I just went through this process with my daughter a few months ago and can confirm what everyone else is saying - select "no" for the married question when you're separated and living in different households. The FAFSA system really doesn't handle separated-but-not-divorced situations well, but this is the correct approach according to federal guidelines. Since you provide 70% of support and your daughter lives with you most of the time, you're clearly the contributing parent who should complete the form. Don't overthink it - the fact that you're asking these questions shows you're being careful and doing it right. One small tip: when you get to the section about parent income, make sure you're only reporting YOUR income and assets, not your ex's. I almost made that mistake because I was so used to thinking about "household" income from when we were together. The FAFSA will only want information from you as the contributing parent. You've got this! The hardest part is just getting past that confusing initial question.

I'm currently going through this same situation with my twin daughters' FAFSA applications. My husband and I separated 18 months ago and maintain completely separate households in different states. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring! I wanted to add one thing that might help others - when I called my daughters' target schools directly to ask about this, three out of four financial aid offices immediately said "oh yes, that's a common question - just select 'no' for married and only include the contributing parent's information." The fourth school's rep wasn't as familiar but confirmed it after checking with their supervisor. It really seems like this is such a frequent issue that most financial aid professionals are well aware of how to handle separated parents. The FAFSA form itself is confusing, but the process is more straightforward than it appears. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it definitely helped me feel confident about moving forward with our applications!

I went through this exact same panic last year! Here's what saved me: I filed my taxes online through FreeTaxUSA (way cheaper than H&R Block) and got confirmation within hours. Then I immediately submitted my FAFSA with "Will File" status using my W-2 numbers. The key thing everyone here is saying is RIGHT - don't wait for the IRS to fully process everything before submitting your FAFSA. Just get those taxes filed ASAP and submit the FAFSA with your best estimates. My daughter ended up getting her full aid package even though we were cutting it close to the deadline. Also, most financial aid officers are really understanding about this situation - it happens way more than you'd think. You're being proactive by handling it now, so try not to stress too much. Your son will be fine!

Don't panic - you're definitely not alone in this situation! I'm a college financial aid advisor and I see this happen several times every year. Here's my recommended action plan: 1. **File your 2023 taxes TODAY** - Use any reputable online service (TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, etc.) or visit a local tax prep office. E-filing gets you confirmation fastest. 2. **Submit your FAFSA immediately after filing** - Use "Will File" status and input the numbers from your completed tax return, even before the IRS processes it. 3. **Contact your son's school's financial aid office** - Explain the situation proactively. Most schools have processes for handling late tax filings and can often work with you on timing. 4. **Set a reminder to update your FAFSA** - Once your tax return is processed (usually 2-3 weeks for e-filed returns), use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to update your FAFSA with the official processed information. The good news is that missing the priority deadline doesn't disqualify you from federal aid - it mainly affects the first-come-first-served institutional aid. Federal Pell Grants and loans will still be available. You're taking action now, which puts you ahead of many families who wait until the last minute. Your son's college dreams are definitely not derailed by this!

Hey Sean! I totally get your frustration - I went through this exact same thing when I was applying for financial aid. That "no school selected" error is so misleading because you KNOW your school is in there! What helped me was understanding that there are actually two different systems at play here. Your FAFSA gets submitted to the federal government first, but then each individual school has to pull that data into their own financial aid system and create your specific aid package. Until your school does that second part and officially offers you loans, the promissory note system has nothing to work with - hence the confusing error message. Since your FAFSA is still showing "processing" status, you're definitely in the waiting phase. Once that changes to "processed," your school should receive the data pretty quickly, but then they still need time to review everything and determine what aid to offer you. Hang in there - I know the waiting is stressful when you're trying to plan your finances, but this is just how the system works unfortunately. You haven't done anything wrong!

Hey Sean! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago and I know how stressful it can be when you're trying to plan your finances but can't access the loan information. From reading through all the responses, it sounds like you've gotten some great advice - especially about your FAFSA still showing "processing" status. That's definitely the key bottleneck right now. Once that switches to "processed," things should start moving more quickly. One additional tip that helped me: when you do eventually get access to your loan options, don't feel rushed to complete the Master Promissory Note immediately. You usually have several weeks to accept/decline loans once they're offered, so take some time to review the terms and amounts carefully. I initially accepted more than I actually needed because I was so relieved to finally see the offers! Also, if you're planning for next semester specifically, keep in mind that loan disbursements usually happen right before the semester starts, so even once you complete all the paperwork, you might not see the actual funds until closer to when classes begin. Hang in there - the waiting is definitely the hardest part, but once your school processes everything, the rest goes pretty smoothly!

As someone who works in financial aid administration, I can confirm that UGMA/UTMA accounts are indeed always reported as student assets on both FAFSA and CSS Profile forms. The confusion often arises because parents are the custodians, but legally the funds belong to the student from the moment they're deposited. A few important points to add: When you correct your CSS Profile, make sure to notify each school's financial aid office directly as well. Some schools may have already processed your initial submission and won't automatically see the correction. Also, for the FAFSA, since your daughter turns 18 in February, if you submit after her birthday, you'll definitely report it as her asset - but even if you submit before, it should still be reported as hers due to the UGMA structure. One silver lining: while student assets are assessed more heavily, many schools understand that families established these accounts with good intentions before fully understanding the financial aid implications. This context can sometimes be helpful during the aid review process if you need to appeal or explain your family's financial situation.

Just want to echo what others have said - you're definitely not alone in this confusion! I made the same UGMA reporting mistake when my oldest applied to colleges three years ago. The good news is that both College Board and the schools' financial aid offices deal with this correction frequently, so they have processes in place to handle it smoothly. One thing I learned that might help: when you contact the financial aid offices about the CSS Profile correction, consider asking if they can give you a preliminary idea of how the correction might impact your aid eligibility at their school. Some offices are willing to do a quick informal assessment, which can help you understand what to expect before the official aid packages come out. This was especially helpful for us in deciding whether to pursue appeals at certain schools. Also, for future reference (or anyone else reading this), if you have younger children, definitely consider rolling UGMA funds into a 529 plan if your state allows it. Some states permit this transfer, and 529s are treated as parent assets for financial aid purposes. Worth looking into!

As a newcomer to this community and the FAFSA process, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information shared here! Reading through this thread has been like taking a crash course in college financial aid - I had no idea how complex and strategic this process could be. I'm in a similar situation with my daughter graduating in 2026, and I was completely confused about the timeline until finding this discussion. The key points I'm taking away are: - File the 2026-2027 FAFSA when it opens (hopefully October 1, 2025) - Use our 2024 tax information for the application - Research each college's specific financial aid deadlines since many are earlier than federal deadlines - Don't forget about CSS Profile for private schools - Look into state aid programs that might have their own requirements @Kara Yoshida's timeline breakdown is exactly what I needed, and the real-world experiences from parents like @Mateusius Townsend about missing priority deadlines really drove home how important it is to file early. The professional insights from @QuantumQuasar about verification and unusual circumstances are invaluable too. One thing I'm still wrapping my head around is how to balance applying to reach schools financially while being realistic about aid expectations. The Net Price Calculator suggestion seems like it will be crucial for making those decisions. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community for parents navigating this process for the first time!

As another newcomer to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for such an incredibly informative discussion! I'm also navigating this process for the first time with my daughter who will be graduating in 2026, and I honestly had no idea where to even begin with FAFSA timing until I found this thread. The comprehensive timeline from @Kara Yoshida is a lifesaver - I've already saved it and started setting up calendar reminders. And hearing about the real-world challenges like @Mateusius Townsend's experience with missing priority deadlines really emphasizes how crucial it is to stay on top of these dates. I'm particularly grateful for the professional insights about verification, CSS Profile requirements, and the reminder about state aid programs. I just checked our state's website and discovered we have several grant programs I never knew existed! One thing I'm curious about - for those who have completed this process, did you find it helpful to attend any financial aid workshops or information sessions at local high schools or colleges? Our school district mentioned they might offer some sessions next fall, and I'm wondering if they're worth attending given all the great information available in communities like this. Thanks again to everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences. It's made what seemed like an impossible maze feel much more manageable!