To summarize the correct information for your situation: 1. Only your custodial parent (the one you live with more than 50% of the time) needs to complete the FAFSA 2. Who claims you on taxes does NOT determine which parent completes the FAFSA 3. Child support is considered the custodial parent's income, not direct support from the non-custodial parent 4. If your custodial parent is remarried, the stepparent's information must be included 5. Some private colleges require the CSS Profile which may request non-custodial parent information Based on what you've shared, your mother should complete the FAFSA as your custodial parent. Your father's tax claiming status is irrelevant for FAFSA purposes.

Just wanted to add something that might help - make sure you and your mom complete the FAFSA together so she can answer all the parent financial questions accurately. I made the mistake of trying to fill it out myself first and had to go back and correct a bunch of stuff because I didn't know her exact income details. Also, have her tax returns handy because the FAFSA will ask for specific line items from her 1040. Good luck with everything!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to focus on maximizing federal loans first (both subsidized and unsubsidized), look into payment plans at my university, apply for more scholarships, and try to get a part-time job to cover some expenses. I'll talk with my parents about whether they'd be willing to consider a Parent PLUS loan versus being a cosigner on a private loan if I need additional funding. The differences in repayment flexibility between federal and private loans is really eye-opening. And I'll definitely use that Claimyr service to get through to FSA with my specific questions. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

Great to see you getting such solid advice here! I went through this exact situation 2 years ago - parents made too much for grants but couldn't actually help with tuition. One thing I'd add that really helped me: consider taking a gap year to work and save money if you haven't already committed to starting this fall. I know it's not ideal, but I saved about $15k working full-time for a year, which significantly reduced my loan burden. Also, once you're in school, look into becoming a Resident Advisor after your first year. Most schools offer free room and board for RAs, which can save you $10-12k per year. The application process is competitive but definitely worth trying for. And don't forget to check if your state has any student loan forgiveness programs - some states offer loan forgiveness for graduates who work in certain fields or underserved areas within the state.

Something I wish I'd known earlier: create a spreadsheet NOW to track all of this. Include columns for: - Each school name - Date FAFSA data received (call/email to confirm) - Aid package received date - Total aid offered - Grants/scholarships (free money!) - Work study amount - Federal loans offered - Out-of-pocket cost Trust me, when those offers start coming in, they all look different and use different terminology. Having a standardized way to compare them will save you HOURS of confusion and stress later. And don't ignore the financial aid deadlines for accepting offers - some schools have surprisingly early deadlines!

One more thing to keep in mind - don't panic if you don't hear anything for several weeks! I made the mistake of constantly refreshing my student portal and calling schools too early last year. What really helped me was setting up a simple calendar reminder for 3 weeks from when I got my SAI, then another one for 6 weeks out. That way I wasn't obsessively checking every day but still had a plan for when to follow up. Also, if your daughter applied to any state schools, they sometimes have different timelines than private colleges. State schools in our experience were faster with aid packages but had less flexibility for appeals or negotiations. Just something to keep in mind as you're waiting! The whole process is definitely stressful for first-time parents, but you're asking all the right questions. Hang in there!

The order doesn't matter for the SAI calculation itself - the system will recognize all three students once all applications are completed. However, I generally recommend completing applications in order of priority deadlines. If your children are applying to schools with different priority deadlines, start with whoever needs it submitted first. Otherwise, the order won't impact how their multiple-in-college status is processed by the federal system.

As someone who just went through this exact scenario with twins last year, I feel your pain! The removal of the transfer feature was such a huge step backwards. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple document with all the key numbers (AGI, assets, etc.) from the first application so I could copy/paste instead of having to look everything up again. Also, if you're using tax information that was imported via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the first application, you'll need to use the same method for consistency across all three - don't mix imported data with manually entered data or you might trigger verification issues. The good news is that once all three are submitted, the multiple-in-college benefit should kick in automatically and significantly reduce your family contribution. Hang in there!

As someone who went through this exact scenario during the 2018-2019 shutdown, I want to reassure you that while it's stressful, there are definitely ways to navigate this! Here's what worked for me: I immediately contacted my school's emergency aid office (separate from regular financial aid) and they had a specific "government shutdown protocol" that included temporary tuition deferrals and interest-free bridge loans. The key is acting fast - don't wait to see if a shutdown actually happens. Also, document EVERYTHING - screenshots of your FAFSA submission, emails with your school, phone call logs with FSA. I kept a folder with all of this and it made the process much smoother when my aid finally came through. Your first-gen status might actually work in your favor here - many schools have additional emergency resources specifically for first-generation students facing financial emergencies. Hang in there! 💪

I just went through something similar last year when there were delays (not shutdown related, but same stress!). Here's what I wish I'd known earlier: call your school's main financial aid number and ask to speak with someone about "emergency situations" or "extenuating circumstances" - they often have different staff who handle these cases vs regular processing. Also, if you're living on campus, contact housing separately from financial aid. They usually have their own policies for students waiting on delayed federal aid and can put temporary holds on your account. The worst part is the waiting and not knowing, but most schools have been through this enough times that they have systems in place. Document your FAFSA submission date and any communication attempts with federal aid - this shows you did everything right on your end. You've got this! The fact that you're being proactive now puts you ahead of many students who wait until the last minute.