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Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you do file the FAFSA as the supporting parent, make sure you're consistent about this designation across all college applications and financial aid forms. Some schools might have their own supplemental aid forms that ask similar questions about custody arrangements. Also, since you mentioned your son is looking at both state and private schools, keep in mind that some state schools have additional state grant programs that might have different criteria than federal aid. It's worth checking if your state has any specific programs for divorced families or single parents. The good news is that you're getting this figured out now while he's still a senior - some parents don't realize the importance of the supporting parent determination until they're already deep in the financial aid process and it's harder to make changes.
This is such a great point about being consistent across all forms! I hadn't thought about state grant programs potentially having different criteria - that's definitely something I need to research for our state. You're absolutely right that it's better to figure this out now rather than scrambling later. I was actually putting off dealing with the FAFSA because the whole divorce/custody situation seemed so complicated, but this conversation has really helped clarify things. I'm going to make a checklist of all the different aid programs and forms we might need to deal with so I can make sure we're consistent everywhere. Thanks for thinking of these extra details that I might have missed!
Hey Sofia! I went through almost the exact same situation with my daughter last year. The key thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all the expenses I covered vs what my ex paid. It made it crystal clear that I was the supporting parent even though he had higher income. A few practical tips that saved me headaches: - Screenshot your health insurance portal showing your son as your dependent - Keep a folder (physical or digital) with receipts for school fees, clothes, activities - Take photos of grocery receipts when you're feeding him those 5 days/week - Document any medical appointments you take him to The FSA hotline can be brutal to get through, but if you need to talk to someone, try calling right when they open (8am ET). I found they're less busy first thing in the morning. Also, don't let anyone pressure you into having your ex file just because he makes more money. The rules are clear - supporting parent files, period. Your son will be much better off financially with you filing given the income difference. You've got this! The hardest part is just understanding the rules, and you're already there.
This spreadsheet idea is brilliant! I never thought about documenting it that way, but it would really help show the clear picture of who's covering what expenses. I'm definitely going to set that up this weekend. The tip about screenshotting the insurance portal is so smart too - that's concrete proof right there. And you're right about the grocery receipts - I never thought about those but feeding him 5 days a week really adds up over time. Thanks for the heads up about calling FSA first thing in the morning. I was dreading having to potentially wait on hold for hours, so knowing there's a better time to call is super helpful. It's really encouraging to hear from someone who went through the same thing and came out the other side successfully. Sometimes you need that reassurance that you're making the right decision, especially when there's so much conflicting information out there. I feel much more confident about moving forward now!
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I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating situation with my daughter who's a senior! She's been completely self-sufficient for three years, works two part-time jobs, and hasn't received a dime from us since sophomore year. But because we're still married and file taxes together, our income gets counted even though none of it goes toward her education. What I've learned through this process is that it's worth having multiple conversations with the financial aid office throughout the year, not just during the initial FAFSA filing. My daughter's counselor mentioned that sometimes institutional aid becomes available mid-semester when other students drop out or don't accept their packages. Also, don't overlook work-study opportunities if your son qualifies - the income from work-study jobs doesn't count against financial aid eligibility the same way other employment does. My daughter wished she had applied for work-study earlier instead of just taking regular part-time jobs. The system definitely needs major reform, but in the meantime, persistence with the financial aid office and exploring every possible avenue seems to be the only way to work within these rigid federal guidelines. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this struggle!
This is such great advice about having ongoing conversations with financial aid throughout the year! I never thought about the possibility of institutional aid becoming available mid-semester when other students don't accept their packages. That's definitely something we'll keep in mind. The work-study tip is really helpful too - I'll make sure my son looks into that option since it sounds like the income is treated more favorably than regular employment. It's reassuring to hear from another parent who's been through this whole process. The persistence angle makes a lot of sense - it seems like the families who get the most help are the ones who stay engaged with their financial aid offices rather than just filing FAFSA once and hoping for the best. Thanks for sharing your experience and the encouragement!
I'm a recent college grad who dealt with this exact situation just two years ago! Like everyone has mentioned, the federal independence criteria are unfortunately very rigid - I was 22, completely self-supporting, and even had my own health insurance, but still had to include my parents' income on FAFSA. What really made a difference for me was something my financial aid counselor called "scholarship stacking" - applying for tons of smaller scholarships ($500-2000) that add up over time. Many of these have different eligibility requirements than federal aid and don't care about your dependency status. I used sites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com, but also found several through my major department and local community organizations. Also, if your son hasn't already, have him check if his school offers any emergency financial assistance programs. During my junior year when I had unexpected car repairs, my school had a small emergency grant program that helped bridge the gap. These funds often go unused because students don't know they exist. The system is definitely broken, but don't let the federal dependency rules discourage you from exploring every other avenue available. There's often more help out there than initially meets the eye!
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Update: I finally got through to the financial aid office! They said the appeal is still under review but should be completed by next Wednesday. They also confirmed that signing the MPN doesn't commit us to anything, and we can still request an extension on the deposit deadline if needed. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
Great news! Fingers crossed for a good outcome on the appeal. Let us know how it goes!
That's such a relief that you got through to them! The waiting game is so stressful when you're trying to make such an important decision. I hope the appeal comes back with good news on Wednesday. It sounds like you handled this perfectly by getting clarification on the MPN and keeping your options open with the deposit. Best of luck to your son - getting into his top choice school is already such an amazing accomplishment!
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I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! My son turns 18 in April and his child support will end completely then, but I've already filed the FAFSA reporting the full year of payments we received. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - I was so worried that there was no way to account for this timing issue. It sounds like the professional judgment review process is really our lifeline here. I'm going to start gathering all my documentation now (court orders, payment records, etc.) so I'm ready to move quickly once we get the aid offers back. One question I have is whether it's better to contact the financial aid offices before submitting the special circumstances forms, or should I just submit everything at once? I want to make sure I'm approaching this the right way to give my son the best chance at getting his aid package adjusted.
Welcome to dealing with this frustrating situation! Based on what I've learned from this thread and my own experience, I'd recommend calling the financial aid offices first before submitting the forms. When I spoke with them ahead of time, they were able to tell me exactly what documentation they needed and their preferred timeline for submission. Some schools wanted everything submitted together, while others preferred a brief initial contact followed by the formal paperwork. It also helped me understand each school's specific process since they all handle professional judgment reviews a bit differently. Plus, having that initial conversation made the whole thing feel less intimidating and showed them that I was being proactive about our changed circumstances. Good luck with everything!
I'm going through this exact same situation with my daughter who turns 18 next month! Her child support ends completely in April, but I already submitted the FAFSA with all the payments we received this tax year. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful - I had no idea about the professional judgment review option and was really worried we'd be stuck with an inflated SAI. It's encouraging to see so many success stories where families actually got meaningful adjustments to their aid packages. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here: report everything accurately on the FAFSA (which I already did), then immediately start working with each school's financial aid office once we get our aid offers. I'm gathering all my documentation now - court orders, payment records, bank statements - so I'm ready to move fast. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and making this process feel less overwhelming!
I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! I was in the exact same situation a few months ago and felt completely lost until I discovered this community. One thing I'd add to what others have shared - make sure to keep copies of everything you submit to each school. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking which documents I sent to which schools and when, along with confirmation numbers if they had online portals. It really helped me stay organized when dealing with multiple financial aid offices. Also, don't be discouraged if one school doesn't adjust your aid package - each school handles these reviews differently and some are more generous than others. The key is being persistent but polite, and having all your documentation ready to go. You're being so smart by gathering everything now!
KingKongZilla
As a newcomer to this community and someone just starting to navigate the FAFSA process for the first time, I can't thank everyone enough for sharing their experiences with these new changes! Reading through this thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was honestly overwhelmed at the thought of tackling the FAFSA based on all the horror stories I'd heard from other parents about verification issues and manual data entry errors. The direct IRS data sharing really does sound like a game-changer. I'm curious though - for those who have completed the new process, did you encounter any issues with the FSA ID setup or linking process? I've heard that's been a common stumbling block, and I want to make sure my daughter and I get that part right from the start. Also, is there a recommended order for setting up the FSA IDs - should the student create theirs first, or does it matter? Thanks again to everyone who's contributed to this discussion - it's been incredibly helpful for those of us just beginning this journey!
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Connor O'Brien
•Welcome to the community! I just went through the FSA ID setup process last month and wanted to add a few tips that might help. The order doesn't really matter, but I'd suggest doing them on separate devices or browsers if possible - I ran into some confusion when both my son and I were trying to create accounts on the same computer. Also, make sure to use your legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card, not nicknames or shortened versions. My son initially tried to use "Mike" instead of "Michael" and it caused verification delays. The system is pretty strict about matching everything exactly. One thing that caught me off guard - after creating the FSA ID, there's sometimes a 1-3 day waiting period before you can actually use it for the FAFSA, so definitely don't wait until the last minute! The good news is once it's set up properly, the actual FAFSA process really is as smooth as everyone here has described.
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•Welcome! I just wanted to echo what others have said about the FSA ID setup - it's definitely worth doing early. One thing I'll add is that if you or your daughter have ever changed your name (marriage, divorce, etc.), make sure you're using the name that's currently on file with Social Security. I had a friend whose daughter had a hyphenated last name issue where the SSA records didn't match exactly what she was entering, and it caused a multi-week delay while they sorted it out. Also, save your FSA ID information in a secure password manager if you use one - you'll need these credentials not just for this year's FAFSA, but for renewal applications in future years, accessing your student aid records, and potentially for loan servicing later. Much better to have it safely stored than to go through account recovery processes down the road! The new streamlined process really is worth the small upfront effort to get the FSA IDs set up properly. Good luck with your FAFSA journey!
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Sofia Morales
As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this detailed discussion about the FAFSA changes! I had no idea about the FAFSA Simplification Act and the direct IRS data sharing. Like many others here, I was absolutely dreading the manual tax entry process based on horror stories I'd heard. I do have a question that builds on what others have asked - for families who file taxes very close to FAFSA deadlines, is there a recommended timeline? For example, if we file our taxes in early March but our priority FAFSA deadline is mid-March, should we wait for the IRS to fully process our return before submitting the FAFSA, or is it better to submit with prior-prior year data and update later? I want to make sure we don't miss any deadlines while also taking advantage of this new streamlined system. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences - this thread has transformed my anxiety about the FAFSA process into genuine optimism that we can actually get through this successfully!
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Lauren Johnson
•Welcome to the community, Sofia! That's a really important timing question. Based on what I've learned from this thread and other discussions, I'd actually recommend submitting the FAFSA as close to your deadline as possible while still allowing a few days buffer for processing - even if that means using prior-prior year data initially. Here's why: most schools treat the FAFSA deadline as when your application needs to be submitted, not when it needs to be fully processed with current year data. You can always update your FAFSA later once your current year taxes are processed by the IRS and available in their system. The key is getting your application in by the priority deadline to be considered for the maximum aid available. That said, if you can file your taxes in early February and wait a week or two for IRS processing before the March deadline, that would be ideal. But don't sacrifice meeting the deadline just to have the most current tax data - you can correct it later, and financial aid offices are used to handling these updates. The new direct data sharing actually makes the update process much smoother too since you won't have to manually re-enter everything!
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