Just wanted to add - make sure to check if your school has an emergency aid application process. Many institutions have funds specifically for students at risk of dropping out due to financial hardship. This won't solve your FAFSA problem, but it might provide a temporary bridge while you get everything sorted out.

UPDATE: You all are amazing! I created a new FSA ID for my dad last night using his correct email (confirmed it 3 times). Then I used that Claimyr service someone suggested to get through to FSA quickly. The agent was able to help me complete the process and get my dad's portion signed! My FAFSA is now SUBMITTED!!! I'll deal with the duplicate FSA ID issue later as suggested. THANK YOU ALL for your help - you literally saved my education!

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!