I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! As a student who just went through something very similar, I want to reassure you that this is absolutely fixable, even though it feels overwhelming right now. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about the Professional Judgment process, and they're all spot on. I just want to add one thing that really helped me when I was in your shoes: don't be afraid to be a bit of a "squeaky wheel" with your financial aid office. I know it feels awkward to keep calling or emailing, but remember that this directly impacts your ability to afford college - it's worth being persistent. When I finally got through to someone, I made sure to explain not just what happened, but how urgent it was for my fall enrollment. Sometimes emphasizing the timeline pressure (like needing this resolved before aid disbursement) helps them prioritize your case. Also, if your mom is willing, having her available to speak with the financial aid office directly can really help. They sometimes prefer hearing from the custodial parent about the separation details. The timing of your situation happening just one week after submission is actually perfect documentation that this was a genuine life change. You've got a strong case, and with all the great advice in this thread, you're going to get this resolved. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation! I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to have such a major family change happen right after submitting your FAFSA. The good news is that everyone here has given you absolutely fantastic advice - the Professional Judgment process is definitely your answer. I wanted to add one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet: consider reaching out to your state's higher education agency or GEAR UP program (if your state has one) for additional support navigating this process. They often have dedicated staff who can help advocate for students in complex financial aid situations and sometimes have direct relationships with school financial aid offices. Also, while you're working on getting through to your financial aid office, it might be worth checking if your school has a dedicated financial aid counselor assigned to students with your last name or major. Sometimes these individual counselors are easier to reach than the main office line and can provide more personalized assistance. The fact that this separation happened just one week after your FAFSA submission is actually ideal documentation that this was completely unforeseeable. Financial aid offices see this exact timing regularly - you're definitely not the first student to deal with family changes during FAFSA season. Keep advocating for yourself and don't give up! Your Pell Grant eligibility is absolutely worth fighting for, and with all the great documentation tips everyone has shared, you've got everything you need to make a strong case.

I'm a college sophomore who just went through this whole process last year, and I want to add one more perspective that might help! While everyone's covered the basics really well, I wanted to mention something about timing that saved me a lot of stress: if you do need to complete CSS Profile, try to do it during a weekend or when you have a solid 3-4 hour block of time available. Unlike FAFSA where you can kind of rush through it, CSS really benefits from taking your time and double-checking everything since you're paying for it. Also, something I wish I'd known - if you make a mistake on CSS Profile after submitting, you can't just go back and fix it like with FAFSA. You have to contact each school individually to make corrections, which is a pain. So it's worth being extra careful the first time around. One last thing: if your family's financial situation changed significantly in the past year (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), CSS Profile actually has sections where you can explain these circumstances. Don't skip those parts! Schools really do read them and it can make a big difference in your aid package. The whole process is definitely stressful, but you're asking the right questions and getting good advice here. You're going to be fine! 🌟

Wow, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a junior in high school just starting to think about college applications and financial aid, and honestly I had no idea there was another form beyond FAFSA. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me such a better understanding of what I'll need to prepare for next year. The spreadsheet idea that multiple people mentioned sounds brilliant - I'm definitely going to start researching which schools I'm interested in require CSS so I can plan ahead. It's also reassuring to know that the fee can be waived for families with lower incomes, since that was one of my biggest concerns. @AstroAdventurer I hope you're feeling less stressed after getting all this amazing advice! It sounds like you have a solid plan now. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world information that's so hard to find elsewhere. Bookmarking this thread for when I start my own applications next year! 📚

This thread has been incredibly helpful for me too! I'm in almost the exact same situation - defaulted loans from around 2012 that I've been too scared to deal with for years. Like so many others here, I had convinced myself I was permanently banned from financial aid and would need to come up with thousands upfront to fix this mess. Reading about the Fresh Start program and income-based rehabilitation payments as low as $9-15/month is honestly mind-blowing - I was expecting them to demand hundreds that I simply can't afford. The shame and avoidance cycle is so real, and it's incredible to see how many of us have been carrying this same burden. I'm definitely going to start with Fresh Start since it sounds like the quickest path, but knowing rehabilitation is available as a backup gives me real hope for the first time in years. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences so openly - it's exactly the push I needed to finally face this instead of continuing to let it control my educational goals!

I'm also in this exact situation with defaulted loans from around 2012! This thread has been such a lifesaver - I've been carrying around this crushing anxiety about my loan status for years, convinced I was permanently locked out of any chance at going back to school. Like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea about the Fresh Start program or that rehabilitation payments could be income-based and potentially as low as $9-15/month. I was terrified they'd demand hundreds per month that I simply can't afford. Reading all these success stories from people who were in our exact situation and are now receiving Pell Grants again is giving me real hope for the first time in over a decade! The shame and avoidance cycle is so real - I've been putting this off for years because it felt too overwhelming to even start addressing. But seeing how many people here have successfully navigated this process proves it's actually doable. I'm going to start by looking into the Fresh Start program since it seems like the quickest route, but it's reassuring to know rehabilitation is there as a backup option. Thank you all for being so transparent about your experiences - it's exactly what I needed to finally stop letting fear control my educational future and start taking concrete action!

This thread has been incredibly helpful as I navigate the same situation! I'm also a divorced parent with shared custody, but I provide about 70% of my son's support. Reading everyone's experiences has really clarified that only I should file the FAFSA, not both my ex and me. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from our school counselor: when you're calculating that support percentage, make sure to include any 529 plan contributions you're making for your child's education. I contribute $200/month to my son's college savings plan, and our counselor confirmed that counts as financial support I'm providing, even though it's not a direct expense like housing or food. Also, for anyone worried about the documentation aspect - I started keeping a simple monthly log of major expenses (who paid for what) starting this past January. It's not complicated, just a basic spreadsheet with categories like housing allocation, groceries, medical co-pays, school supplies, etc. Takes maybe 5 minutes a month to update, but I figure it'll be super helpful if we get selected for verification. Thanks again to everyone who shared their real experiences here. It's so much more valuable than trying to decode the official FAFSA guidance alone!

As another divorced parent who just completed this process, I want to emphasize something that might not be obvious: make sure you're prepared for potential pushback from your ex about who should file. Even when the support calculation clearly shows you provide more (like your 65%), some ex-spouses get defensive or think it's "unfair" that only one parent gets to control the FAFSA process. I had to have several conversations with my ex to explain that this isn't about fairness or control - it's about following the federal guidelines to maximize our daughter's aid eligibility. Having both parents file would literally hurt her chances of getting financial aid, which is the opposite of what we both want. One strategy that helped was framing it in terms of what's best for our child rather than making it about which parent has more "say" in the college process. I also offered to share all the financial aid information and decision-making with him once we received the aid packages from schools, so he didn't feel excluded from the process entirely. The bottom line is that you're absolutely doing the right thing by being the sole filer since you provide majority support. Just be prepared to explain this clearly to your ex if needed, and maybe have some of the official FAFSA guidance handy to back up your decision. Good luck!

I'm a newcomer to this community but facing the exact same situation! My parents own a small rental property and we just received the verification request yesterday. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to panic thinking we did something wrong on the FAFSA. It sounds like the consensus is to submit both the property tax assessment AND mortgage statement, along with a cover letter explaining the calculation. I'm planning to call our school's financial aid office first thing Monday morning to confirm their specific requirements before submitting anything. One question I have - for those who successfully completed this process, did you need to provide any documentation about the rental income from the property, or just the property value and mortgage balance? We reported the rental income separately on our tax return, but I'm wondering if that's part of this verification request too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is a lifesaver for stressed-out families like mine!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful experiences! I'm currently going through this same verification process for my son's FAFSA, and reading through all these responses has been incredibly valuable. We own a small rental condo and just received the property value verification request last week. Based on everything I've read here, I'm planning to submit our 2023 county tax assessment along with our most recent mortgage statement, plus a cover letter clearly explaining the equity calculation we used on the FAFSA. The advice about calling the school's financial aid office first to confirm their specific document requirements is something I definitely plan to do. It's also reassuring to hear that this is a routine process that typically resolves within 2-3 weeks once you submit the proper documentation. One thing I'm still wondering about - has anyone had experience with properties that have significantly changed in value since the tax assessment? Our rental property is in an area where home values have increased quite a bit in 2024, so our 2023 assessment might be lower than current market value. Should we stick with the assessment value for consistency, or would it be better to get a more recent appraisal?