A quick update on the most recent FAFSA rules - if you haven't received an SAI email within 7-10 days of submission, there might be an issue with your application. The most common reasons are: 1. Signature problems (both student and parent need to sign) 2. Mismatched information that triggered a verification flag 3. Technical processing delays (which have been happening a lot this application cycle) You can check application status on studentaid.gov - even from your parent account, you should see if there's a "More Information Needed" status or if it still shows as "Processing.

I just went through this exact same situation with my daughter's FAFSA last month! The SAI visibility issue is so frustrating, especially when you're the one handling all the financial aspects. Here's what worked for me: I called the financial aid office at her college and explained that she was studying abroad with limited internet access. They were actually really understanding and said this happens more often than you'd think. They allowed me to provide other FAFSA information (like our EFC from the Student Aid Report summary) as temporary documentation while we waited for the official SAI. Some schools will accept the FAFSA submission confirmation number and work with you on deadlines if you explain the circumstances. It's worth calling each financial aid office directly rather than trying to navigate the federal system - they tend to be much more flexible and helpful!

Good luck with your correction! You definitely made the right decision based on the guidance from the financial aid experts here. I'm dealing with a similar situation where my district has universal free meals but we don't individually qualify based on income. It's really frustrating how confusing the FAFSA wording can be - they should make it clearer that they're asking about individual qualification, not just receipt of the benefit. At least you have other qualifying factors like Medicaid and EIC that should help with your aid calculation!

As someone new to this whole FAFSA process, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in almost the exact same situation - my kids get free lunch through a universal district program, we qualify for EIC, and my children receive Medicaid. I was planning to answer "yes" to the free lunch question until I read through all these responses. It's so frustrating that the FAFSA wording is so confusing - "receives" vs "qualifies" makes a huge difference apparently! Based on what the financial aid experts here are saying, I'm going to answer "no" since we don't individually qualify for free lunch based on income. Hopefully the Medicaid and EIC will still help us get better aid through the simplified needs analysis. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and expertise - this community is a lifesaver for confused parents like me!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here too and this thread has been incredibly helpful. I was in almost the exact same situation last week - totally stressed about tax filing status and FAFSA deadlines. Like others mentioned, definitely check which tax year you actually need first! I made the same mistake initially thinking I needed my most recent taxes when I actually needed the prior-prior year. Once I figured that out, everything became so much easier. The FAFSA can definitely be overwhelming at first, but this community seems really supportive. Good luck with your application!

As someone who just went through this process, I can't stress enough how important it is to get the tax year right! I was in the same boat earlier this year - panicking about my accountant not filing my 2024 taxes yet, only to discover I actually needed my 2023 taxes which were already processed months ago. The prior-prior year rule is confusing but it's actually designed to make things easier since those tax returns are already complete and processed by the IRS. One tip that saved me time: before you start entering numbers, have your actual tax return pulled up (either downloaded from the IRS website or your paper copy) and enter the information line by line exactly as it appears. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is great when it works, but sometimes it's faster to just enter everything manually to avoid any potential hiccups. You're doing great by starting early - that's honestly half the battle with financial aid!

For everyone dealing with this issue, I recommend taking these specific steps: 1. Call each school's financial aid office (not admissions) and ask to speak with a financial aid counselor about FAFSA processing delays 2. Be prepared with: - Your original FAFSA submission date (with screenshot if possible) - Your FAFSA confirmation number - Any documentation of attempts to resolve the issue 3. Specifically ask: - "Will you honor my original FAFSA submission date for priority consideration?" - "What documentation do you need from me to verify my original submission?" - "If I miss the priority deadline due to processing delays, how will this affect my aid package?" - "Is there a specific appeal process for circumstances like this?" 4. Follow up every phone conversation with an email summary to create a paper trail Most schools understand this year's challenges and are making accommodations. Just make sure you're proactive and thorough in your communication.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare! Submitted my FAFSA on January 8th and it's STILL processing. What's really frustrating is that I called one school last week and they told me they'd honor my original submission date, but another school said they could only consider the date when they actually receive my FAFSA data. So it's definitely inconsistent between institutions. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track all my communications - school name, person I spoke with, date, what they told me, and their email. It's been a lifesaver for keeping everything organized since I'm dealing with 8 different schools. Also found out that some schools have internal deadlines that are different from their published priority deadlines specifically because of this year's FAFSA mess. Definitely worth asking about when you call!

dont 4get to check if ur state has special programs 2!! my state has extra grants for families with medical hardships that u apply for separate from fafsa

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this situation - losing your job and going on medical disability is stressful enough without having to worry about financial aid complications. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about the Professional Judgment process. I just wanted to add that when you're preparing your documentation package, include a timeline of events showing exactly when your circumstances changed in relation to when you filed FAFSA. This helps financial aid officers understand the gap between your reported income and current reality. Also, if you have any medical bills or ongoing treatment costs related to your disability, include those too - they can sometimes factor into the aid calculation. You've got this, and don't let the bureaucracy discourage you from fighting for the aid your daughter deserves!