I just wanted to add a perspective from someone who recently went through this process with my daughter. We were in a similar situation where her father refused to provide information, but I want to emphasize that persistence really pays off. After reading through all these helpful responses, I think the approach of having the guidance counselor speak with your sister is excellent advice. One thing that worked for us was creating a simple one-page document explaining exactly what FAFSA information is used for versus what creates actual financial obligations. We included screenshots from the official FAFSA website showing that providing tax information is just for aid calculations. Sometimes seeing it in black and white from the official source helps reluctant parents understand. Also, if your nephew is applying to any state schools, make sure to check if your state has additional grant programs that might have different dependency requirements than federal aid. Some state programs are more flexible. The financial aid landscape can be really overwhelming, but don't let that discourage you from advocating for your nephew. Having a supportive family member like you making sure he doesn't fall through the cracks is invaluable. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help with your sister's reluctance. When I was working with families on FAFSA issues, I found that many parents worry about privacy and what happens to their tax information once it's submitted. You might want to let her know that the IRS Data Retrieval Tool actually imports her tax info directly from the IRS into the FAFSA, so she doesn't have to manually enter sensitive details, and the information is only used for federal aid calculations - it's not shared with colleges for any other purpose. Also, consider showing her the actual financial impact with real numbers. If your nephew potentially qualifies for a Pell Grant (which could be up to $7,395 for 2025-26), plus state grants, that's real money that could reduce his loan burden significantly. Sometimes parents don't realize they're essentially costing their child thousands of dollars by withholding tax information that doesn't commit them to paying anything. If she's still resistant, document her specific reasons in writing. That documentation could actually be helpful for the dependency override process, especially if you can show that her refusal is causing genuine financial hardship for your nephew's education.

UPDATE: I got my Student Aid Report today (took about 10 days) and can confirm the IRS data transfer worked! My SAI calculation includes our correct income information even though we never manually entered it. For anyone else wondering - yes, the new system really does pull your tax info automatically. Such a relief!

This thread has been so reassuring! I'm a first-time FAFSA filer and was completely panicked when I didn't see the usual income fields. It's amazing how much simpler this new process is compared to what my older siblings went through. One thing I'm curious about - does anyone know if there are any specific situations where the automatic retrieval might not work? Like if your parents are divorced or if you have complex tax situations? I want to make sure I'm prepared in case anything goes wrong with the data transfer.

I'm new to this community but this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - working part-time and trying to figure out how to afford college without drowning in debt. One thing I wanted to add that I discovered recently - some credit unions have really solid education benefits that aren't well-known. I just got hired at a local credit union and they offer $3,500/year for ANY accredited program, plus they're super flexible with scheduling around classes. The pay is also better than most retail jobs ($17/hour vs the $12 I was making), so even though the tuition benefit isn't as high as some of the big corporate programs, the total financial package works out really well. What really sold me was that they pay the school directly rather than reimbursement, which was crucial since I can't afford to front tuition costs. They also don't have any payback clauses if you leave after graduation, unlike some of the programs mentioned here. For anyone reading this thread, I'd definitely recommend checking out local financial institutions - banks, credit unions, even insurance companies. They often have education benefits but don't advertise them heavily. Just call their HR departments directly and ask. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it really helped me feel confident about pursuing employer tuition assistance despite the FAFSA impact!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and advice! As someone completely new to navigating employer tuition benefits, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, but reading through all these real-world examples has given me so much clarity and confidence. I'm particularly interested in the healthcare and financial institution routes that several people mentioned. It sounds like these might be more realistic options for someone like me who doesn't have specialized experience but is willing to work hard and learn. The combination of better wages, direct payment to schools, and flexible scheduling seems like it could be a game-changer. One question I have - for those of you who successfully landed positions at companies with great tuition benefits, do you have any tips for the application/interview process? Should I be upfront about my interest in the education benefits, or is it better to focus on being a good employee first and bring up the tuition assistance later? I don't want to come across as only being interested in the job for the benefits, but obviously that's a major factor in my decision-making right now. Also, has anyone had experience with employers being understanding if you need to adjust your work schedule during finals week or particularly heavy course loads? I want to make sure I can actually succeed academically while meeting the work hour requirements. Thanks again to everyone who's shared their stories - this community is amazing!

As a current college student who's been through this process multiple times, I can definitely relate to your confusion! The 50% support rule is really the key here, and from what you've described, it sounds like your sisters are financially independent even though they live at home. One thing that helped me when I was unsure was to think about it this way: if your sisters moved out tomorrow, would your parents need to send them money each month to cover their living expenses? If the answer is no (which it sounds like it is since they have full-time jobs), then they're likely supporting themselves and shouldn't be counted in your household size. I know it feels counterintuitive to exclude people who physically live in your house, but FAFSA is really looking at financial dependency, not just living arrangements. You're making the right call by being careful about this - verification is no joke and can really delay your financial aid when you need it most. Good luck with your FAFSA!

I'm new to this community but dealing with the same FAFSA headache right now! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I have a similar situation with my 25-year-old brother who lives at home but works full-time as a nurse. Based on everyone's advice here, I think the key takeaway is that living arrangement ≠ financial dependency. Even though my brother doesn't pay rent, he covers his own car payment, insurance, student loans from his nursing degree, phone bill, food, clothes, and entertainment. When I actually sit down and calculate it like @Ella Knight suggested, my parents are probably only providing maybe 25-30% of his total support through housing and utilities. It's frustrating that FAFSA doesn't give clearer examples for these gray area situations, but I feel much more confident now about excluding him from our household size. Better to be accurate and conservative than deal with verification nightmares later! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be pinned for other students dealing with the same confusion.

I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in since I just went through something similar with my sister last year. What really helped us was creating a timeline document showing the progression from estrangement to reconciliation - dates of when contact resumed, when they started talking regularly again, when the decision to provide financial support was made, etc. The financial aid counselor said having that clear timeline made it much easier for them to understand and approve the status change. Also, don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get someone knowledgeable on the phone - we had to call back three times before we got someone who actually understood dependency overrides. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - make sure your sister is prepared to provide her tax information and sign the FAFSA. Sometimes parents think they're "helping" by agreeing to the reconciliation but then balk when they realize they have to actually share their financial details. Better to have that conversation upfront!

I'm new here but wanted to share what I learned from a financial aid workshop at my community college. The presenter emphasized that dependency status is fluid and based on current circumstances, not past filings. What really stood out to me was that schools are actually required to reassess dependency overrides annually - they can't just automatically renew them. For your nephew's situation, the fact that the original override was granted due to parental estrangement means the school will need to evaluate whether those circumstances still exist. Since they've reconciled, filing as dependent is not only appropriate but probably required. One tip from the workshop: when submitting the reconciliation documentation, include a brief explanation of how this change will impact his educational goals. Schools sometimes move faster when they understand the student outcome implications. Also, if possible, have your sister call the financial aid office directly to confirm her willingness to provide information - sometimes hearing from the parent directly carries more weight than written statements. The presenter also mentioned that most schools have a specific appeals coordinator who handles dependency override cases. You might ask to be connected directly to that person rather than going through general financial aid staff.