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wait i'm confused... isn't FAFSA using the 2023 tax info now for the 2025-26 form? why are they looking at your 2022 taxes?
You're mixing up the tax years. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they'll use 2023 tax information. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA (the current application cycle), they use 2022 tax information. The OP is dealing with the current application cycle.
Update: I wanted to thank everyone for the advice! I followed the suggestions and contacted the financial aid office proactively. They were actually really understanding about our situation. They gave us a specific list of documents to provide: 1. Copy of our extension paperwork 2. Letter from our tax professional 3. Documentation of our Fresh Start program enrollment 4. An estimated income worksheet (they provided their own form) They said they'd put a note in my son's file and as long as we provide these documents within 30 days, his work-study shouldn't be affected. They also said we'll need to provide the actual tax return info once we file, but that can be handled through a professional judgment review as someone suggested. I feel so much better knowing what to expect rather than just waiting for a potential verification issue to pop up! Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and advice.
That's excellent news! This is exactly why proactive communication with the financial aid office is so important. They deal with these situations regularly and usually have established procedures. Glad to hear your son's work-study position shouldn't be affected.
Has your son checked if Berkeley offers any school-specific financial aid options? My daughter's university had several engineering-specific scholarships that weren't part of the standard financial aid package. Worth asking Berkeley's financial aid office directly!
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to try using Claimyr first to see if I can get our FAFSA issues resolved and speak to an actual human being at Federal Student Aid. If that doesn't work out, I'll look into the Parent PLUS loan option, and then explore private loans with SoFi and College Ave as backups. I really appreciate all the insights and warnings about variable rates and loan management - this community has been incredibly helpful!
Any update? Did your daughter's submission fix the issue? I'm dealing with a similar situation and wondering if there's hope...
YES!!! It worked! As soon as she properly submitted her section, I got an email notification that I could complete mine. The trick was that she thought she had submitted everything but had only saved it. Once she actually completed the submission of her part, I could access mine. My section only took about 15 minutes to complete. Such a relief!
That's great news! Just a heads-up - after you both submit, it typically takes 3-5 business days for the FAFSA to process and generate the SAI (Student Aid Index). Then her school needs time to create her aid package based on that. Since she's leaving in just 5 days, I'd recommend calling her school's financial aid office to let them know the FAFSA is finally submitted and ask if they can expedite processing for study abroad students.
my roommate says i should have reported my scholarships as income and now im freaking out that i did my taxes wrong last year!!! does anyone know if we can get in trouble for this???
Many students don't need to report scholarships as income because they use the funds entirely for qualified educational expenses. Your roommate might be referring to a different situation. If you're concerned, you could consult with a tax professional, but this is actually a common misunderstanding. Focus on answering the FAFSA question accurately based on what was ACTUALLY reported on your tax return, not what might have been reported.
UPDATE: I looked through the 2025-2026 FAFSA Help text for this specific question, and it clarifies: "Enter the amount of any college grants, scholarships or AmeriCorps benefits (awards, living allowances, and interest accrual payments) that were reported as income on your 2023 tax return." The key phrase is "that were reported" - you're not answering whether they SHOULD have been reported, just whether they WERE reported. So check your actual tax return to answer this question accurately.
Anastasia Fedorov
you know there may be loan forgiveness coming right??? shoulda waited maybe??? biden was talking about canceling like $10k for everybody, coulda saved some of that settlement money
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Ravi Gupta
•The latest FAFSA loan forgiveness proposals are currently held up in court, and there's no guarantee when or if they'll be implemented. For someone going through adoption qualification where timing matters, waiting for potential forgiveness that might never come isn't practical advice. Plus, adoption agencies want to see actual debt reduction, not potential future reduction.
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Diego Vargas
Congrats on being debt free!!! Quick question - did you have to pay taxes on your settlement? And will you have to pay taxes on the loan payoff? I know sometimes debt cancellation is considered taxable income, not sure if this is the same situation.
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Omar Hassan
•Great question. Personal injury settlements are generally not taxable income at the federal level. And since this wasn't debt cancellation but rather a complete payoff using personal funds, there's no tax implication for the loan payoff either. The OP essentially used their non-taxable settlement to pay a debt, which doesn't create a taxable event. However, state tax rules can vary, so it's always good to consult with a tax professional.
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