UPDATE: I just checked the 2024-2025 FAFSA guidelines and it specifically states: "Investments do not include the home in which you live; cash, savings, and checking accounts; the value of life insurance and retirement plans (401[k] plans, pension funds, annuities, non-education IRAs, Keogh plans, etc.)." So you're definitely doing the right thing by correcting this!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter's FAFSA, I can confirm this is one of the most common mistakes parents make! The terminology is really misleading - when they say "investments" most people naturally think retirement accounts are investments. But the federal government treats them completely differently for financial aid purposes. One tip that helped us: when in doubt, always exclude rather than include. The FAFSA is looking for assets that are easily accessible, not funds that are locked away until retirement with penalties for early withdrawal. Your correction should definitely improve your financial aid eligibility significantly!

Update: I finally got through to FSA this morning! The agent confirmed that the IRA rollover shouldn't count as income and said they're seeing this problem a lot with the new FAFSA. They submitted a correction for me, but also suggested I contact my schools directly as backup. She said it could take up to 3 weeks for the correction to process in their system (ugh!), but the schools can make adjustments on their end in the meantime.

This is such a widespread issue this year - thank you Charlie for sharing your experience! For anyone else dealing with this, I want to emphasize that time is critical. Don't wait for the FSA correction to process if you have upcoming deadlines. I've seen students lose out on aid because they assumed the FAFSA correction would happen automatically. One tip: When you email your schools, include your FAFSA confirmation number and the exact amount of the rollover that was incorrectly counted as income. This helps the financial aid officers process your case faster. Also, if your first school responds quickly like Charlie's did, ask them what documentation they need - then you can send the same package to all your other schools immediately rather than waiting for each one to tell you what they want. The system definitely needs to be fixed, but in the meantime, the professional judgment process does work if you're proactive about it!

This whole new FAFSA system is SUCH A DISASTER!! My son's college keeps telling us they're missing information from his FAFSA but when we log in it shows complete!!! I've tried calling 18 times and can't get through to anyone. The whole contributor system is so confusing and the colleges don't even know what's going on. We might lose his financial aid package because of all these technical problems.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! Yes, only one parent needs to complete the contributor section when you file jointly - I had my husband handle it while I was traveling for work. The key things to double-check: make sure whoever fills it out has your 2023 joint tax return handy, knows where to find your AGI (line 11 on Form 1040), and has access to current bank account balances for both parents. Also, don't forget about any 529 plans or other education savings accounts - those need to be reported too even if they're in the student's name. Good luck with the NJ deadline - you've still got time if you tackle it this weekend!

I'm new to this whole private loan process and feeling a bit overwhelmed, but this thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like I should definitely shop around with multiple lenders and not just go with the first offer. One question I have - for those who've been through this, how long did it typically take from application to getting the funds disbursed to the school? I want to make sure we start the process with enough time before the semester begins. Also, did any of you run into issues with the school's financial aid office when coordinating the private loan disbursement with the rest of your aid package? I'm leaning towards starting with Earnest, CommonBond, and maybe our local credit union based on the recommendations here. The spreadsheet idea is brilliant - definitely going to set that up to compare everything side by side. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my daughter last year, I'd strongly recommend checking out Citizens Bank in addition to the others mentioned here. They ended up giving us the best rate at 6.2% fixed with our similar credit score, and their application process was surprisingly smooth. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - definitely apply for pre-qualification with multiple lenders first before doing the full applications. Most do soft credit pulls for pre-qual that won't hurt your score, and you can see your potential rates without committing. We ended up saving almost 2% by shopping around this way. Also, don't forget to factor in your state's tax deductions for student loan interest when comparing options. In some states, you can deduct the interest payments which effectively lowers your cost. With $14K in loans, that could add up to meaningful savings over the repayment period. Good luck with your search - sounds like you're being smart about researching thoroughly before jumping in!

oh also tell her to apply for scholarhsips for foster youth even if shes just in guardianship!! my cousin got like 3 different ones bc there not many people who apply for them!

Just wanted to add another resource that might be helpful - the National Foster Youth Institute has a FAFSA guide specifically for youth who aged out of foster care or are in guardianship situations. They break down all the dependency questions really clearly and have sample documentation you might need. Also, don't forget to look into your state's tuition waiver programs for former foster youth - many states have these even for students in guardianship situations. Your daughter might qualify for in-state tuition waivers or other benefits beyond just federal aid. Worth checking with your state's higher education agency!