I'm new to this community but going through the exact same stress! My son's SAI jumped to $31,200 from last year's EFC of $18,400, but he also received Work-Study eligibility. I was absolutely terrified when I first saw that number - it felt like we'd gone from having some hope for aid to being completely priced out. But reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It's clear that so many families are experiencing these dramatic jumps in their numbers, and the Work-Study eligibility seems to be a consistent positive indicator across all our situations. The advice about waiting for individual school aid packages really makes sense - apparently the colleges have much more flexibility than the federal calculations suggest. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to FSA and understand the new formula better. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - finding this community has been such a lifeline during this confusing transition to the new FAFSA system!

I'm new to this community but experiencing the exact same situation! My daughter's SAI came out to $29,800 (up from last year's EFC of $16,200) and she also received Work-Study eligibility. I was completely overwhelmed when I first saw that number - it felt like our financial aid prospects had been completely destroyed overnight. But after reading through all of your experiences, I'm feeling so much more hopeful! It's incredible how many families are dealing with these same dramatic increases, and the Work-Study eligibility really does seem to be a consistent positive sign across everyone's situations. The advice about institutional aid having much more flexibility than the federal SAI suggests is really encouraging. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to FSA and understand why our calculation changed so drastically. Thank you all for sharing your stories and creating such a supportive space - it's been invaluable to realize we're not alone in navigating this confusing transition to the new FAFSA system!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. We're going to go ahead with paying off the mortgage since it seems like it will either help our FAFSA position or at least not hurt it. We'll make sure to keep enough liquid savings for our expected family contribution once we get our SAI calculation. Really appreciate all the insights!

As someone who's been through this process with two kids now, I can confirm that paying off your mortgage is generally a smart move for FAFSA purposes. The key thing to remember is that the federal methodology only looks at your primary residence equity if you're using it as collateral for other investments - which most families aren't doing. One tip from our experience: run your numbers through the Federal Student Aid estimator both ways (with and without the mortgage payoff) to see the actual impact on your SAI. This will give you concrete numbers to work with rather than just guessing. Also consider the timing - if you're paying off the mortgage in 2025 but filing FAFSA in early 2026, make sure the transaction is completed before you file so it's reflected in your asset reporting. The $20k interest savings alone makes this a good financial decision, and the potential FAFSA benefit is just icing on the cake!

Hi Daniela! I'm new to this community but just went through the FAFSA process for the first time this year, so I totally understand your frustration with waiting for the SAI! I wanted to add one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're still seeing "matching with IRS records" after 14 days, it might be worth checking if there are any outstanding items in your "To Do" list on studentaid.gov. Sometimes there are small verification steps that need to be completed before the processing can finish, and they don't always send email notifications about these. Also, I found it helpful to screenshot the confirmation page when I first submitted my FAFSA, because it shows your Data Release Number (DRN) which can be useful if you need to call for help. The representatives can look up your application faster with that number. One more tip - once you do get your SAR with your SAI, make sure to save a PDF copy! Some schools ask for it during their verification process, and it's much easier to have it saved rather than trying to navigate back to find it later. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but you're almost there! Keep us updated when your SAR comes through.

Hi Daniela! Welcome to the community! I just went through this same process a few weeks ago and completely understand the anxiety of waiting for your SAI to appear. Since you mentioned finding that verification item in your "To Do" list, that's likely what was causing the delay! Once you complete those verification steps, the processing usually moves much faster - mine showed up within 2-3 days after I cleared a similar citizenship verification issue. One thing that really helped me during the wait was bookmarking the direct link to my Student Aid Report page so I could check quickly without navigating through all the menus. Also, if you haven't already, make sure your email settings in your studentaid.gov account are set to receive notifications - they'll send you an email as soon as your SAR is ready. The whole process is definitely more stressful than it needs to be, but you're so close now! Once that SAR appears with your SAI, you'll finally have the number you need to start understanding your aid eligibility. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Yes!! It took me three attempts to just get past the FSA ID verification step. And then when I finally got in, half the questions didn't match what was in the help documentation. Plus the website kept timing out. I'm seriously considering hiring someone to just fill it out for us next year.

As someone new to this community, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a similar situation as a grandparent wanting to help with education costs, and the clarity around the new FAFSA rules is exactly what I needed. The distinction between direct payments to institutions vs. gifts to families, and how 529 plans are now treated, removes so much uncertainty. It's also reassuring to see the tax expertise being shared here - the point about education credits only being available to parents/students even when grandparents pay tuition is something I wouldn't have known. Thank you all for creating such an informative discussion!

i thought there was some kind of special form for when both parent and kid are in school? my cousins filled something out for this exact situation last year. something about family members in college? anybody know what im talking about??

Just to add some reassurance - I went through this exact situation two years ago when I started my MBA while my daughter was a junior in college. The key thing that helped us was timing our FAFSA applications strategically. Since your income reduction from going part-time won't show up on tax returns until next year, you might want to contact your daughter's financial aid office about a "special circumstances" or "professional judgment" review for her current aid year if the income change is significant. They can sometimes adjust aid mid-year based on documented changes in family financial situation. Also, keep detailed records of your school expenses - while they don't directly reduce your daughter's SAI, they can sometimes be considered in appeals processes.