Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. Based on all your advice, since this is definitely a custodial UTMA account, I'll report it as my daughter's asset on the FAFSA. I'm also considering using some of the funds to purchase a laptop for her before filing, since she'll need one for college anyway. This community has been incredibly helpful - navigating financial aid is so confusing!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help others - if you're dealing with custodial accounts and worried about the FAFSA impact, you might want to consult with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in college planning. They can help you understand strategies like the timing of asset liquidation or even whether it makes sense to transfer custodial assets back to parent ownership in some cases (though there are tax implications). I learned this the hard way after already filing, but it's worth the consultation fee to get personalized advice based on your specific situation and timeline.

i got an error when i tried to do mine and had to call the fafsa ppl. waited TWO HOURS and then got disconnected!!! had to start over the next day. SUCH a pain

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process recently! The 90-day window is accurate, but I'd recommend completing your portion within a week or two of returning from your trip if possible. While the technical deadline is generous, some schools process aid applications in batches, and you don't want to miss an early processing cycle that could affect your son's aid package. Also, since you're traveling for work, you might want to download the myStudentAid app before you leave. Even if you don't plan to complete the form on your phone, having the app can be helpful for checking the status of your invitation or accessing your FSA ID info if needed. Safe travels!

I'm a college junior who went through this SAI transition last year, and I wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some worries! My family's SAI dropped by about 3,800 points when we switched from the old EFC system, and I was terrified it meant something was wrong with our FAFSA. Turns out it was the best thing that happened to our financial aid situation! I ended up qualifying for an additional $1,900 in Pell Grant money and got a better subsidized loan package. My younger brother is starting college this fall, so we'll have two in school, and our preliminary SAI for next year dropped even more. The thing that really helped me understand what was happening was scheduling a phone appointment with my school's financial aid counselor. They walked me through exactly how the new calculation worked and why our number changed so dramatically. Most schools are offering these "SAI interpretation" meetings now because so many families are confused. Your daughter's 4,000 point drop with two kids in college sounds completely normal based on what I've seen in my friend group. I know the waiting for aid packages is stressful, but based on my experience and what others are sharing here, you're likely looking at better aid, not worse!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the changes this year! My daughter is a high school senior and we just got our SAI back - it's around 9,400. I keep reading conflicting information online about whether this is a good number or not, and I have no idea how it compares to the old EFC system since we never went through that. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful though! It sounds like most people are seeing better aid packages with the new SAI system, especially families with multiple kids in college. We only have one going this year, but it's reassuring to hear that the lower numbers generally mean more aid eligibility. Can anyone share what they think a SAI of 9,400 might mean for aid eligibility? I know it varies by school, but I'm just trying to get a general sense of whether we should be optimistic or start preparing for full-pay scenarios. The waiting for actual aid packages is killing me!

yeah our aunt cosigned for her. the rate was way better with a cosigner, like 7% instead of 13%

Just wanted to update everyone - my mom's PLUS loan got denied as expected, but I followed everyone's advice and contacted my financial aid office immediately. They were super helpful and processed the additional $4,000 unsubsidized loan within 3 days! The rate difference is definitely noticeable too - 5.50% vs the 8.05% the PLUS would have been. Still have about a $2,000 gap to figure out, but this community really helped me understand the process. Thanks especially to @Harper Thompson and @Jade O'Malley for the detailed explanations!

This is such a relief to hear! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my SAI jumped from 2,800 to 18,500 with nearly identical financial information. I was starting to panic thinking I'd made some huge mistake on my FAFSA. Your update gives me hope that the professional judgment process might work. I'm going to contact my school's financial aid office tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's really helpful to know others are going through this too and that there might be a solution!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm in almost the exact same boat! My SAI went from -800 last year to 22,000 this year with literally no changes to our family's financial situation. My mom makes the same salary, we have the same modest savings, and I'm still the only kid in college. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the new FAFSA formula is just brutal for families like ours. I had no idea about the asset protection changes and income protection decreases that Isabella mentioned. That explains so much! I'm definitely going to follow Alexis's lead and contact my school's financial aid office for a professional judgment review. Has anyone had luck with appeals at state schools versus private colleges? I'm wondering if one type is more flexible with these situations. Also, thanks to Max for mentioning Claimyr - I've been dreading calling the FSA hotline but that service sounds like a lifesaver if I need to go that route too.