Yes, including a brief explanation of your methodology would be extremely helpful during verification. I always advise families to create what we call a "verification packet" with: 1. Copies of all W-2s 2. Copy of the tax return 3. Spreadsheet showing the breakdown of each income source 4. Brief narrative explaining your calculation method 5. Any supporting documentation for unusual income splits This approach has helped many of my students sail through verification without delays when they've had complex family situations like yours.

I went through this same situation two years ago with my stepdaughter's FAFSA! What really helped me was creating a simple Excel sheet with three columns: Income Source, Total Amount (from joint return), and Father's Portion. I listed each W-2, then any 1099-INT for bank interest, 1099-DIV for dividends, etc. For the joint items like bank interest, I looked at whose name was primary on each account or split 50/50 if truly joint. The key is being consistent with your method and keeping good records. Also, don't stress too much - if you make a small error, you can always submit corrections later through the FAFSA portal. The important thing is getting it submitted on time!

UPDATE: We got it fixed!!! The problem was exactly what @FinAidPro suggested - my husband's FSA ID email didn't match what my daughter entered in the contributor request. Once we updated his email address in his FSA ID account and waited about an hour, the contributor request suddenly appeared in his dashboard. He was able to complete it right away. For anyone else facing this issue, definitely check that the email addresses match EXACTLY. And thanks to everyone who offered suggestions - this forum was so much more helpful than anything on the official site!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar issue but my situation is slightly different - my daughter's stepdad (my husband) keeps getting the contributor request emails, but when he clicks the link it just takes him to a generic "getting started" page instead of his actual contributor tasks. Has anyone experienced this variation of the problem? We've tried updating his FSA ID email and clearing cache like others suggested, but still no luck. The deadline stress is real!

As a newcomer to this community, I can't thank you enough for sharing such a detailed experience! I'm just starting the FAFSA process with my first child and had no idea about these dramatic formula changes. Reading through this thread has been incredibly educational - I had always assumed we were in that "donut hole" of making too much for aid but not enough to comfortably afford college. The explanation about different tax years being used for siblings really illuminates how complex this new system is. It's both encouraging and overwhelming to realize that small income variations between years can have such significant impacts on aid eligibility. Your story gives me hope that families like mine might actually benefit from these changes, but also shows how important it is to understand the details rather than making assumptions based on past experience. I'm definitely going to approach our upcoming aid package with a much more informed perspective. Thank you for taking the time to update everyone with your resolution - real experiences like this are so much more valuable than trying to parse through official documentation!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo everyone's thanks for sharing such a detailed and reassuring experience! I'm currently going through FAFSA for the first time with my daughter starting college this fall, and I had absolutely no idea about these massive formula changes. Like so many others here, I always assumed we were in that frustrating middle ground where we make "too much" for any meaningful aid but nowhere near enough to make college affordable without stress. Reading about how the income protection allowance increases and expanded Pell eligibility are actually helping families around the $85k income range gives me so much hope. Your experience with the different tax years explaining why your two kids had such different outcomes is particularly enlightening - it really shows how much more nuanced and potentially beneficial this new system can be. I'm definitely going to approach our aid package with much more optimism now, and your advice about calling to verify rather than assuming it's an error is invaluable. Thank you for taking the time to share your journey and provide that crucial update - real stories like this are infinitely more helpful than trying to decode the official FAFSA documentation!

also check if ne of the schools require the CSS Profile form!!!! my daughtrs first choice needed both FAFSA and CSS and they wouldnt give ANY aid without both even though FAFSA was done! we almost missed out on 22k in aid bc of that stupid form

I'm in a very similar situation right now! My son's FAFSA processed about 2 weeks ago with an SAI of -1800, and we're also waiting on aid packages. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - I had no idea schools could take so long after FAFSA processing. One thing I discovered is that some schools have a "to-do list" in their student portals that shows if they're still waiting for anything from you, even after FAFSA is processed. Might be worth checking those portals for any missing items that could be holding up the aid packaging process. Also, if it helps with timing - I called one school yesterday and they said they typically release aid packages in "waves" throughout March and April, so even schools that seem slow might still be on their normal timeline. But definitely agree with everyone saying to call directly rather than wait!

Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! We're going to set aside an evening this week to create our FSA IDs and get started on this process. Really appreciate all the tips about using separate emails, having 2023 tax info ready, and understanding how the contributor section works. This community has been so helpful for first-timers like us!

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I'll echo what others have said - yes, both parents definitely need separate FSA IDs! One tip I wish someone had told me: create your FSA IDs at least a few days before you plan to actually complete the FAFSA. Sometimes there can be verification delays, and you don't want to be stuck waiting when you're ready to submit. Also, make sure both parents have access to their own email accounts during the process - the system sends confirmation codes and updates to each parent individually. The whole thing is much less scary once you actually start!