLF. I am also concerned about the fact that Experian has recently rejected any disputes regarding my student loans.

Question:

1. Has anyone else who paid their balance to $0 seen this kind of reporting lag between their servicer and the FSA dashboard? How long did it take to sync?

2. How are fellow non-profit/PSLF employees handling this? Is there a way to switch out of this "non-qualifying" forbearance while the Department of Ed fixes their data mismatch?

It genuinely feels like I’m being penalized for being responsible and paying off my debt (not to add my credit score is my greatest concern).

Any advice would be huge. Thank you