That sounds like a solid plan! One additional tip from my experience - when you're gathering documentation, also include any court orders or legal documents that specifically address child support (even if it's $0). Some schools asked for this as part of their review process. Also, don't get discouraged if some schools initially deny your appeal - you can often request a second review or speak with a supervisor. The squeaky wheel really does get the grease with financial aid offices. Good luck with everything, and definitely do update us on how it goes!

As someone new to navigating FAFSA complications, I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here. Isabella, your situation sounds incredibly stressful but your methodical approach is inspiring. I'm curious - for those who have been through the special circumstances appeals process, roughly how long did it take to get responses from the financial aid offices? I'm trying to plan my own timeline and wondering if I should expect weeks or months for schools to review these cases. Also, did any schools ask for additional documentation beyond what you initially submitted, or was the standard package (separation agreement, proof of separate households, support documentation) usually sufficient?

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - what an incredibly difficult situation for your whole family. I want to echo what others have said about the special circumstances appeal being your best option, but I also want to add something important: don't wait to start this process thinking you need to have everything perfect first. I work in higher education (not financial aid, but adjacent) and I've seen families delay starting their appeals because they're trying to gather every possible document. The reality is that financial aid offices would rather work with you to get the right documentation than have you wait weeks to submit anything at all. Start by calling both schools this week and explaining the situation - they can tell you exactly what they need and in what format. Many schools also have emergency aid funds that can provide immediate assistance while your special circumstances appeal is being processed. Also, make sure you're applying to both schools your family will be dealing with (yours and your brother's) since each school makes independent decisions. And if one school gives you a more generous adjustment than another, you can sometimes use that as leverage in discussions with the other school. Sending strength to your mom during her treatment and hoping you get the financial support your family needs and deserves.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - what an incredibly tough situation for your entire family. The advice you've gotten here is spot-on about the professional judgment process, and I wanted to add one more angle that might help. Since you mentioned medical bills are piling up, make sure to track and document ALL of these expenses - not just the obvious ones like treatments, but also things like prescription medications, travel costs for appointments, parking fees at medical facilities, and any adaptive equipment or home modifications needed. These can all be factored into your special circumstances appeal. Also, I'd suggest reaching out to the social worker or patient navigator at your mom's treatment center if she has one. They often have experience helping families navigate financial aid appeals and might even have template letters or know which documentation tends to be most effective with local schools. One last thing - if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork and phone calls (which is totally understandable!), see if there's a trusted adult like a school counselor, family friend, or relative who could help you organize and make some of these calls. Sometimes having an advocate can make the process feel less daunting. Wishing your mom strength in her treatment and hoping you get the financial relief your family needs. You're being so responsible by researching all these options.

Just to add one more important detail: For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, remember that whoever is providing contributor information (usually a parent) will need to have their own FSA ID fully set up and linked to their own Social Security Number. This is especially important with the new FAFSA simplification changes. While the signature order doesn't impact the processing, having all the proper documentation and FSA IDs ready before you begin will make the process much smoother. Also remember that your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) calculation will be based on this information.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! The signature order truly doesn't matter - I was the contributor for my nephew and I signed first while he was still at school, then he signed a few days later when he had time. What saved us was setting up a shared calendar reminder for the 14-day signature window so we didn't accidentally let it expire. Also, pro tip: after both signatures are complete, you'll get email confirmations to both the student and contributor email addresses, so you'll know for sure when the FAFSA is fully submitted. Good luck with your niece's application!

To summarize the correct 2025-2026 FAFSA process: 1. Student creates FSA ID (if they don't already have one) 2. Student begins FAFSA application using their FSA ID 3. Student completes their portion and reaches the parent information section 4. Parent creates their own FSA ID (if they don't already have one) 5. Parent completes their portion of the student's FAFSA 6. Student signs the FAFSA first 7. Parent signs the FAFSA second Both FSA IDs must be verified before signing. If you're having trouble, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

As someone who just went through this process successfully for 2025-2026, I can confirm that following PrinceJoe's step-by-step guide worked perfectly for us! The key thing I learned is that it's really important to wait for FSA ID verification to complete before attempting to sign - we made the mistake of rushing this step initially and had to start over. Also, double-check that your information matches your Social Security records EXACTLY (including middle initials, spaces, etc.). The new FAFSA system seems much more strict about this than previous years. Good luck to everyone still working through this!

UPDATE: We finally got this resolved! For anyone facing the same issue, here's what worked for us: 1. We used Claimyr to actually reach a human at Federal Student Aid (after 3 weeks of failed attempts) 2. The agent confirmed there was a "household verification mismatch" between our tax data and FAFSA entries 3. We had to submit a special form through our son's FAFSA portal (it was hidden under Special Circumstances → Family Structure) 4. We also sent documentation to each college (tax returns, marriage certificate showing step-parent relationship) 5. His SAI was calculated 4 days later! The most frustrating part is that there was no way to see or fix this issue on our own - the edit option simply didn't exist where it should have been. Thank you to everyone who helped us figure this out!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my daughter's FAFSA - we keep getting the "unable to calculate SAI" message and her college's financial aid office mentioned something about a family size issue. I had no idea about the Special Circumstances section or that the system was automatically comparing IRS data to what we entered manually. For those who successfully resolved this - how long did it typically take once you submitted the special form or got the college to override it? My daughter's aid package deadline is coming up fast and I'm getting nervous about the timing. Also, did anyone have issues with multiple colleges requiring separate documentation, or was it something that got fixed system-wide once resolved? Thanks so much for sharing your experiences - this is way more useful than anything I've gotten from the official FAFSA help resources!