One more thing to consider: Starting with the 2024-2025 application (and continuing for 2025-2026), the FAFSA has been significantly redesigned. The parent section is now called the "contributor" section, and the process is a bit different than in previous years. Your parent will need to be added as a contributor to your FAFSA, and they'll receive an email invitation to complete their section. This is a change from the old system, so if you or your father are referencing how things worked in the past, be aware the process has changed. Also, make sure you're using the official studentaid.gov site to complete your FAFSA. There are many look-alike sites that charge fees for what should be a free application.

Hey Connor! I went through this exact same situation last year and it was SO stressful. Here's what I learned: you definitely can't submit until everything is complete, but there are a few things you can do right now to help your situation. First, complete your entire student section tonight and save your progress - this will give you some documentation to show your scholarship committee that you've started the process. Second, try sitting down with your dad this weekend with a laptop and just power through his section together. Bring snacks and make it a "FAFSA party" - I know it sounds cheesy but it worked with my mom! For the scholarship deadline, email them NOW explaining the situation. Most committees understand that parent delays are common and will give you a short extension if you show proof you've completed your part. Don't wait until the last minute to reach out to them. Also, remind your dad that he needs his 2023 tax return for this cycle, not 2024. That might help him find the right documents faster. You've got this!

That's exactly what happened with my daughter too. Her

As someone who just went through this process with my twin daughters last year, I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - keep detailed records of EVERYTHING! I created a spreadsheet tracking each school's requirements, deadlines, contact information, and who we spoke with (including names and dates). This saved us so much headache when schools claimed they never received documents or when we needed to follow up on conversations. Also, don't be afraid to ask for supervisors if you're not getting helpful responses from the first person you speak with. Some financial aid staff are overwhelmed and may give you generic answers, but their supervisors often have more authority to actually help with specific situations. One more tip: if a school offers a "financial aid workshop" or information session, GO! We learned about several scholarship opportunities that weren't widely advertised just by attending these sessions.

Great update! I'm so glad you got this resolved. This is exactly why I always tell students to contact their financial aid office directly when they're worried about deadlines - most schools are very understanding about FAFSA processing delays since they know it's completely out of the student's control. Your experience will definitely help other students who find themselves in the same situation. Thanks for sharing the outcome!

As someone who just went through this exact same stress last year, I can't emphasize enough how normal this is! The "processing" status had me checking my account obsessively for days. What I learned is that the FAFSA system is honestly just inconsistent with who gets instant estimates vs who has to wait for full processing. It has nothing to do with whether you did something wrong - it's usually just based on the complexity of your financial situation or random system factors. The most important thing is that you submitted before your school's deadline, which it sounds like you did. Your official SAI will come through soon, and in the meantime, that confirmation email is your golden ticket to prove you met all the requirements!

If her mother makes more than you and you have equal custody, it might benefit your daughter's aid eligibility for you to be the parent who completes the FAFSA. The lower-income parent will typically result in a lower SAI, potentially qualifying for more need-based aid. The official rule is: 1. The parent who provided more financial support in the past 12 months 2. If equal support, the parent the student lived with more 3. If equal living time, the parent who provided more financial aid Since you're handling college expenses but make less, you have a legitimate case for being the parent contributor. Just be prepared to explain the situation if verification is requested.

As someone who just went through this process with my own kid, I'd strongly recommend waiting until the 2023 taxes are actually filed rather than using estimates. I know it's stressful with deadlines, but here's why: The verification process is absolutely brutal if your estimates are off by more than a small amount. Even if you're close, schools often won't finalize aid packages until they have the actual tax data anyway, so you're not really saving time. For the parent/student process - yes, your daughter creates her FSA ID first, starts the application, then invites you as a parent contributor. Make sure you use your own FSA ID when you get the invitation. One thing that helped us was reaching out to the financial aid offices at her top choice schools to explain the tax extension situation. Most were understanding and said they could work with a later FAFSA submission as long as we communicated early about the delay. The peace of mind from submitting accurate information from the start is worth way more than rushing with estimates that might cause problems later!

One important note: If you do select 'unmarried' based on being separated, make sure you understand the documentation requirements. If your application is selected for verification (which happens to about 30% of FAFSA applications), you may need to provide: 1. Proof of separate residences (utility bills, leases, etc.) 2. Legal separation documentation if applicable 3. A personal statement explaining the separation situation 4. Sometimes a third-party statement (counselor, clergy, lawyer) confirming the separation Being prepared with this documentation ahead of time can save weeks of delays if verification is required.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my oldest daughter's FAFSA. After reading all these responses, I want to add that timing is crucial here. Don't wait until the last minute to sort this out - financial aid offices get swamped closer to deadlines and response times slow way down. Also, when you do contact the school's financial aid office (which you absolutely should do first), ask specifically about their "Dependency Override" or "Special Circumstances" forms. Some schools have streamlined processes for separation situations that can bypass a lot of the headaches everyone's describing. One more tip: if your son is applying to multiple schools, each financial aid office may handle your situation slightly differently. Don't assume the guidance from one school applies to all of them. I learned this the hard way when my daughter's backup school had completely different documentation requirements than her first choice. The stress is real, but there are solutions. Your son won't miss out on aid because of this - it just takes some extra legwork on the front end.