To add to my previous comment - avoid saying you need a specific dollar amount or mentioning what other schools are offering. The professional judgment process is about accurately reflecting your current financial situation, not negotiating for more money. Focus on documenting the change in circumstances, not on what you hope to receive.

I'm dealing with a similar situation - my hours got cut significantly at work and I'm making about 40% less than what shows on my 2022 taxes. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful! I'm definitely going to start calling schools this week to ask about professional judgment. One question though - if I'm still at the same job but just with reduced hours, will that be viewed differently than someone who lost their job entirely? I have pay stubs showing the dramatic decrease in hours/income, but I'm worried schools might think it's temporary since I'm still technically employed.

when i did my fafsa last year it said closed too but then i got an email like 3 weeks later with my SAI. but my friend never got an email at all and had to call to find out what was going on. so confusing lol. but yeah the $ goes to your school first and then whatever's left over goes to your kid.

Just wanted to follow up - one important thing to know is that the financial aid offers from different schools can vary dramatically. For example, my daughter got a package from State University that was mostly loans, while Small Private College offered mostly grants and scholarships with the same FAFSA SAI. So make sure your daughter carefully compares all offers before making a final decision! Also, if your financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can request a professional judgment review from each school's financial aid office. They have discretion to adjust the aid based on special circumstances.

That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I'll definitely keep this in mind when we file his 2024 taxes. Thank you for all the helpful information!

Just want to add another perspective as someone who works in financial aid - the confusion around the new FAFSA timeline is totally understandable! You're absolutely right that for 2025-2026, you'll use 2023 tax info, and since your son's grants/scholarships were received in 2024, they won't impact that FAFSA at all. One tip: when you do file the 2025-2026 FAFSA, make sure to double-check that you're entering your son's 2023 income correctly (from his summer job). A lot of families accidentally put $0 for student income when the student did work that year, which can trigger verification if the IRS data doesn't match. Also, keep all your 2023 tax documents organized - the new FAFSA pulls most info directly from the IRS, but you might still need them for verification or if there are any discrepancies. Good luck with the process!

Wait so if her school uses Banner or Colleague for their student system (most do), theres actually a difference between declining and just not accepting!!! If u hit decline they might reallocate that $$ but if u just leave it pending/undecided its still there for her later. at least thats how it worked at my kids school!!!!

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I wanted to add that it's also worth checking if your daughter's school has any specific deadlines for accepting loans that were initially left undecided. Some schools have institutional deadlines that are earlier than the federal deadlines, especially for spring semester funding. Also, if she does end up needing the unsubsidized loan for spring, try to request it as early as possible in the semester - ideally right after winter break. This gives the financial aid office time to process it before their busy period during add/drop week. And definitely keep copies of any emails or forms you submit requesting the loan activation, just in case there are any issues down the line. The approach you're taking is really smart - minimizing debt while keeping options open. Good luck with those scholarship applications!

One additional point worth noting: Under the new FAFSA rules for 2025-2026, if your separation occurred during the tax year that's being reported (which is 2023 for the upcoming FAFSA), you might need to provide documentation to the financial aid office explaining the discrepancy between your tax filing status and your current separation status. If you filed taxes jointly in 2023 but are now reporting as separated on the FAFSA, some schools may request additional information. This isn't necessarily a problem, but be prepared to explain the timeline of separation if asked.

I went through this exact situation last year with my daughter's FAFSA! The form is definitely confusing for separated parents. You're absolutely right to select "no" for the married question - that's what we did and it worked perfectly. Since you provide 70% of support and she lives with you primarily, you're clearly the contributing parent. One tip that helped us: keep a simple document with key dates (when separation occurred, when you established separate residences, etc.) just in case verification comes up. We never needed it, but having those details organized gave me peace of mind when filling out the form. The most important thing is being consistent - if you select "no" and complete as the contributing parent, stick with that approach. Don't second-guess yourself halfway through the process like we almost did!