Hey Hugo! As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to chime in and say how valuable this entire thread has been to read through. Your situation is actually more common than you might think - many students face these kinds of complications when parents are separated and documentation gets tricky. What really stands out from all the excellent advice you've received is that you're absolutely doing the right thing by switching to your dad's information since you've been living with him for the past year. This isn't about trying to optimize your aid - it's about following federal requirements correctly. I love how everyone emphasized being prepared for potential verification rather than trying to avoid it. The tips about gathering mail with your name at your dad's address, having court documents ready, and even proactively calling your school's financial aid office are all brilliant strategies. Since you never actually received aid using your mom's information, you're essentially starting fresh anyway. You've got this! Good luck with your FAFSA submission and starting college this semester.

Hey Hugo! Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I've been following this thread and it's been incredibly educational. Your situation really highlights how complex FAFSA can be when families don't fit the "standard" model. What strikes me most is how you've received such consistent advice from multiple people who've actually been through similar situations - that gives me a lot of confidence in the guidance you're getting. The key points seem crystal clear: use your dad's information since you've been living with him for the past year, be prepared for potential verification with proper documentation, and don't stress about the switch since you never actually received aid before. I love how everyone emphasized that this is about following federal rules, not gaming the system. The practical tips about having your dad's FSA ID ready, gathering supporting documents, and even calling the financial aid office proactively are all things I'll definitely keep in mind for my own FAFSA journey. You seem to have a really solid plan now - good luck with your submission and starting college this semester!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! My son and I went through the exact same thing just two weeks ago and I completely understand the frustration and stress this causes, especially with deadlines looming. After reading through all the incredible advice here, it looks like you have a really comprehensive plan to tackle this systematically. The combination of waiting for the FSA ID to fully process (that 3+ day processing time seems to be crucial even though you can log in), using Microsoft Edge during off-peak hours, and adding colleges in small batches of 2-3 at a time has been successful for so many families here. One additional tip that helped us: when you do get to the college selection page, double-check that you're entering the Federal School Codes (not CEEB codes) for each institution. We were accidentally mixing up code types which caused some saving errors. Most schools list their Federal School Code prominently on their financial aid pages. Also, keep a notepad document open with all your information so you're not switching between tabs or windows while in the application - that seemed to help with the saving issues too. Your daughter shouldn't feel discouraged at all - this is clearly a widespread technical problem affecting thousands of students right now, not anything you're doing wrong. With all these strategies from this amazing community, I'm confident you'll get through it soon!

I'm so sorry you're going through this incredibly frustrating situation! As a parent who just completed my son's FAFSA application last month, I can completely relate to the stress and exhaustion you're feeling right now. Reading through all the excellent advice shared here, it really sounds like you have a solid action plan with multiple approaches to try. The combination that seems to work best for most families is: waiting the full 3+ days for FSA ID processing, using Microsoft Edge during early morning hours (5:30-6:00 AM), adding colleges in small batches of 2-3 at a time, and being very patient with the saving process (waiting 30-60 seconds after each save). One thing I'd add from our experience: try using your phone as a mobile hotspot for internet instead of your regular home WiFi. We discovered that some ISPs have routing issues with the studentaid.gov servers, and switching to mobile data completely resolved our saving problems. Also, if all else fails, remember that many colleges and state financial aid offices are aware of these widespread technical issues and are being flexible with deadlines. Don't hesitate to reach out to them directly if needed. Your daughter should know this is absolutely not her fault - it's a system-wide problem affecting thousands of families. With all these community-tested solutions, I'm confident you'll get through this soon. Hang in there!

Your SAI of 3832 is actually in a pretty good spot for getting meaningful financial aid! As someone who just went through this process last year with a similar SAI (mine was 3,650), I can share what actually happened vs. what I expected. I ended up getting about $3,200 in Pell Grant money, plus my state (Michigan) gave me an additional $2,800 in state grant funds that I didn't even know existed until my award letter came. The key thing that helped me was applying early to everything - FAFSA, state aid, and school-specific applications. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: your SAI stays the same regardless of which school you attend, but the "need" calculation changes based on each school's cost. So a $20,000/year school sees you as having $16,168 in need, while a $40,000/year school sees you as having $36,168 in need. This is why more expensive schools sometimes end up being more affordable after aid. Also, don't sleep on work-study! With your SAI, you'll almost certainly qualify, and those jobs are usually super flexible around your class schedule. I work 10-12 hours a week in the library and it covers my meal plan plus some spending money. The first-gen thing is actually an advantage at many schools - there are tons of scholarships and support programs specifically for us. Make sure to mention it in every application and when you talk to financial aid offices!

Your SAI of 3832 is definitely workable! I'm currently a college sophomore and went through this exact situation two years ago with an SAI of 4100, so just slightly higher than yours. Here's what I learned that I wish someone had told me upfront: your SAI isn't just about federal aid - it's also what schools use as a baseline for their own institutional aid decisions. With your number, you're in that sweet spot where you'll get meaningful federal aid but schools will also see you as someone who genuinely needs help. My actual aid package ended up being: $3,100 Pell Grant + $2,500 state grant + $4,200 institutional grant + $3,500 subsidized loans. So about $13,300 total, which made my state university very affordable. A couple things that really helped me maximize aid: - I applied to 8 schools and compared ALL the award letters before deciding - I negotiated with my top choice school using a better offer from another school as leverage (they matched it!) - I found out about emergency grants during my freshman year when my laptop died - many schools have these funds that students don't know about The first-gen aspect is actually a huge advantage. Most schools have specific programs and even dedicated staff for first-gen students. When you visit campuses or call financial aid offices, definitely mention it - they often have resources and scholarships that aren't widely advertised. You're already ahead of the game by understanding your SAI and asking these questions early. Don't stress too much - with some research and persistence, you'll find affordable options!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I can confirm everything that's been said here is correct! The key thing to remember is "ownership determines reporting" - since you're the legal owner of the account, it goes in your contributor section regardless of the money's intended purpose. I made a spreadsheet to track all our assets and their FAFSA treatment, and it really helped avoid confusion. Also, double-check that you're using the correct "as of" date for reporting asset values - it should be the date you sign and submit the FAFSA, not when you started filling it out. The $14,500 will only contribute about $817 to your SAI calculation at the 5.64% parent asset rate, which is much better than the $2,900 it would have added if mistakenly reported as a student asset!

Just wanted to add my experience as a financial aid counselor - this is one of the most frequently asked questions we get! The confusion is totally understandable because it seems counterintuitive. But yes, everyone here is absolutely correct: if YOU are the legal account holder, it's YOUR asset for FAFSA purposes, period. The intent doesn't matter, only legal ownership. I always tell parents this is actually a blessing in disguise because of that lower assessment rate (5.64% vs 20%). One more tip: if you have multiple children and separate savings accounts for each in your name, you'll report the TOTAL of all those accounts in your parent assets section. The FAFSA doesn't ask you to break down which money is "for" which child - it just cares about your total reportable assets as the contributor.

I'm a high school counselor and see this exact situation all the time! You're absolutely doing this correctly by including your stepdad. Since you live with your mom more than 50% of the time and she's married to your stepdad, FAFSA requires both of their financial information - period. Your biological father's refusal to cooperate is irrelevant to the process. I always tell my students: FAFSA cares about your current household, not your family drama. One tip: when you get to the parent signature section, make sure your mom signs as the "parent" since she's your biological parent, and your stepdad signs as the "spouse of parent." This helps avoid any confusion during processing. You're handling this maturely and following the rules perfectly!

As someone who works in financial aid at a university, I can confirm everything everyone has said here! You MUST include your stepfather's information since you live with your mom and she's married to him. This is one of the most common questions we get, and students are often surprised to learn it's not optional. A few additional tips: 1) Make sure both your mom and stepdad have their FSA IDs set up before you start the FAFSA, 2) If your stepdad doesn't have a Social Security number, there's a different process but he still needs to be included, and 3) Don't be surprised if including a stepparent's income affects your aid eligibility - that's just how the formula works. The important thing is you're following the rules correctly, which protects you from any issues down the road. Good luck with your application!