As someone who works in financial aid administration, I can confirm that while FAFSA and tax dependency are separate systems, mismatches can sometimes trigger verification requests. The good news is that this is completely manageable! The key documents you should have ready are: 1) Your divorce decree showing custody arrangements, 2) Documentation proving where your daughter lived more than 50% of the time (school enrollment records, medical records, etc.), and 3) A simple written explanation of your custody situation. Most schools understand that divorced families often have different arrangements for tax purposes vs. FAFSA purposes. The important thing is that your ex-husband accurately completes the FAFSA based on his financial information, and you both can document the living arrangement if asked. Don't stress too much about it - verification is routine and the financial aid office deals with these situations regularly.

I went through something very similar last year! My ex-wife filed the FAFSA as the custodial parent while I claimed our son on my taxes. We didn't run into any issues initially, but about 3 months later the college requested verification documents. It wasn't a big deal - we just had to provide our divorce agreement and a simple timeline showing where he lived during the previous year. The financial aid counselor explained that they randomly select applications for verification anyway, so it might not have even been related to our tax/custody situation. The whole thing was resolved in about 10 days once we submitted everything. My advice would be to keep good records of where your daughter stays throughout the year (maybe a simple calendar) just in case you need to document it later. Also make sure your ex has copies of any custody documentation since he's the one filing the FAFSA. Good luck!

Hey! I went through this same exact situation last year and I totally understand the panic. The FAFSA wording is SO misleading - it sounds like they're asking about immigration status but they're really just asking when your parent started living in your current state. I put the date my mom moved to our state (she's also undocumented) and everything went through fine. I even got selected for verification later and they never questioned that date at all - they only wanted tax documents and household info. You're not lying by putting the state residency date, that's literally what they're asking for! The whole system is just poorly worded. Don't let this one confusing question derail your whole application - you've got this!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My mom has been undocumented for years and I kept getting error messages when trying to enter 00/0000. Reading all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea it was asking about state residency instead of immigration status. The wording is absolutely terrible and makes it sound like they want legal immigration papers or something. I'm going to put the date my family moved to our current state back in 2018. It's crazy how many students probably give up on their FAFSA because of confusing questions like this. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this!

Just wanted to add something that really helped me during my law school application process - don't forget to look into work-study opportunities! Many law schools offer federal work-study positions that can help offset some costs, and some even have research assistant positions with professors that can provide valuable experience while earning money. Also, if you're considering public interest law, definitely research Income-Driven Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness early. Understanding these programs before you take out loans can help you make more informed decisions about how much to borrow. The PSLF program forgives remaining federal loan balances after 120 qualifying payments while working for qualifying employers (government, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, etc.). One more tip: keep detailed records of all your financial aid documents and communications. You'll need to reference them throughout law school, and having everything organized will save you major headaches later when you're dealing with loan servicers or applying for bar exam loans.

This has been such a helpful thread! As someone who's been working in higher education financial aid for over a decade, I want to emphasize a few key points that might get overlooked: First, definitely complete your FAFSA as early as possible (opens October 1st) even if you haven't been accepted anywhere yet. You can always update your school list later, and some schools have very early priority deadlines for their own institutional aid. Second, don't overlook state-specific aid programs. Some states offer loan forgiveness or repayment assistance programs for lawyers who work in certain areas (rural practice, public defense, etc.). These vary widely by state but can be significant. Finally, consider the location and cost of living when comparing aid packages. A school offering $20k less in aid but located in an area with significantly lower living costs might actually be more affordable overall. One last thing - if you're planning to practice in the state where you attend law school, some states have bar exam fee assistance or loan programs specifically for recent graduates. Worth researching as you narrow down your choices!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I feel much more informed now. I'll be watching for the award letters and will make sure to check each school's deadline for accepting aid. I'm also going to try calling the financial aid office again tomorrow to ask about state-specific grants we might qualify for. If I can't get through, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Really appreciate all the guidance!

Welcome to the FAFSA journey! As someone who went through this process with three kids, I can tell you that an SAI of 2372 is actually fantastic news. You're in a really good position for aid. A few practical tips from my experience: 1. Start a spreadsheet to track each school's aid package when they arrive - it makes comparing much easier 2. Don't be afraid to call financial aid offices and ask questions. They're usually very helpful once you get through 3. If your son gets accepted to multiple schools, you can sometimes use one school's better aid package to negotiate with another (called "professional judgment review") 4. Keep copies of everything - you'll need tax documents and other paperwork handy Your state school at $28k with that SAI should result in a very manageable family contribution. Hang in there - the hardest part (understanding what the numbers mean) is behind you now!

Wow, reading through all these responses has been SO helpful! I'm a junior dealing with a similar divorced parent situation and was dreading having to figure this out for next year's FAFSA. The spreadsheet approach that everyone keeps mentioning sounds like the most practical solution - I love how @Santiago Diaz and @Zainab Ismail broke down all the different categories to track. The housing calculation seems like it could really be the deciding factor for a lot of us. What really stands out to me from everyone's advice is how important it is to contact your school's financial aid office early in the process. It sounds like they have way more specific guidance and tools than what's available on the general FAFSA website. I'm definitely going to reach out to mine before I even start filling anything out. One question for those who've been through this successfully - did any of you have to deal with verification afterwards? I'm curious if having divorced parents makes you more likely to get selected for verification, and if so, what kind of documentation they actually wanted to see for the support calculations. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences with this! It makes such a difference to hear from people who've actually navigated these complicated family situations rather than just reading the vague official guidance.

This is such a comprehensive and helpful thread! As someone just starting to navigate this exact situation, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed advice everyone has shared. What really strikes me is how the "more financial support" rule sounds simple in theory but becomes incredibly complex when you're dealing with divorced parents who provide different types of support. The spreadsheet approach that multiple people have mentioned seems like the most practical way to tackle this - I love how @Santiago Diaz and @Zainab Ismail broke down all the categories to consider. The housing value calculation seems particularly important since that can really add up, especially for those of us staying with a parent during breaks. Using local rental rates as a baseline makes a lot of sense, and I appreciate @Anna Xian's tip about asking the financial aid office if they have standard rates they use. One thing that gives me confidence is seeing how many people emphasized that financial aid offices understand these situations are messy and are looking for good faith efforts rather than perfect precision. That takes a lot of pressure off trying to get every calculation exactly right. I'm definitely going to reach out to my school's financial aid office before I submit anything - it seems like that's been the most valuable step for everyone who's successfully navigated this process. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences!