why is fafsa still using 2023 taxes anyway??? my income is TOTALLY different now than it was 2 years ago. the whole system is so stupid!!!!

I went through a similar situation last year and here's what helped me navigate it: First, yes - you'll be the contributor parent for both kids since you provide majority financial support, regardless of who claims them on taxes. The new FAFSA rules are clear on this. For the joint 2023 taxes issue, here's what worked for me: 1. Complete the FAFSA initially using your joint return info 2. Immediately contact each school's financial aid office to explain your situation 3. They'll likely ask for your individual W-2s from 2023 to separate your income from your ex's 4. Be prepared to provide your divorce decree once it's finalized Pro tip: Start gathering documentation NOW - your 2023 W-2s, bank statements showing you pay for kids' expenses, any support documentation, etc. Having everything organized made the process so much smoother. Most schools are experienced with divorce situations and were actually very helpful once I explained what was happening. Don't stress too much - this is more common than you think!

One other thing to consider: if your son is set on attending a school that will require significant loans beyond the federal student limit, have a serious conversation about whether that's the right financial choice. Sometimes a less expensive school with more merit aid can provide an equivalent education without the crushing debt. Speaking from experience - my oldest graduated with $78k in loans and regrets not considering more affordable options.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter last year, I can confirm that federal unsubsidized loans are available regardless of income! We make about $200k and she still got the full amount. One tip I wish I'd known earlier: even if you think you make "too much" for aid, still submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline. Some schools use it for merit scholarships too, and you might be surprised - we actually qualified for a small need-based grant at one private school despite our income. Also, don't overlook work-study opportunities which can help reduce the loan burden. The key is to explore ALL options before committing to any particular loan type!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - AGI is definitely what they use for FAFSA calculations. I went through this exact confusion when my son applied two years ago. I kept focusing on our taxable income because it had dropped significantly due to some legitimate business deductions, but the financial aid offices only cared about our AGI which had actually increased. One thing that helped me understand it better was thinking about it this way: the FAFSA is designed to measure your family's actual ability to pay for college based on your total income before you make choices about deductions and tax strategies. Your AGI represents that "real" income level better than your final taxable income after all the write-offs. Since your AGI went up from 2022 to 2023, even with the business write-off helping to keep it lower than it could have been, you probably won't benefit from an appeal. Save your energy for making sure all the other parts of your FAFSA are filled out accurately!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly educational! My family is in a similar boat - my husband's business had some significant equipment purchases last year that created deductions, but our overall income still went up. Based on what everyone is saying about AGI being the key factor, it sounds like we shouldn't expect those business deductions to help us much with financial aid since they're already factored into our AGI calculation. One quick question for those who've been through this - when you filled out the FAFSA, did you find any sections particularly confusing or easy to mess up? I want to make sure I don't make any errors that could delay our aid processing. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource!

anyone else notice that sometimes the schools dont get the fafsa info even when u add them?? we added 2 schools for my son in january and when we called in march they said they never got his fafsa!! had to resubmit the whole correction again. so frustrating

As someone who just went through this process with my own child, I wanted to add that you should also check your email (including spam folder) for confirmation messages after making corrections. When we added schools to my daughter's FAFSA last month, we received email confirmations within 24 hours that the corrections were submitted successfully. These emails also included a summary of which schools would be receiving her FAFSA data, which gave me peace of mind. If you don't receive a confirmation email within a day or two, that might indicate there was an issue with the submission process.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel a bit better knowing that there's still a chance with my SAI, even if it varies by school. I'm going to: 1. Wait for my initial aid packages 2. Contact financial aid offices directly if Work-Study isn't included 3. Ask about regular campus employment as a backup plan 4. Look into which schools might have larger Work-Study budgets I'll update this thread once I start hearing back from schools in case it helps anyone else with a similar SAI.

Just wanted to add some perspective from someone who's been through this process! My SAI was actually 11,800 last year (so even higher than yours) and I ended up getting Work-Study at 3 out of 7 schools I applied to. The key thing I learned is that timing really matters - not just when you submit your FAFSA, but also how quickly you respond to your financial aid offers. Some schools have a "summer melt" where students decline their Work-Study awards, creating openings for waitlisted students. I got my Work-Study offer in July after being initially denied! Also, smaller private schools definitely seem more flexible with their cutoffs than big state schools. Don't lose hope - your SAI of 11,366 is definitely still in the running at many colleges.