Just wanted to add that if your son is applying to multiple schools, it's worth reaching out to each financial aid office individually after submitting the FAFSA. Different schools have varying policies on how they handle disability income in their aid calculations, and some are more generous with professional judgment reviews than others. Also, some schools have special emergency aid funds or disability-related grants that aren't tied to the FAFSA at all. It's extra work but could make a real difference in his final aid packages!

One more thing to consider - if your son ends up not qualifying for as much need-based aid due to the SSDI income, make sure he still applies for merit-based scholarships at his schools and through outside organizations. Many scholarships specifically target students from families dealing with disabilities or financial hardships. Also, some states have special grant programs for students whose parents receive disability benefits. It's worth checking with your state's higher education agency to see what might be available in your area.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I want to add that timing really matters with the National Student Clearinghouse reporting. Most schools don't run those checks until late May/early June, so if you can resolve your situation quickly (within 2-3 weeks), you're less likely to get flagged. Also, I discovered that some schools have "soft deadlines" vs "hard deadlines" - meaning they'll still accept your deposit a few days late if you communicate with them. One thing that really helped me was creating a spreadsheet tracking all my communication attempts with dates/times, because when I finally got through to a financial aid counselor, having that documentation showed I'd been trying in good faith for weeks. They were much more willing to help expedite my package. Don't give up on the phone calls entirely though - I found that calling right when they open (usually 8 AM) gave me the best chance of getting through quickly.

I'm a current college sophomore who went through this exact nightmare two years ago! I ended up double depositing at 3 schools (lost about $800 total) but it was absolutely worth it for peace of mind. Here's what I wish someone had told me: 1. Email is definitely faster than calling - I got responses within 24-48 hours vs never getting through on the phone 2. Be strategic about which deposits are truly non-refundable vs which have grace periods 3. Some schools will actually match or beat other aid packages if you ask (once you have them to compare) 4. Housing fills up FAST at popular schools, so even if you're unsure, getting in the housing queue early can save you from terrible dorm assignments The stress is real, but remember - this is a temporary situation and you'll figure it out! I ended up at my third choice school because of their amazing aid package, and it turned out to be the perfect fit. Sometimes the financial aid delays force you to consider options you might have overlooked. Document everything, stay organized, and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself with the financial aid offices. They deal with this situation constantly and most are willing to work with you if you're proactive about communication.

So glad to see this worked out! This is exactly why I always tell families to double-check which year they're selecting when creating FSA accounts. The new system can be confusing, but once you get all the contributors properly linked to the right application year, it usually processes smoothly. Your experience will probably help other families who run into the same issue!

As a parent who just went through this same nightmare last month, I can confirm that the resend invitation approach absolutely works! My husband also selected the wrong year initially and we were panicking about missing deadlines. The key thing I learned is that the student (your daughter) has complete control over the contributor invitations from her dashboard. She can resend them as many times as needed, and the system will automatically link contributors to the correct application year when they follow the email link. Don't stress too much about the March deadlines - most schools are being very understanding about FAFSA delays this year given all the system issues. The important thing is that your application is in the system and processing!

As a newcomer to this whole FAFSA process, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! Reading through everyone's experiences has made me feel so much more prepared and less anxious about tackling this with my own child next year. The step-by-step breakdowns, timing details, and practical tips like having documents ready and testing FSA IDs beforehand are exactly what I needed to understand the process. It's amazing how supportive this community is - thank you all for sharing your real experiences and making this seem much less overwhelming than I initially thought it would be!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter last month, I can definitely confirm what everyone else has said - your daughter needs to start the FAFSA first! The student is always the primary applicant, and parents are added as contributors during the process. Here's what worked really well for us: We set aside a Saturday morning and made sure we both had our FSA IDs working properly the day before. My daughter started the application, and about 45 minutes in, she reached the section where she needed to add me as a parent contributor. She entered my information, and I received the email invitation within about 20 minutes. One thing I'd strongly recommend is having all your 2023 tax documents ready before starting - both yours and your daughter's if she filed. The IRS data retrieval tool works most of the time, but we had to manually enter some information when it couldn't pull everything automatically. Also, make sure you're both available to work on this together or at least communicate throughout the process. After I completed my contributor section, my daughter still had to review the entire application and submit it - that final submission step is crucial and easy to forget! The new SAI system is definitely confusing compared to the old EFC, but don't worry too much about understanding all the calculation details. Focus on entering accurate information and meeting your priority deadlines. You've got this!

Just wanted to update - I called FSA this morning (used the Claimyr service that was suggested and got through in about 15 minutes!). The agent confirmed that since my mother's Social Security and retirement cover more than 50% of her expenses, I was correct NOT to include her in my household size. She suggested I keep documentation of how I calculated this in case of verification. Thanks everyone for your help!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my grandfather who moved in with us last year. He has his pension and Social Security, but we cover some of his medical expenses and help with groceries. Reading through these responses, it sounds like I need to sit down and actually calculate what percentage of his total support we're providing. The 50% rule seems pretty clear once you understand it, but you're right that the FAFSA wording can be confusing at first glance.