Don't stress too much - you've got this! As a newcomer who just went through this process with my son, I can tell you that single parent FAFSA applications are actually more straightforward than joint custody situations. Since you have full legal custody, you only report YOUR information and income. The $9,000 annual child support goes in the untaxed income section, and yes, it will affect the SAI calculation but that's totally normal. My biggest advice: start gathering your documents now (tax returns, bank statements, custody papers) because if you get selected for verification, having everything ready will save you weeks of stress. Also, don't let the process intimidate you - the financial aid offices are usually very helpful if you need to call with questions!

As someone who just navigated this exact situation last year, I want to echo what others have said - you're doing great by asking these questions early! The key things to remember: 1) You only report YOUR information since you have full legal custody, 2) Report the child support as untaxed income (sounds like $4,500 for your college-bound daughter if splitting between two kids), and 3) Keep excellent records of everything. I'd also suggest creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all child support payments received in 2023 (the base year for 2025-2026 FAFSA) - this saved me during verification. One tip nobody mentioned: if your ex is inconsistent with payments, only report what you actually received, not what the court order says you should receive. The FAFSA cares about actual income, not theoretical income. You've got this!

Grace, I can see you're getting some great advice here! As someone who just went through this process with my son, I wanted to add one more thing that really helped us - when you call the financial aid offices tomorrow, also ask if they have any "emergency" or "expedited" FAFSA processing for families who had legitimate delays like medical emergencies. Some schools have special procedures for situations exactly like yours where family health crises caused delays. They might be able to flag your daughter's file for priority review or consideration for late-deadline scholarships if you explain the circumstances. Also, keep documentation of those medical issues and any correspondence showing the health emergency timeline - this could be helpful for both the special circumstances appeals and potentially for explaining any delayed submissions to scholarship committees. You're doing everything right by acting quickly now. Your daughter is lucky to have such a dedicated parent advocating for her!

Grace, I'm so glad to see you're getting such comprehensive advice here! I went through a very similar situation two years ago (also due to family medical issues) and want to share one additional tip that saved us thousands. After you submit the FAFSA using your 2023 data and call both schools about their priority deadlines, also ask each financial aid office about their "professional judgment review" timeline. Some schools process these appeals much faster than others, and if your 2024 medical expenses and income changes are significant, this could result in additional aid. Also, don't forget to check if your state has its own student aid programs with separate deadlines. Many families focus so much on federal aid and school-specific aid that they miss out on state grants that could be substantial. Your state's higher education website should have this information. You're handling this crisis so well - your daughter is going to have great options thanks to your persistence! The fact that you're acting quickly now despite everything you've been through shows incredible dedication.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in a very similar situation - my daughter lives with me full-time but her father claimed her on his taxes this year for the child tax credit. I've been putting off submitting my FAFSA because I was scared I'd mess something up, but reading everyone's experiences here has given me the confidence to move forward. It's amazing how many of us are dealing with this exact same issue! I had no idea that FAFSA and tax dependency were completely separate things. I'm going to start gathering all the documentation everyone mentioned (school records, medical records, etc.) and finally get my application submitted. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps to know we're not alone in navigating these complicated situations!

I just wanted to jump in as someone new to this community to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently dealing with a similar custody/tax situation and was completely panicking about my FAFSA application. Reading through everyone's real experiences and seeing actual financial aid professionals explain the difference between tax dependency and FAFSA dependency rules has been such a relief. It's clear that this is way more common than I thought, and the process is much more manageable than it initially seemed. The advice about keeping documentation organized and taking screenshots of your application is gold - I'm definitely going to do both of those things. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge. This community is amazing for supporting each other through these stressful financial aid situations!

Don't forget to look into the California Middle Class Scholarship too! It's specifically for families making under $201k with assets under $201k, and can cover up to 40% of tuition and fees at UC/CSU schools AFTER other aid is applied. With your income around $65k and that SAI, your daughter would likely qualify. My son is at Cal State Fullerton and got $3,800 from this program alone, on top of his Cal Grant and federal aid. The best part is you don't need a separate application - eligibility is determined automatically through your FAFSA/California Dream Act Application.

Hey James! I'm a newcomer here but wanted to chime in since I just went through this exact same situation with my daughter last year. Her SAI was 6,850 (super close to yours!) and I was panicking thinking we'd get zero aid. Turns out I was completely wrong - she ended up with a fantastic aid package that made her state school very affordable. The key thing that helped me was understanding that SAI is just the starting point for calculations, not what you actually pay. With your $65k income, you're definitely in the sweet spot for need-based aid. My daughter qualified for about $4,200 in Pell Grant money, plus our state had additional grants, and her university threw in institutional aid too. One tip that really helped us - when you do get that financial aid package, don't be afraid to ask questions if something doesn't make sense. The financial aid officers are actually pretty helpful once you get past the phone tree nightmare. Your daughter is going to be just fine financially for college!

Final update! Was able to make corrections today (took 4 days from submission). The contributor section now shows up correctly and I could enter all my financial info. New SAI calculation is processing. What a relief!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Just submitted my daughter's FAFSA yesterday and realized afterward that it never asked for any of my financial information as a parent. No IRS data retrieval, no income questions, nothing. The whole parent contributor section seems to have vanished. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring (it's not just me!) and terrifying (this could delay her aid). I'm going to try that Claimyr service mentioned above since calling FSA directly seems impossible. Will also reach out to her college's financial aid office proactively to let them know about the glitch. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know what steps to take!