This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a college financial aid advisor and I see students and parents struggle with this exact situation frequently. A few additional tips based on what I've seen work best: 1. If you're worried about verification, consider submitting a brief explanatory letter WITH your FAFSA that outlines your separation situation and calculation method. This can sometimes prevent the back-and-forth later. 2. For anyone mentioning Claimyr - yes, it's legitimate. We actually recommend it to families who are having trouble reaching FSA directly. It's especially helpful for complex situations like this where you really need to speak with an agent rather than just checking general FAQs. 3. Keep in mind that your school's financial aid office can also help verify your calculation method before you submit. Many schools have experienced staff who've seen these separation scenarios before. The proportional AGI method everyone's discussing is absolutely correct, and documenting everything is key. You're all giving great advice to each other here!

I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm going through the exact same situation - separated in early 2024 but filed jointly for 2023, and I've been staring at the FAFSA tax question for weeks not knowing what to do. The proportional AGI method makes complete sense now that everyone has explained it so clearly. What really helped me was seeing the actual example with the $42K/$96K calculation - having real numbers made it click. I'm definitely going to call FSA to get official confirmation, and I love the tip about calling right when they open at 8am EST. One question for those who've been through verification - did they ask for any specific documents beyond the usual tax transcripts and W-2s? Like proof of separation date or anything like that? I want to make sure I have everything ready just in case. This whole process is stressful enough without having to scramble for documents later! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this is a common situation and there's a clear way to handle it properly.

btw if you haven't already, GET A COPY OF YOUR RENTAL PAYMENTS FROM VENMO!! they can delete after a certain time, happened to me and i lost that proof 😡 download statements for every month you've paid!

Quick update for anyone following this thread - I just got off the phone with my school's financial aid office (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it worked great!). They told me to start documenting EVERYTHING right now - screenshots of threatening texts, dates when I've been kicked out, receipts for rent payments, and any witnesses who can verify my situation. They said my case is borderline but they've approved similar situations before when students had good documentation. Also learned that I need to be careful about the timing - if I get kicked out again, I should contact them immediately while it's happening rather than waiting. Thanks everyone for the advice, this thread has been super helpful!

I'm so grateful to have found this community and this incredibly helpful thread! As someone who's completely new to the FAFSA process, I was getting really stressed about my application being stuck on 'Invite Sent' for my dad's contributor section for the past few days. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief - I genuinely thought I had done something wrong when I kept seeing that status despite entering all of his financial information. The fact that parents need their own FSA ID to verify information we've already provided is such a crucial detail that really should be explained much more clearly in the FAFSA process! It's honestly mind-boggling how many students are probably running into this same issue right now. I'm definitely going to help my dad create his FSA ID this week and make sure we use the exact same email address I originally entered for him. Thank you all for being so generous with sharing your experiences and advice - this thread has probably saved me from missing my financial aid deadline! It's amazing how supportive this community is for helping students navigate these confusing processes.

Welcome to the community! I just joined and I'm so glad I found this thread because I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now. My FAFSA has been stuck on 'Invite Sent' for my mom's contributor section for about 4 days, and I was starting to worry that I had made some kind of error. Like everyone else here, I spent a lot of time carefully entering all of her financial information - tax documents, income, bank statements, everything - and genuinely believed I had completed that entire section. It's really frustrating how the FAFSA doesn't clearly explain this two-step verification process! Reading through all of your experiences has been incredibly reassuring and helpful. I had no idea that parents need to create their own FSA ID and electronically sign to verify the information we already provided. The interface really does make it seem like you're finishing everything when you submit the contributor data. I'm planning to help my mom set up her FSA ID this evening, and I'll definitely make sure we use the exact same email address I originally entered for her as a contributor. Based on all the shared experiences here, it sounds like the status should update within 24-48 hours once she completes her verification. This thread has honestly been a lifesaver - thank you all for sharing such detailed explanations and advice! You've probably saved me from panicking unnecessarily about my financial aid deadline.

As someone who just went through this exact process last semester, I want to emphasize how important timing is! The moment that job board opens, you need to be ready to apply immediately. I literally had my applications drafted ahead of time with all my information filled out, so when positions went live, I could just copy/paste and submit within minutes. Also, don't just focus on the job descriptions - pay attention to the supervisors' names listed and try to research them beforehand. Some departments are known for being more flexible with schedules and better to work for than others. Pro tip: if your school has a student employment fair or orientation session, GO TO IT. I got hired on the spot at one of these events because I could speak directly with supervisors rather than just submitting online applications. Good luck - you've got this!

For what it's worth, I'd also suggest checking if your school has any work-study positions in IT support or tech services. These jobs often pay on the higher end of the scale and give you valuable technical experience that looks great on resumes. Many schools are always looking for students who can help with basic computer troubleshooting, setting up equipment for events, or maintaining lab computers. Even if you're not a tech major, these positions usually provide training and the skills transfer well to almost any career field. Plus, IT departments tend to be pretty flexible with scheduling since they understand students' academic priorities. Just another avenue to consider when that job board opens up!

As a newcomer to this community and the FAFSA process, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I submitted my FAFSA about 5 days ago to 8 schools and was already starting to feel anxious about not hearing anything. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I had no idea that "processed" on studentaid.gov doesn't actually mean the schools have received my information yet! The distinction between FAFSA and ISIR is completely new to me, and I definitely wouldn't have known to ask schools specifically if they've "received AND processed" my data rather than just asking if they got it. The advice about creating a tracking spreadsheet and calling mid-morning for better response times is exactly what I needed. It's really comforting to learn that this confusion and lack of clear communication is just how the system works, not a sign that something went wrong with my submission. I'm planning to give it another week before I start making calls (since I just submitted), but now I feel much more prepared with all the practical tips shared here. Thank you to everyone for being so generous with sharing your real experiences - this kind of honest, detailed advice makes navigating this intimidating process feel so much more manageable for those of us doing it for the first time!

As a newcomer to this community and the whole FAFSA world, I can't tell you how reassuring this thread has been! I just submitted my FAFSA three days ago to 5 schools and was already starting to panic about the silence. Reading everyone's experiences here has taught me more about the actual process than any official guide I've found. The biggest shock for me is learning that "processed" on studentaid.gov is basically meaningless for confirming schools actually have my data - I was totally relying on that status thinking everything was good to go! I also had no clue about the FAFSA vs ISIR difference or that some schools might require me to actively link the data in their portals. Based on all the amazing advice shared here, I'm going to wait about another week before starting my calls (giving it roughly 2 weeks total), then contact each school with my SSN and FSA ID ready to ask specifically if they've "received AND processed" my FAFSA. The tracking spreadsheet idea is genius - I'll definitely set that up with columns for contact dates, who I spoke with, and their responses. It's such a relief to know that this confusion and anxiety is completely normal, not a sign that I messed something up! Thank you all for sharing your real experiences and practical tips - this is exactly the kind of honest guidance that makes this overwhelming process feel manageable for first-timers like me.