Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I feel much better knowing this is common. I'll gather our documents and complete the verification process this weekend. I might try Claimyr to get through to FSA first, just to confirm exactly what they need from us. Really appreciate all the insights!

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your daughter's school has sent any emails about the verification process. Some schools will reach out directly once they receive the FAFSA and see it needs verification. They often have their own deadlines that might be earlier than the federal 45-day window, especially for priority consideration for institutional aid. My daughter's school sent a checklist of exactly what documents they needed which made the whole process much smoother than trying to decipher the federal letter.

No one's mentioned this but you should also look into whether you can claim a casualty loss on your taxes for the portion of the roof replacement not covered by insurance. Might help offset some of the financial impact. Talk to your tax professional about it.

As someone who went through a similar situation two years ago (major medical expenses wiped out our college savings), I want to emphasize that timing is crucial here. Don't wait - some schools have earlier deadlines for professional judgment appeals than others, and available funds can run out. When you contact the financial aid offices, be prepared to explain not just what happened, but also how it impacts your ability to contribute to college costs going forward. In our case, we had to explain that we couldn't rebuild our savings before our daughter started college, which helped them understand the ongoing impact. Also, keep copies of everything you submit - some schools lost our documentation and we had to resubmit. The whole process took about 3-4 weeks from start to finish, but we ended up getting an additional $8,000 per year in grants. Definitely worth the effort!

Just wondering - has your daughter received all her financial aid packages yet? Sometimes schools will offer different amounts, and you can use a better offer to negotiate with your preferred school. My daughter applied to 6 schools and the aid packages varied by more than $8K between schools with similar sticker prices.

I'm in a very similar situation! Got divorced last fall but my son's FAFSA was based on our joint 2023 income. His SAI came back at $12,400 which is way more than I can handle as a single parent. I'm planning to submit a professional judgment appeal as soon as we get his aid package back. From what I've read, divorce is one of the most straightforward reasons for an appeal since it's such a clear change in financial circumstances. The key seems to be having all your documentation ready - divorce decree, current pay stubs, updated tax info, etc. Really hoping it works out for both of us! Keep us posted on how your appeal goes.

Update: I applied for the Parent PLUS loan last night and was approved! The financial aid office also helped us identify an error in how we reported some retirement assets on the FAFSA that affected our SAI calculation. They're letting us submit correction documentation that might increase her grant eligibility by around $3,200. Plus they told us about a payment plan that would let us spread the remaining costs over 10 months interest-free. I'm feeling so much more relieved now. Thanks everyone for your help!

This is such a great outcome! Your story really highlights how important it is to actually talk to the financial aid office instead of just assuming the worst. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got my son's aid package last week and there's about a $9,000 gap that we weren't expecting. Reading through all these responses has given me a much clearer picture of what steps to take. I'm going to call tomorrow to review our FAFSA for any errors and ask about payment plans before jumping straight to Parent PLUS loans. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update - it's really encouraging to see that these situations can often be resolved with the right approach!

To apply for NYS TAP, follow these exact steps: 1. Wait 3-5 days after submitting your FAFSA for the data to transfer 2. Go to hesc.ny.gov and click on "Apply for TAP" 3. Create an account using the same email as your FSA ID 4. Complete the application (it's much shorter than the FAFSA) 5. Make sure to list SUNY Buffalo on your application With your income level, you should expect a significant TAP award. Combined with the Pell Grant, this should cover a substantial portion of the tuition costs.

I completely understand your stress about this! As a parent who went through this process two years ago, I want to reassure you that an SAI of 2658 with your income level actually puts your daughter in a very good position for aid. The FAFSA formula considers more than just income - it factors in family size, number in college, and other variables that can sometimes seem confusing. With your income under $32K, she'll definitely qualify for a substantial Pell Grant (likely around $6,000+ for the year) plus significant NY TAP funding. Make sure to also check if SUNY Buffalo has any need-based institutional grants - many SUNY schools offer additional aid beyond federal and state programs for students in your income bracket.