I'm dealing with a very similar issue right now! My SAI jumped by over 2,000 points even though our family situation actually got worse this year. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea there were so many common calculation errors happening with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. I think the most helpful advice here is to be really specific when calling FSA about what type of review you need. Instead of just saying "my SAI is wrong," asking for a "SAI calculation review" or "recalculation review" seems to get you to the right people much faster. For anyone else following this thread, I'd also recommend checking your Student Aid Report really carefully for any unusual codes or flags before calling. Sometimes there are verification requirements or other issues that aren't immediately obvious but could be affecting your calculation. Good luck to everyone dealing with this - it's frustrating but clearly fixable based on the success stories shared here!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in the exact same boat - my SAI went up by almost 3,500 points even though my family's income dropped by over $20,000 this year due to my mom losing her job. I've been going in circles with my financial aid office and FSA for weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful. I think my issue might be similar to what others have mentioned about retirement accounts being miscategorized. My dad moved his 401k to a new employer and I'm wondering if the system counted that transfer as income. I'm going to try calling FSA tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp and specifically ask for a "SAI calculation review specialist" like several people recommended. I've got all our tax documents and the 1099-R form ready to go. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and specific advice - this thread has given me so much hope that this can actually be fixed! I'll update once I hopefully get through to someone who can help.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this thread has been! I'm in almost the exact same situation - my older sister is in graduate school for social work and my parents weren't sure whether to include her in our household size. After reading through all these detailed explanations, especially the clear breakdown from Ryder and the real-world experiences from people like Chloe and Kayla, I now understand that I should include her in household size since my parents definitely provide more than 50% of her support (they pay her rent, car payment, health insurance, and groceries when she's home), but I should NOT count her in the number attending college section since she's a graduate student. The spreadsheet idea that Fatima suggested is absolutely genius - I'm going to create one right now to track all the expenses my parents cover for my sister so I have everything documented in case of verification. It's such a relief to find a community where people actually explain these confusing FAFSA rules clearly instead of just giving vague advice. Thank you all for making this process so much less overwhelming for newcomers like me!

Hi everyone! I'm completely new to this community and stumbled upon this thread while desperately searching for answers about the household size question on my FAFSA. I can't believe how perfectly this addresses my exact situation! My older brother is in his first year of a Master's program in engineering, and my parents have been going back and forth about whether to include him or not. After reading through all these incredibly detailed responses, I now completely understand the distinction between household size (include him since my parents pay his rent, health insurance, phone bill, and food expenses - definitely over 50% of his total costs) and number in college (don't include him since he's a graduate student). The spreadsheet tracking idea that multiple people have mentioned is absolutely brilliant - I'm creating one right now to document everything my parents contribute toward my brother's expenses. It's such a relief to find a community where people share real experiences and actual solutions rather than just repeating confusing official language. Thank you all for making this intimidating FAFSA process so much more manageable for newcomers like me! This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone dealing with graduate student siblings.

Wow, reading through all these responses has been so reassuring! I submitted my FAFSA about 9 days ago and have been stressing out about not being able to find my SAI number anywhere. I was doing exactly what a lot of you were doing - just checking the main dashboard and getting more frustrated by the day. The key takeaways I'm getting from everyone's experiences: - Look specifically in the Student Aid Report (SAR) under "My Documents" - not the main page - Processing can take 2-3 weeks, especially with all the new FAFSA system changes - Try logging out completely and back in if the SAR isn't showing up - College financial aid offices might be able to see it before you can - About 18% of applications get flagged for verification which adds more time I'm going to try the SAR route first thing tomorrow, and if that doesn't work I'll call my top choice school's financial aid office. It's honestly such a relief to know that so many other people are dealing with this exact same issue! Makes me feel way less alone in navigating this confusing new system. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips - this community is amazing! 🙏

Just wanted to add my experience since I literally went through this exact same thing last week! I submitted my FAFSA on March 10th and was losing my mind trying to find my SAI number. After reading tons of forums and calling around, here's what finally worked for me: 1. The Student Aid Report (SAR) is definitely where you'll find it, but sometimes it takes a while to generate even after your FAFSA is "processed" 2. Clear your browser cache and try different browsers - I swear the site works better on Chrome than Safari 3. Check between 6-8 AM when the site is less busy - way faster loading times What really saved me was calling my state's financial aid office (not federal, but my state office). They were able to pull up my info immediately and confirm my SAI was 8,432. Turns out my application wasn't flagged for anything - it just took 16 days for the SAR to finally show up online. Don't panic if you're at the 2-week mark! The system is definitely slower this year. My college counselor said they've had students wait up to 25 days for their SAR to appear. Hang in there - it'll show up! Also pro tip: once you do get your SAI, screenshot it and save it somewhere safe. You'll need that number for scholarship applications and talking to financial aid offices.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some hope from someone who just went through this exact nightmare! My ex's mother set up a UTMA for my daughter without telling me, and I only found out during senior year when we were already deep into the college application process. Here's what saved us: First, don't panic until you know the actual amount - mine turned out to be much smaller than I feared. Second, the appeals process really does work if you document everything properly. I created a timeline showing when I discovered the account, gathered emails proving I had no knowledge of it, and included our divorce decree showing my financial responsibilities. Three out of four schools we appealed to gave additional institutional aid. Third, look specifically at schools with generous aid for families under $50k - some private colleges actually ended up being MORE affordable than our state schools once they factored in our circumstances. The UTMA definitely complicated things and we had to adjust our strategy, but my daughter is now at her dream school with a manageable aid package. The key is having multiple options, being prepared to advocate fiercely, and remembering that financial aid offices deal with complex divorced family situations all the time. You've got this!

I'm new to this community and wanted to share some perspective as someone who works with families navigating complex financial aid situations. While discovering this UTMA is definitely stressful, please remember that your overall financial profile - $43k income supporting three children - still paints a clear picture of genuine need that schools will recognize. The 20% student asset assessment is harsh, but it's applied to the UTMA balance, not your entire financial situation. A few strategic suggestions: First, once your son turns 18, have him directly contact the financial institution to get complete account details - they're legally required to provide this information to the beneficiary. Second, start researching schools that specifically advertise generous aid for families in your income bracket - many have sliding scales where families under $50k pay significantly less regardless of assets. Third, don't overlook the power of applying to a diverse range of schools, including some that might not be on your current list but are known for excellent financial aid. Finally, document everything about this situation now - when you discovered it, your lack of control over it, your custody arrangement - because this documentation will be crucial if you need to appeal aid decisions later. This situation complicates your strategy but doesn't eliminate your son's college opportunities.

Congratulations on your full-ride scholarship, Andre! That's such an amazing accomplishment! 🎓 As a recent graduate who had a similar scholarship situation, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to file the FAFSA anyway. Even though my scholarship was described as "comprehensive," I ended up needing additional funding for things like: - Study abroad program fees (my scholarship didn't cover international insurance or visa costs) - Summer research stipend applications that required FAFSA completion - Graduate school preparation (some GRE prep courses offered need-based discounts) - Emergency expenses when my laptop died mid-semester The FAFSA also opened doors I didn't expect - I qualified for a small state grant that covered my textbooks, and the work-study program helped me land connections that led to internships. Most importantly, when my scholarship had a temporary hold due to a clerical error with my transcript (not my fault!), having FAFSA already filed meant I could get emergency aid to cover that semester while they sorted it out. The application really doesn't take long if you have your documents ready, and it's basically free insurance for your entire college career. Your counselor means well, but based on everything I've seen, filing is always the safer choice!

Congratulations on your full-ride scholarship, Andre! That's absolutely incredible! 🎉 As a newcomer to this community but someone who just went through the college planning process with my older sibling, I've been following this thread with great interest. The unanimous advice here is pretty compelling - literally everyone is saying to file the FAFSA regardless of your scholarship status! What really stands out to me from all these responses is how many "full ride" scholarships apparently have gaps that students don't discover until they're already enrolled. The stories about surprise fees, registration holds, and missed opportunities for additional funding are honestly pretty concerning. It sounds like even if you never end up needing the financial aid itself, having FAFSA completed keeps so many doors open - work-study programs, additional grants, study abroad funding, research opportunities, and most importantly, a safety net if anything unexpected happens with your scholarship. Given that the application only takes about an hour and the potential consequences of NOT filing seem pretty significant based on everyone's experiences here, it really seems like a no-brainer to just go ahead and complete it before the deadline. Better to have that peace of mind and keep all your options open! Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - this has been super educational for those of us still navigating this process!