Just wanted to add that if your son is applying to multiple schools, it's worth reaching out to each financial aid office individually after submitting the FAFSA. Different schools have varying policies on how they handle disability income in their aid calculations, and some are more generous with professional judgment reviews than others. Also, some schools have special emergency aid funds or disability-related grants that aren't tied to the FAFSA at all. It's extra work but could make a real difference in his final aid packages!

One more thing to consider - if your son ends up not qualifying for as much need-based aid due to the SSDI income, make sure he still applies for merit-based scholarships at his schools and through outside organizations. Many scholarships specifically target students from families dealing with disabilities or financial hardships. Also, some states have special grant programs for students whose parents receive disability benefits. It's worth checking with your state's higher education agency to see what might be available in your area.

As a newcomer to this community and the FAFSA process, I want to thank everyone for such a comprehensive and educational discussion! I'm a parent of a high school senior preparing for our first FAFSA application, and I was initially very confused about how to handle our 529 account. Reading through this entire thread - from the initial confusion about reporting requirements, through the various interpretations, and finally Alex's crucial Department of Education clarification - has been incredibly helpful. It really demonstrates how easy it is to misunderstand these policy nuances, even with the best intentions. Thanks to Alex's official ED guidance, I now clearly understand that our parent-owned 529 plan (where our daughter is the beneficiary) IS still reportable as a parental asset in the investments section. The FAFSA Simplification Act change was specifically about eliminating the requirement to report 529s owned for OTHER children (siblings), not eliminating 529 reporting entirely for the primary student. This distinction is so important because families could easily omit required information if they misunderstood the scope of these changes. I really value how this community worked together to sort through the confusion and arrive at the accurate interpretation with proper documentation. This type of thorough, fact-checked discussion gives me much more confidence as a first-time FAFSA filer. I'll definitely be referencing this thread when we complete our application!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my thanks for this incredibly thorough discussion! I'm preparing to help my daughter with her FAFSA next year and was completely overwhelmed by conflicting information I'd found online about 529 reporting. This thread perfectly illustrates why community forums are so valuable - you get real experiences alongside official guidance. Alex's Department of Education clarification was absolutely essential in clearing up what had become a very confusing conversation. It's now crystal clear that parent-owned 529s for the primary student ARE still reportable in the investments section, while the simplification specifically eliminated reporting requirements for sibling accounts. I appreciate how everyone worked collaboratively to get to the correct answer rather than just accepting the initial responses. As someone completely new to financial aid, these nuanced policy distinctions are exactly what make the process so intimidating. Having both the lived experiences shared here and the official ED guidance gives me confidence I'll handle our 529 reporting correctly when the time comes. Definitely bookmarking this discussion as a reference!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my own daughter. What's helped us so far is creating a comprehensive "paper trail" of everything - not just the parent refusal, but also documentation of your niece's living situation with you, any communication attempts with her mother, and evidence of her financial independence efforts. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the appeal process. If the initial financial aid office says no to special circumstances consideration, ask about their formal appeals process. Many schools have a secondary review committee that might view the case differently, especially if you can demonstrate that your niece has been functionally independent. Also, consider having your niece write a personal statement explaining her situation. Financial aid officers are human beings, and sometimes a well-written letter explaining the family dynamics and her commitment to education can make a real difference in how they exercise their professional judgment. The most important thing is to start this process early - don't wait until right before school starts. The earlier you begin working with financial aid offices, the more options they typically have available to help.

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share something that might help. I work as a student success coordinator at a state university, and we've developed some strategies for students in exactly this situation. One approach that's been successful is having students document their "functional independence" - things like: paying their own bills, filing their own taxes, having their own bank account, working to support themselves, etc. While this doesn't automatically qualify for dependency override, it can strengthen a special circumstances appeal. Also, I'd strongly recommend your niece contact the financial aid offices at her target schools BEFORE submitting applications. Some schools have pre-screening processes for unusual circumstances that can help determine which institutions might be most accommodating to her situation. Another resource many people don't know about: some states have their own grant programs with different criteria than federal aid. These might be more flexible about family situations. Your state's higher education agency website should have information about what's available locally. The bureaucracy is frustrating, but don't let it discourage your niece from pursuing her education. There are people in these offices who genuinely want to help students succeed, even when the system seems designed to prevent it.

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I was literally in the same panic boat as everyone else here - frantically searching online at 2 AM thinking I was completely screwed because I hadn't filed my 2024 taxes yet and my FAFSA deadline is coming up fast. The whole "prior-prior year" concept was a complete revelation to me! I had no clue that the 2025-2026 FAFSA actually uses 2023 tax data, not the most recent year. It's actually such a smart system when you think about it - gives students reasonable time to complete applications without that impossible race against current tax deadlines. What really impressed me about this thread is how everyone openly shared their real experiences, from those middle-of-the-night panic sessions to the moment everything finally clicked. It's so reassuring to know this confusion is totally normal, even among students who've been through the process before. The mix of personal stories and professional insight from the financial aid office worker creates exactly the kind of comprehensive guidance you can't get from official websites alone. The practical tips about organizing documents beforehand and remembering you can make corrections later are game-changers for someone like me who tends to overthink every step. I went from feeling like I'd already ruined my financial aid chances to actually being excited to start my application this week. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences - this community is exactly what stressed students like us need to find! Can't wait to pay it forward and help other newcomers once I have more experience under my belt.

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to add my voice to the chorus of grateful students who found this thread at exactly the right moment! I was having that same familiar late-night panic attack, absolutely convinced I was doomed because I thought I needed my 2024 tax return completed before I could even think about touching my FAFSA application. The "prior-prior year" explanation has been such a revelation! I had completely misunderstood the timing and thought they always wanted your most recent tax information. Learning that the 2025-2026 FAFSA uses 2023 data makes so much sense from a practical standpoint - it eliminates that impossible juggling act of trying to rush through current year taxes just to meet financial aid deadlines. What really strikes me about this community is how everyone shares their genuine experiences alongside practical advice. Reading through all the personal stories of midnight panic sessions mixed with professional insights from someone who actually works in financial aid creates such a comprehensive understanding that you just can't get from official websites alone. The tips about having documents organized and remembering you can make corrections later are exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes this process feel manageable instead of overwhelming. I went from feeling completely behind and stressed about missing out on financial aid to actually feeling confident about starting my application this week. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences - finding this supportive community has transformed what felt like an impossible crisis into a totally doable task!

As a parent who just completed this process with my son a few weeks ago, I can definitely confirm what everyone has said - your daughter absolutely needs to start the FAFSA first! I had the exact same confusion initially. Here's what worked for us: We planned it for a weekend when we both had about 3 hours available. My son started the application with his FSA ID, and roughly 40% through the process, he reached the parent contributor section. He added my name and email address, and I received the invitation email about 15 minutes later. One tip that really saved us time - before we even started, we gathered ALL our documents: 2023 tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, investment records, and our Social Security cards. We also tested both our FSA IDs the night before to make sure they were working properly. This preparation made the actual process much smoother. The most important thing to remember is that after you complete your parent section, your daughter still needs to review everything and hit the final submit button! The application isn't complete until she does that final submission step. Don't stress too much about understanding all the SAI calculation changes - just focus on entering accurate information and meeting your school's priority deadline. You're being really smart to plan ahead and ask questions. Good luck!

As someone who just went through this exact process with my daughter three weeks ago, I completely understand your confusion! Your daughter definitely needs to start the FAFSA application first - she's the primary applicant for financial aid, and you'll be added as a contributor during her application process. Here's how it worked for us: We blocked out a Sunday afternoon (about 2-3 hours total). My daughter logged into her FSA ID and started the application. About 35-40% through, she reached a section asking for parent contributor information. She entered my name and the email associated with my FSA ID, then continued with her portions. I received the invitation email within about 10 minutes and was able to complete my section while she worked on other parts of her application. Two crucial tips: First, make sure you both test your FSA IDs a day before starting - I had to re-verify my email address even though I thought everything was set up correctly. Second, after you complete your contributor section, your daughter still needs to review the entire application and submit it! The FAFSA isn't complete until she hits that final submit button. Have your 2023 tax documents ready beforehand since the IRS data retrieval doesn't always work perfectly. Don't worry about understanding all the SAI calculation changes - focus on accurate data entry and meeting those priority deadlines. You've got this!