I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My son is 18, lives at home, and we claim him as a dependent on our taxes, but the FAFSA keeps flagging him as independent no matter what we do. It's so frustrating because this glitch could cost us thousands in aid eligibility. I tried calling the FSA number multiple times but gave up after being on hold for over 2 hours each time. Really hoping that system fix they mentioned actually works this weekend - we can't afford to wait much longer with all these deadlines approaching!

This dependency status glitch is absolutely maddening! I'm a college sophomore and my younger sister is going through this exact same nightmare right now. She's 17, still in high school, lives at home, and has never worked - literally the textbook definition of a dependent student. But somehow the FAFSA system decided she should file as independent?? Makes zero sense. We've been trying to fix this for weeks and it's causing so much stress for my whole family. The worst part is that if she gets classified as independent, she won't qualify for nearly as much aid since the system won't consider our parents' income. It's like the system is punishing students for a glitch THEY created. Really hoping that weekend fix actually works because at this point I'm starting to think the whole FAFSA redesign was a huge mistake. Thanks for posting about this - at least now I know we're not going crazy and it really IS a widespread system problem!

one more thing make sure ur ex isnt claiming ur daughter on taxes that really messed up our fafsa one year

I went through this exact situation two years ago when my child support ended. Here's what I learned: definitely start the process NOW, don't wait until December. I made the mistake of waiting and it created unnecessary stress. Most schools have a "Special Circumstances" or "Professional Judgment" form - ask specifically for this, not just general financial aid forms. One thing that really helped my case was creating a simple before/after budget showing exactly how the $14,000 loss would impact our ability to pay college costs. I included things like "Previous monthly income: $X, New monthly income: $Y, Gap: $Z per month." The financial aid counselor told me this made it much easier for them to see the real impact. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING and follow up regularly. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with financial aid offices. Good luck - this is definitely something they can and should help with!

btw when my sister transferred the new school wanted her to submit a financial aid transcript from her old school. idk if all schools require this but might wanna ask about it

Hi Cynthia! I'm new to this whole process but wanted to share what I learned when my nephew went through something similar. You can definitely add the local university to the FAFSA before she applies - it's actually really smart planning! One thing I wish we had known earlier is that some schools have "preferred filing dates" that are different from their priority deadlines, and meeting the earlier date can sometimes make a difference in aid amounts. Also, if your daughter is considering other transfer options too, you might want to add those schools to the FAFSA as well while you're at it, just to keep all doors open. The whole transfer financial aid process seems overwhelming at first, but reading through everyone's advice here is really reassuring that it's more straightforward than it appears. Good luck with everything!

Just wondering - does your dad have to be a contributor for your FAFSA? If you live with just your mom or are considered independent, you might not need his signature at all. Might save you some hassle with the whole paper signature thing.

Hey Javier! I just went through this exact same situation with my stepdad last month. One tip that really helped us with the FSA ID creation - we did it together on a video call so I could walk him through each step in real time. That way he felt more comfortable with the process and didn't get stuck on the verification codes. If you do decide to go the paper route though, make sure to send it certified mail so you have tracking. The processing times can be unpredictable and you'll want proof it was delivered on time for your March deadline. Good luck!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm in a similar situation with my daughter who's planning a January 2026 start, and I was completely lost about the FAFSA timing. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so much more informative than the confusing government websites. It's reassuring to know that both forms are needed and that there are still options even if you miss some deadlines. The tip about Claimyr for reaching financial aid offices is gold - I'm definitely bookmarking that for when I need to get through to someone. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I can confirm that you absolutely need both FAFSAs! My son also started in January 2025, and I initially made the mistake of only filing the 2025-2026 form thinking "he's starting in 2025, so that's the one he needs." WRONG! The financial aid office explained that the academic year runs from fall to summer, so January 2025 is still part of the 2024-2025 academic year. We had to scramble to get the 2024-2025 FAFSA submitted, but thankfully we weren't too late. Just want to echo what others have said - don't wait on your school's response time. File both forms now and then follow up with the financial aid office. The peace of mind is worth it, and your son will thank you when he gets aid for both semesters instead of having to take out expensive private loans like some families here had to do.