As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm in a very similar situation with my eldest currently finishing her sophomore year and my youngest preparing for her freshman year next fall. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring - I was really stressed about having to navigate the FAFSA process again and worried I might mess something up for both kids. The clarification that each child needs their own separate FAFSA application but that my parent information will auto-populate for the second one is such a relief! The information about the SAI (Student Aid Index) being divided between multiple college students is absolutely huge - I had no idea this could actually work in our favor rather than just doubling our expenses. This completely changes my perspective on the financial impact of having both girls in school simultaneously. I'm definitely taking notes on all the practical advice shared here: getting FSA IDs set up early, submitting both applications as soon as FAFSA opens in October, keeping detailed records of which schools are listed for each daughter, and making sure both applications accurately reflect that we'll have two students in college. Thank you to this amazing community for sharing your real-world experiences and making what seemed like an overwhelming process feel so much more manageable. It's incredibly valuable to learn from people who have actually been through this!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to jump in and say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm actually in the exact same boat - my oldest is finishing up her sophomore year and my youngest will be starting college in the fall. I've been absolutely dreading having to figure out the FAFSA process all over again, but reading through everyone's experiences here has made it seem so much more manageable. The biggest revelation for me has been learning that having multiple students in college can actually work in our favor through the SAI division - I honestly had no idea about this and was just expecting doubled expenses with no offsetting benefits. And knowing that my parent information will auto-populate when I complete my younger daughter's application is such a huge relief! I'm definitely taking notes on all the practical tips shared here: creating FSA IDs early, submitting both applications close to when FAFSA opens in October, keeping detailed records of which schools go with which kid, and making sure both applications correctly show we'll have two college students. The advice about potentially updating my older daughter's FAFSA once my younger one commits somewhere is also really valuable. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real-world experiences - this community is such an amazing resource for navigating these complex processes that can feel so overwhelming when you're trying to figure them out on your own!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who made this way more complicated than it needed to be! When I was filling out my daughter's FAFSA last year, I spent hours trying to figure out how to handle my ex-husband who hasn't been involved financially. Turns out I was overthinking it completely - the FAFSA truly only cares about where your daughter actually lives and who supports her day-to-day. Since she lives with you and your current husband, that's it! One thing that really helped me was thinking of it this way: the FAFSA is trying to figure out what resources are actually available to help pay for college. Your ex isn't providing any resources, so he's not relevant to their calculation. Your current husband is part of your household and willing to help, so his income matters. It's actually pretty logical once you wrap your head around it. You've got this!

I'm also going through this process right now with my stepdaughter and had the same confusion! It's so reassuring to see everyone confirming that you only need to include yourself and your current husband. I was worried because her biological mom hasn't contributed anything in years either, but lives in another state. One thing I learned that might help - if you're using the online FAFSA form, there's actually a "Help and Hints" section that specifically addresses divorced/remarried parent situations. It clearly states that only the custodial parent and their current spouse (if any) need to provide information. Sometimes seeing it directly from the official source helps ease the worry! Also, don't forget to gather all your tax documents and your husband's before you start - having everything ready makes the process much smoother. Good luck!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful for this incredibly detailed and honest discussion! I just started researching FAFSA for the first time and was completely overwhelmed by all the conflicting information I kept finding online. This thread has been like a crash course in understanding dependency rules - seeing everyone share their real situations makes these complex regulations so much clearer than any official guide I've tried to read. What really opened my eyes was learning that the IRS tax dependent criteria are what actually determine FAFSA dependency status, not just providing financial support like I initially thought. I had been assuming that since I help my family with expenses, that might somehow affect my status, but now I understand the requirements are much more specific. The transparency throughout this entire discussion - especially the original correction and everyone admitting their confusion - really shows how even experienced people can misinterpret these rules. It makes me feel so much more comfortable about reaching out to my school's financial aid office with questions rather than trying to figure everything out on my own. Thank you all for creating such a supportive learning environment where we can learn from each other's actual experiences!

As a complete newcomer to this community and the FAFSA process, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm just starting college prep as a high school senior and honestly had no idea these dependency rules were so complex and specifically tied to IRS tax regulations. Reading everyone's real experiences has been far more educational than any official guide I've attempted to understand. What really struck me is how even experienced advisors can misinterpret these rules - it makes me feel less intimidated about not grasping everything immediately. The key insight for me is understanding that IRS tax dependent criteria are what actually matter, not just providing financial support like I initially assumed. I was wondering if my part-time job and contributing to household expenses might somehow affect my dependency status, but now I see that age and other specific qualifications are the primary factors. Thank you all for being so transparent about mistakes and sharing real situations - it creates such a supportive learning environment. I'm definitely planning to work directly with my school's financial aid office rather than trying to piece together information from multiple sources!

I went through this exact same situation two years ago with my daughter's FAFSA! Don't panic - it's actually really common to forget about 529 accounts. The good news is that the correction process is straightforward once you get into the system. Just make sure to have all your 529 account statements handy when you log in to make the changes. Also, pro tip: after you submit the correction, screenshot the confirmation page for your records. Some schools move pretty quickly with financial aid packages, so the sooner you get this corrected, the better. You're doing the right thing by fixing it now rather than hoping it won't matter!

I'm glad to hear you got it sorted out! For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, I want to emphasize that it's always better to correct these errors sooner rather than later. The FAFSA system is actually designed to accommodate corrections - they know families make honest mistakes. Just remember that parent-owned 529 accounts are reported as parent assets, and if your child is the beneficiary but you (the parent) own the account, it goes under parent assets, not student assets. This is usually more favorable for your aid calculation. Also, keep documentation of when you made the correction in case the school's financial aid office has any questions later. You handled this exactly right by being proactive about fixing it!

UPDATE: My niece tried several of your suggestions and FINALLY got through the loop! What worked was a combination of: using Microsoft Edge, filling ALL fields with exact dollar amounts (no cents or commas), and doing it at 1am when traffic was low. She's submitted her FAFSA and got confirmation! Now we're working with her school's financial aid office about extending that emergency loan deadline. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help - this community is amazing!

So relieved to see this success story! As someone new to navigating FAFSA issues, this thread has been incredibly educational. The combination of technical workarounds (specific browsers, timing, exact formatting) plus the institutional support options (financial aid office extensions, bursar hardship policies) really shows how complex these problems can be. It's reassuring to know there are so many different approaches when the system fails students. Bookmarking this thread for future reference - hoping it helps other families facing similar nightmares with the FAFSA system!